Starbucks Customers Complain About Side Effects of Coffee Added with Olive Oil

Some customers say Starbucks’ recent Oleato drink may cause stomach pain or intestinal problems. Here’s what to expect after a sip.

Olive oil has long been praised for its nutritional benefits, including helping to lower cholesterol and fight inflammation. But do you really want to gulp it down in your morning coffee? Starbucks says yes, and has launched a recent coffee drink called Starbucks Oleato with the addition of Partanna extra virgin olive oil.

The drink, which debuted in Italy last year, hit North American markets this week, including the U.S. and Canada. It’s also available in London, Paris, Osaka and Tokyo.

Those who bravely tried the recent drink shared mixed opinions, one consumer tweets that “Oleato at Starbucks is a real laxative.” Others posted on Reddit and X (formerly Twitter) share your opinion. One user, claiming to be a Starbucks employee, wrote that colleagues at the coffee chain had to go to the bathroom after drinking the drink because of its alleged laxative effects. Other consumers noted that the combination of coffee and oil caused stomach pain and diarrhea.

But the reviews weren’t all bad. Some shared their praise on the same Reddit thread for the recent coffee offering: “I tried a sample today. Not bad in my opinion. But I still prefer my white chocolate mocha.”

The Starbucks drink that has sparked so much discussion online first came to market at the Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Milan and is available at a range of options including Oleato Caffe Latte, Oleato Iced Cortado and Oleato Golden Foam Frigid Brew and others.

It was created by Starbucks founder Howard Schultz, who was inspired by a visit to the olive groves in Sicily.

The BBC approached Starbucks for comment, and the brand responded that “if a customer has a question about consuming coffee and extra virgin olive oil, we recommend they contact their healthcare professional.”

It speaks, Mindy’s hair, A registered dietitian and doctor of health sciences, who is also an associate dean at the School of Health Professions at the Recent York Institute of Technology, told the BBC that some people – including Italians – consume a tablespoon of olive oil a day because of its potential Health benefits.

Much like the mixed public reaction to Starbucks’ latest creation, nutritionists have given the BBC a range of thoughts on combining olive oil with coffee.

Adding fat to coffee is certainly nothing recent, says Sarah Herrington, a registered dietitian at Brio-Medical, an alternative cancer treatment center in Arizona that sells olive oil supplements. People have long been mixing bulky cream or different types of milk into a cup of coffee. So adding a fat source is not a recent idea. But coffee and olive oil alone may have properties that lead to loose bowel movements, and together they have the potential to lead to a laxative effectsays Herrington.

“Coffee is a diuretic and can stimulate the bowels,” Herrington explained. Olive oil has healing properties, she says, and can be recommended for people who have problems with inflammatory bowel disease. (Often, Herrington explains, such people experience constipation as a side effect of both conditions.)

“Olive oil can be helpful in cases like this because it’s anti-inflammatory. So you can cure constipation with olive oil. Is it as effective as a real laxative?” asks Herrington. “Probably not. But it can lead to looser bowel movements.” test from the World Journal of Gastroenterology, “olive oil and sweet almond oil may act as emollients if their consumption exceeds the absorption capacity of the diminutive intestine.”

Aside from diarrhea and bowel movements, Oleato coffee may simply not be the healthiest way to consume olive oil—when it comes to the health benefits you’re looking for. Haar points out that Oleato drinks contain an excessive amount of calories. For example, a 16-ounce Oleato Cafe Latte with oat milk has 330 calorieswhile Oleato Golden Foam Frigid Brew has 310 calories. “If you want olive oil, then have it” with your food– advises.

Still, Starbucks consumers don’t typically choose their indulgent coffee drink for its nutritional value. In that respect, Oleato is no different beloved pumpkin latte.

*Article updated February 29, 2024 to clarify that Sarah Herrington works for a company that sells olive oil dietary supplements.