Does Extra Virgin Olive Oil Help Anxiety? The Science Behind EVOO and Stress

on Apr 03 2026

April marks National Stress Awareness Month, offering a timely opportunity to explore how stress affects our health and what we can do to better support our minds and bodies.

Stress is a normal part of life. In moderation, it can be beneficial — helping us meet deadlines, adapt to new situations, and focus under pressure. However, when stress becomes chronic, it shifts from helpful to harmful, affecting both body and brain.

Stress and the Brain

Chronic stress increases inflammation, worsens oxidative stress, and impairs mood and general cognitive function. This goes on to impact memory, learning, and emotional regulation. Persistently high cortisol levels increase the brain’s vulnerability to immune challenges and neurodegeneration, reducing its capacity to adapt and recover.¹

The long-term impact is substantial, as individuals with chronic stress and depression have more than twice the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.²

We can’t eliminate stress entirely, but we can influence how the brain responds to it — and simple dietary choices, such as daily extra virgin olive oil consumption, may make a world of difference.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil for Stress Support

Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) may not be the first thing that comes to mind for stress relief. Still, this dietary staple might surprise you with its potential benefits in calming anxiety. High-quality EVOO contains brain-supportive compounds that are shown to reduce inflammation, support cognitive function, and may even influence your body’s overall stress response.

The Polyphenol Difference: What It Is and Why It Matters

EVOO benefits can be traced back to their polyphenol content. Polyphenols are naturally occurring plant compounds with powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, qualities that are especially important for stress and brain health.

Some of the key polyphenols found in high-quality EVOO include:

Oleocanthal, known for its anti-inflammatory effects.³

Oleuropein, shown to reduce oxidative stress and fight neuroinflammation.⁴

Hydroxytyrosol and tyrosol, both potent antioxidants that help protect brain cells from damage.⁵

You can visit here for a deeper dive into how the polyphenols in EVOO can boost your brain health.

However, we can’t expect the same benefits from all extra virgin olive oils. Polyphenol content can vary significantly due to factors such as olive variety, harvest timing, processing methods, and storage conditions. As a result, EVOOs with higher total phenolic content show greater benefits, particularly for behavioral and neurochemical outcomes.⁶

This is why quality makes the difference in EVOO. Polyphenol-rich extra virgin olive oils, like BHK EVOO, are specifically sourced and produced to preserve these brain-supportive compounds, helping to ensure you receive their full benefits.

Can Extra Virgin Olive Oil Help with Anxiety and Stress Relief? What the Research Shows

Regular consumption of high-polyphenol EVOO is linked to better brain health, and growing research is highlighting its particular role in supporting mood, anxiety, and stress.

A 2024 review of 49 studies on olive oil and mental health found that the research consistently presented improvements in anxiety and depression with regular EVOO consumption.⁷

Extra Virgin Olive Oil for Short-Term Stress Relief

EVOO doesn’t just offer long-term benefits — it may also influence the brain’s short-term response to stress. For instance, a study measuring cerebral blood flow found that EVOO intake was associated with a reduced stress response within one hour, providing a fast-acting calming effect.⁸

Extra Virgin Olive Oil’s Mood Benefits

A 2021 study examined the interaction between olive oil and depression. It was discovered that patients with severe cases of depression showed considerable improvements in their symptoms through daily EVOO consumption.⁹ Interestingly, these improvements were not linked to changes in cortisol or brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein that supports brain cell health, suggesting that reductions in inflammation and oxidative stress may be driving these effects.⁹

How Extra Virgin Olive Oil Benefits Sleep

Poor sleep and anxiety commonly reinforce each other, but diets rich in EVOO may help break the cycle. EVOO is associated with better sleep quality, which, in turn, supports emotional wellness. Plus, EVOO can contain trace amounts of melatonin, an essential hormone that helps regulate sleep-wake patterns.¹⁰

Read more on the surprising connection between EVOO and sleep here.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil and the Gut-Brain Connection

The connection between the gut and brain is especially influential in mood and stress regulation. Approximately 90% of serotonin, a key neurotransmitter involved in mood, is produced in the gut, along with other important mood-regulating compounds such as dopamine and GABA.¹¹ Not only do these neurotransmitters have a hand in how you’re feeling, but they also support sleep, immune health, and even nutrient absorption.

Polyphenols in EVOO support this system by cultivating a healthier gut environment. Studies have shown that polyphenol compounds encourage the growth of beneficial bacteria and may help reduce harmful strains, supporting a more balanced microbiome.¹²

The gut and brain are constantly communicating, which is why caring about your gut is an important step in protecting your brain — as well as supporting mood, stress resilience, and overall cognition.

We dive into the specific roles of EVOO polyphenols in the gut-brain connection here.

Curious how to turn EVOO into a daily habit for better mood and brain health? Download our FREE e-guide below for the science behind its benefits, plus simple recipes and ideas to get you started.

How Much EVOO Should You Consume?

Research suggests that a daily intake of around 2.5 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil is linked to potential benefits for mood and brain health.⁷

The most effective way to achieve those health-boosting effects is to stay consistent. You can try drizzling EVOO over salads, tossing it with roasted veggies, blending it into smoothies, or simply taking a spoonful. Making it a daily habit is easier than you think. You can visit here to learn how you can enjoy more EVOO in your meals.

