You’ve heard olive oil is good for your heart—but what happens if you really go all in? 

Dr. Sten Ekberg, a former Olympic athlete and holistic doctor, put olive oil to the ultimate test. Over 10 days, he consumed 100 tablespoons—yes, 1.5 liters—of this golden liquid. His goal? To uncover the real impact of high-fat diets on health, inflammation, insulin sensitivity, and heart disease risk.

🥄 Curious about the results? Here’s what he discovered—and what it might mean for your own health.

🥗 The Experiment: 10 Days, 1.5 Liters of Olive Oil

For 10 straight days, Dr. Ekberg consumed large amounts of olive oil—about 10 tablespoons a day—while maintaining a whole-food, low-carb, high-fat diet.

Here’s what his daily menu included:

✔️ Foods that absorb olive oil well: tabbouleh, broccoli, sautéed vegetables, eggplant, and eggs
✔️ Macros: ~79% fat, 12% protein, and only 7% carbs
🍷 Red wine: consumed in moderation on 7 out of the 10 days
🏃‍♂️ He also increased his physical activity during the experiment

Why such a bold approach? Dr. Ekberg wanted to test whether eating lots of healthy fats—without processed carbs—would still affect his blood sugar, insulin, cholesterol, and inflammation.

🩸 Blood Test Results: The Good, the Bad & the Surprising

After 10 days, Dr. Ekberg did a full blood panel to track what changed. The results were… mixed.

Here’s a breakdown:

✅ Stayed Stable:

• Blood Glucose & HbA1c: Surprisingly steady, even with all that fat

• Traditional Cholesterol Markers: LDL, HDL, and total cholesterol barely changed

⚠️ Increased:

• Insulin & HOMA-IR: Suggesting a rise in insulin resistance

• CRP (High-Sensitivity): An increase in inflammation

• LDL Particle Count: Higher particle numbers, smaller particle size (a potential red flag for heart disease)

• Sodium/Potassium Ratio: Dropped, possibly indicating adrenal stress or electrolyte imbalance

🧠 Dr. Ekberg’s Takeaways: Not All Fats Are the Same

So, was olive oil to blame for the negative changes? Not exactly.

Dr. Ekberg believes the issue wasn’t the fat itself, but the quantity. Overeating—even on healthy fats—can trigger inflammatory markers and insulin resistance.

His key insights:

✔️ Monounsaturated fats (like olive oil) and saturated fats (from quality sources) can be healthy—in moderation
✔️ Monitoring insulin and inflammation is more important than just looking at LDL
✔️ This was a self-experiment with a sample size of one—results may not apply to everyone

💡 The Bottom Line: Is More Olive Oil Always Better?

Olive oil is one of the healthiest fats on the planet—but even too much of a good thing can backfire.

This experiment shows that:

• ✅ Olive oil can be part of a healthy diet

• ⚠️ Overconsumption may raise insulin resistance and inflammation

• 📊 Deep-dive blood testing (not just basic cholesterol) reveals the full picture

Moderation, balance, and personalized tracking are key.