By Mia TaylorFeatures correspondent

Some customers claim Starbucks' new Oleato drink may cause stomach aches or bowel problems. Here's what to expect in a sip.

Olive oil has long been lauded for its nutritional benefits, including helping to lower cholesterol and fight inflammation. But do you really want a sip of the stuff in your morning coffee? Starbucks says yes, and has released a new coffee drink called Starbucks Oleato that’s infused with Partanna extra-virgin olive oil.

Initially debuted in Italy last year, the drink was introduced to North American markets this week, including the US and Canada, and is also available in London, Paris, Osaka and Tokyo.

Those who bravely tried the new beverage have shared mixed reviews, with one consumer tweeting that "the Oleato at Starbucks is a legit laxative." Others posted on Reddit and X (formerly Twitter) to share their feedback. One poster, claiming to be a Starbucks employee, wrote that peers at the coffee chain needed to visit the restroom after consuming the drink because of its perceived laxative effect. Other consumers have commented that the coffee-oil combo triggered a stomach ache and diarrhoea.

"I tried one and immediately had a shooting stomach pain so this is going to go over so well," wrote one Reddit user. Another added that, after trying the drink, they "just felt sick to my stomach lowkey." 

But the feedback hasn’t been all bad. Some shared praise on the same Reddit thread for the new coffee offering: "Tried the sample today. Not bad imo. But I still prefer my white chocolate mocha."

The Starbucks beverage generating all of the online chatter was first brought to market at the Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Milan and comes in a range of options including Oleato Caffe Latte, Oleato Iced Cortado and Oleato Golden Foam Cold Brew, among others.

It was created by Starbucks founder Howard Schultz, inspired by his visit to the olive groves of Sicily. 

"After being introduced to the Mediterranean custom of taking a spoonful of olive oil each day, [Schultz] soon began enjoying a spoonful of Partanna extra virgin olive oil as part of his daily ritual in addition to his morning coffee, and soon he had the idea of trying the two together," a 2023 press release from Starbucks explains.

BBC reached out to Starbucks for comment, and the brand responded to note that "if a customer has a question about consuming coffee and extra virgin olive oil, we recommend they contact their medical provider."

Is olive oil coffee really healthy?

Olive oil is an integral part of the Mediterranean diet and is a primary source of healthy fat. But that doesn’t necessarily mean olive oil-infused coffee has deep roots in Italian culture. When the initial Oleato announcement came out, Italy Magazine responded to it and to the question of "Is olive oil in coffee a thing in Italy?” with "No, not remotely. Not ever."

That said, Mindy Haar, a registered dietician and doctor of health sciences who is also assistant dean at New York Institute of Technology’s School of Health Professions, tells the BBC that some people – including Italians – take a spoonful of olive oil per day for its potential health benefits.

Similar to the public’s mixed reactions to consuming Starbucks’ latest creation, dieticians offered the BBC a range of feedback on combining olive oil with coffee.

Adding fat to coffee certainly isn’t new, nutritionist Sarah Herrington tells the BBC. People have long been mixing heavy cream or various types of milk into their cup of coffee. So, adding a fat source isn’t exactly a novel idea. However, coffee and olive oil separately can have properties that lead to loose bowel movements and together they have the potential to lead to laxative effects, Herrington says.

"Coffee is a diuretic and can be bowel stimulating," Herrington explained. Olive oil, meanwhile, is therapeutic, she says, and may be recommended for individuals who have problems with gut or intestinal inflammation. (Often, Herrington explains, such individuals experience constipation as a side effect of both of those conditions.)

"Olive oil can be helpful in such cases because it’s an anti-inflammatory. So you could heal the constipation with the olive oil. Is it as potent as an actual laxative?" Herrington asks. "Probably not. But it could lead to looser bowel movements." A study from the World Journal of Gastroenterology established as much, noting that "olive oil and sweet almond oil can function as softeners if their intake exceeds the absorptive capacity of the small intestine."

Aside from diarrhoea and bowel movements, an Oleato coffee may simply not be the healthiest way to consume olive oil – if it's health benefits you're after, that is. Haar points out that the Oleato drinks contain an excessive amount of calories. A 16-ounce Oleato Cafe Latte with oat milk, for instance, has 330 calories, while an Oleato Golden Foam Cold Brew has 310 calories. "If you want to have olive oil, have it with your food," Haar advises.

That said, Starbucks consumers aren't typically choosing their indulgent coffee beverage for its nutritional value. In that particular respect, the Oleato is no different than the beloved pumpkin spice latte.

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