Pour Some Peace of Mind with Brain Health Kitchen EVOO

High-quality, polyphenol-rich EVOOs are the most brain-supportive olive oils — and one that you can trust checks all the boxes is our Brain Health Kitchen EVOO (BHK EVOO), now available to pre-order with our freshest batch from the 2025/2026 harvest season.

BHK EVOO is a collaboration with Dr. Annie Fenn of the Brain Health Kitchen, and it is packed with more than 500mg/kg of polyphenols that encourage a calm mind now and a sharp mind later. It’s sourced from an award-winning farm in Tuscany, mechanically cold-pressed without chemicals, and stored in stainless steel canisters to preserve its smoothness, maintain its freshness, and provide the most nutrients possible. Pre-order BHK EVOO so you don’t miss out on this limited batch.

The Mediterranean and MIND Diets: Foods that Reduce Anxiety

While EVOO offers notable benefits on its own, it isn’t a standalone solution. In fact, EVOO is a central part of both the Mediterranean and MIND diets — two dietary patterns consistently associated with better brain health.

These diets offer a vast array of whole foods that support the brain from multiple angles and provide natural ways to reduce anxiety. For example, research shows that following a Mediterranean-style diet has been linked to a 39% lower incidence of anxiety.¹³ Even more compelling, adherence to the MIND diet is associated with a 97% lower likelihood of developing anxiety disorders.¹⁴ That is not a marginal benefit. That is a near-complete reduction in risk, driven entirely by what you choose to put on your plate.

Filling the Gaps in a Brain-Healthy Diet

The nutrients your brain needs for long-term protection, the specific compounds found in the MIND and Mediterranean diets, require a level of dietary consistency that is genuinely difficult to maintain. Miss a few days here, fall short on variety there, and those gaps add up quietly over time in ways you may not notice until much later. However, there are tools, like brain health supplement RELEVATE, that can help fill common dietary gaps. With 17 brain-protective nutrients, it’s designed to mirror powerful elements of both diets, filling what your plate is missing — every single day, without exception. Notably, about half of RELEVATE users report improvements in mood.¹⁵

A Simple Habit for Long-Term Brain Health

We can’t always control the causes of our stress, but we can influence how our bodies respond.

Chronic stress can have lasting effects on brain health, including an increased risk of cognitive decline. However, small, consistent habits — especially those rooted in nutrition — support cognitive function in the long run.

Regular EVOO consumption is a perfect example of this. Its unique combination of polyphenols may help reduce inflammation, support mood, and promote overall cognitive health, making it a simple yet meaningful addition to a brain-healthy lifestyle.

References

1. Koo, J. W. & Wohleb, E. S. How Stress Shapes Neuroimmune Function: Implications for the Neurobiology of Psychiatric Disorders. Biol. Psychiatry 90, 74–84 (2021).

2. Wallensten, J. et al. Stress, depression, and risk of dementia – a cohort study in the total population between 18 and 65 years old in Region Stockholm. Alzheimers Res. Ther. 15, 161 (2023).

3. Abuznait, A. H., Qosa, H., Busnena, B. A., El Sayed, K. A. & Kaddoumi, A. Olive-Oil-Derived Oleocanthal Enhances β-Amyloid Clearance as a Potential Neuroprotective Mechanism against Alzheimer’s Disease: In Vitro and in Vivo Studies. ACS Chem. Neurosci. 4, 973–982 (2013).

4. Day, A., Olsen, G. & McGinnity, M. The Effects of Olive Oil and Oleuropein on Depression and Anxiety. Impulse: The Premier Undergraduate Neuroscience Journal (2025).

5. Zodio, S. et al. Protective effect of hydroxytyrosol and tyrosol metabolites in LPS-induced vascular barrier derangement in vitro. Front. Nutr. 11, (2024).

6. Kokras, N. et al. Behavioral and Neurochemical Effects of Extra Virgin Olive Oil Total Phenolic Content and Sideritis Extract in Female Mice. Molecules 25, 5000 (2020).

7. Eedy, V. & Aucoin, M. The role of olive oil and its constituents in mental health: a scoping review. British Journal of Nutrition 1–11 (2024) doi:10.1017/S000711452400299X.

8. Mitsukura, Y. et al. Evaluation of olive oil effects on human stress response by measuring cerebral blood flow. Food Sci. Nutr. 9, 1851–1859 (2021).

9. Foshati, S., Ghanizadeh, A. & Akhlaghi, M. Extra-Virgin Olive Oil Improves Depression Symptoms Without Affecting Salivary Cortisol and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor in Patients With Major Depression: A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial. J. Acad. Nutr. Diet. 122, 284-297.e1 (2022).

10. de la Puerta, C. et al. Melatonin is a phytochemical in olive oil. Food Chem. 104, 609–612 (2007).

11. Dicks, L. M. T. Gut Bacteria and Neurotransmitters. Microorganisms 10, 1838 (2022).

12. Millman, J. F. et al. Extra-virgin olive oil and the gut-brain axis: influence on gut microbiota, mucosal immunity, and cardiometabolic and cognitive health. Nutr. Rev. 79, 1362–1374 (2021).

13. Sadeghi, O., Keshteli, A. H., Afshar, H., Esmaillzadeh, A. & Adibi, P. Adherence to Mediterranean dietary pattern is inversely associated with depression, anxiety and psychological distress. Nutr. Neurosci. 24, 248–259 (2021).

14. Torabynasab, K. et al. Adherence to the MIND diet is inversely associated with odds and severity of anxiety disorders: a case–control study. BMC Psychiatry 23, 330 (2023).