Fat That Unlocks Health

Why olive oil turns good food into smarter food

We spent decades fearing fat. Skimming it off, swapping it out, avoiding it altogether. And in the process, we forgot something essential, your body needs fat to unlock some of the most important nutrients in food.

Not all vitamins are water-soluble. Some are fat-soluble, meaning they need fat to be absorbed properly. Without it, they pass through your body with far less impact than they deserve.

This is where olive oil, especially high-polyphenol extra virgin olive oil, quietly becomes one of the smartest nutritional tools in your kitchen.

First, water-soluble vs fat-soluble, in plain language

Vitamins come in two main families.

Water-soluble vitamins, such as vitamin C and the B-vitamins, dissolve in water. Your body absorbs what it needs and excretes the rest fairly easily. Fat is not essential for their uptake.

Fat-soluble vitamins are different. These include vitamins A, D, E and K. They dissolve in fat, not water. To absorb them efficiently, your body needs fat present during digestion. Without fat, absorption drops significantly.

Research consistently shows that adding fat, particularly from olive oil, to vegetables increases the bioavailability of fat-soluble vitamins and carotenoids.

Where olive oil becomes a nutritional amplifier

Extra virgin olive oil does more than “carry” vitamins.

It acts as a delivery system, helping fat-soluble compounds move through the digestive tract and into circulation. When that olive oil is also rich in polyphenols, like Green Machine or Green Queen, it adds an extra layer of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory support along the way.

This is not about adding calories. It is about unlocking nutrition that is already there.

The vitamins that love olive oil

Vitamin A and carotenoids
Found in carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, spinach and kale. These compounds support vision, skin and immune health. Their absorption increases significantly when consumed with fat.

Vitamin D
Often discussed as a supplement, but also present in eggs and certain fish. As a fat-soluble vitamin, its uptake benefits from dietary fat.

Vitamin E
A powerful antioxidant found in leafy greens, nuts and seeds. Olive oil not only helps absorb vitamin E, it also naturally contains it.

Vitamin K
Important for bone health and normal blood clotting. Found in leafy greens like kale, spinach and broccoli. Absorption improves dramatically when paired with fat.

Minerals, not fat-soluble, but still helped by olive oil

Minerals like magnesium, iron and calcium are not fat-soluble, but olive oil still helps indirectly.

By supporting gut health, reducing oxidative stress and improving the overall digestive environment, olive oil can enhance mineral uptake and utilisation over time. In the case of iron from plants, pairing leafy greens with olive oil and vitamin C-rich foods can further improve absorption.

Green Machine and Green Queen, two ways to amplify nutrition

Both oils play a role, depending on the ritual.

Green Machine, with its exceptionally high polyphenol content (1,378 mg/kg), brings intensity and functional power. It is ideal when you want maximum bioactive impact, strong vegetables, bitter greens, turmeric, legumes, soups. (Quality Analysis)

Green Queen, at 371 mg/kg polyphenols, offers a gentler, everyday approach. It integrates seamlessly into daily meals, smoothies and light dishes, enhancing absorption without dominating flavour. (Quality Analysis)

Different personalities, same intelligence.

Everyday rituals that quietly boost nutrient absorption

These are not hacks. They are habits.

Vegetable soup, finished, not cooked
Add a drizzle of olive oil to your bowl just before eating. Heat destroys some delicate compounds, but finishing preserves polyphenols and boosts vitamin A and K absorption from vegetables.

Golden milk with turmeric
Curcumin is notoriously hard to absorb. Adding a few drops of olive oil helps improve its bioavailability. A gentle pairing of warmth, spice and fat that your body understands.

Green smoothies, upgraded
Spinach or kale smoothies are rich in vitamin K and carotenoids. A teaspoon of olive oil turns them from “healthy” to effective.

Eggs, made smarter
Eggs contain choline, vitamin D and carotenoids. A drizzle of olive oil over soft eggs enhances absorption and adds stability without heaviness.

Legumes and grains
Lentils, chickpeas and whole grains carry minerals and fat-soluble phytonutrients. Olive oil helps your body actually access them.

The unexpected rituals

Olive oil in coffee
It sounds strange, but a few drops of mild olive oil, especially Green Queen, can soften acidity and slow caffeine absorption slightly. This can feel gentler on the nervous system for some people. Not a stimulant hack, more a nervous-system-friendly ritual.

Olive oil as a morning “primer”
A small amount of olive oil before breakfast can support bile flow, preparing the digestive system for fat-soluble nutrient absorption throughout the meal.

Olive oil in a raw cacao latte

Raw cacao is often praised for its mood-boosting reputation, but nutritionally it is just as interesting. Cacao is naturally rich in polyphenols (especially flavanols), magnesium, and fat-soluble antioxidants. What it lacks is fat.

Adding a small amount of high-quality olive oil changes how your body interacts with cacao.

The fat helps improve the absorption of cacao’s fat-soluble compounds, while the polyphenols from the olive oil add an extra layer of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory support. When you use a high-polyphenol oil like Green Machine, the pairing becomes almost synergistic, plant intelligence meeting plant intelligence.

There is also a sensory effect. Olive oil softens cacao’s bitterness, rounds the mouthfeel and slows the absorption of caffeine-like compounds such as theobromine. For many people, this results in a calmer, more sustained sense of focus rather than a sharp spike.

Think of it less as a “hack” and more as a ritual, warmth, bitterness, fat and calm working together.

A teaspoon is enough. Blend it well. Let it feel luxurious rather than functional.

The bigger picture

Olive oil is not just a fat. It is a key.

A key that unlocks vitamins already on your plate. A key that helps your body recognize nourishment rather than noise. A key that turns everyday food into functional food, without supplements, without complexity.

When that olive oil is high in polyphenols, transparent, lab-tested and alive, like Green Machine and Green Queen, the effect is not louder. It is smarter.

This article is for educational purposes and does not replace medical advice. If you have specific health conditions or take medication, consult a healthcare professional.