After the holiday swirl of cookies, cocktails, and “just one more snack,” January is when many people crave a reset. It’s a natural time to return to healthier eating habits — but that doesn’t require a complicated plan or restrictive routine.
One of the simplest upgrades you can make is also one of the most effective:
Add extra virgin olive oil to your vegetables.
Not only does olive oil make vegetables taste better, it also helps your body absorb more of the nutrients that make them so beneficial.
Recent research from the University of Missouri confirms that pairing vegetables with olive oil significantly increases the absorption of fat-soluble nutrients — especially carotenoids found in leafy greens like kale.
Kale contains lutein, α-carotene, and β-carotene, compounds that support eye health, immune function, and cardiovascular wellness. These nutrients are fat-soluble, meaning they cannot be efficiently absorbed unless dietary fat is present. Without fat, much of their nutritional value passes through the digestive system unused.
Researchers tested kale prepared raw, cooked, and with various sauces using a digestion model designed to mimic human absorption. When kale was eaten alone, carotenoid absorption remained low. When olive oil was added — even in a simple olive oil and water emulsion — absorption increased dramatically.
Interestingly, it didn’t matter whether the olive oil was added before or after cooking. The presence of olive oil itself was the key factor.
Olive oil enhances absorption by dissolving fat-soluble nutrients and supporting the formation of micelles — tiny transport structures that move carotenoids into the bloodstream. Extra virgin olive oil is especially effective because of its monounsaturated fats and natural bioactive compounds.
This helps explain why Mediterranean-style eating patterns, which consistently pair vegetables with olive oil, are associated with better nutritional outcomes.
Just as important: olive oil improves flavor. It softens bitterness in greens like kale, making vegetables more enjoyable and easier to eat regularly — which is essential for building habits that last.
Healthy eating only works if it’s sustainable.
Recipe Spotlight: Kale Sauce Pasta
Kale Sauce Pasta from NYT Cooking by Joshua McFadden turns kale into a smooth, vibrant green sauce blended with generous olive oil. It’s flexible, freezer-friendly, and works with or without cheese. Because the sauce is fully blended, it’s an easy way to enjoy kale’s nutrients alongside olive oil in a form that feels indulgent rather than virtuous.
Don’t Love Kale? That’s Okay.
The same principle applies to vegetables you already enjoy — roasted carrots, sautéed spinach, tomato-based soups, or sheet-pan vegetables. Pairing them with olive oil helps unlock nutrients like carotenoids and vitamin K while making meals more satisfying.
The takeaway: Healthy eating isn’t just about what you eat — it’s also about how you eat it. Adding extra virgin olive oil to vegetables is one small, sustainable habit that improves nutrition, flavor, and satisfaction all at once.
Reference:
Zhu, H., McClements, D. J., Zhang, Z., & Zhang, R. (2025). Culinary strategies for improving carotenoid bioaccessibility in kale: The role of thermal processing and excipient emulsions. Food & Nutrition, Article 100049. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fnutr.2025.100049
