During a recent visit to Starbucks, I saw signs promoting a new olive oil-infused coffee. Two words came to mind: ‘No way!’
No, I wouldn’t give something Starbucks is calling “Oleato” a try. I wouldn’t even consider it. My refusal is based on common sense: I can’t imagine drinking an olive oil-infused coffee drink could possibly end well.
Starbucks calls it “a velvety smooth, deliciously lush and elevated coffee experience.” I don’t know why anyone needs a “coffee experience.” I just want a cup of coffee.
At the moment, I’ve become somewhat fond of the company’s pistachio latte. I like pistachio nuts, and while I can taste a hint of something that sort of resembles pistachio, it’s not an overwhelming flavor. Still, it gives what seems like a sort of buttery, sweet flavor with a slight nutty flavor. I like the drink. I am not a fan, however, of its price. A large size sells for almost $7.
Needless to say, I haven’t purchased that many pistachio lattes. It’s nowhere near a daily ritual for me.
Olive oil-infused coffee wouldn’t be a one-time ritual for me
I wouldn’t try it for the same reason most people with reasonable sense would probably avoid it. If you need what could be a quick trip to the toilet, that might be a reason to consider it.
Personally, I despise olives. I have never liked the taste of them. While I’ve had a couple of dishes made with olive oil, it wasn’t a primary ingredient. On top of that, the flavor of the olive oil didn’t interfere with whatever happened to have been cooked in it.
But on top of my dislike of olives, I have a fun little condition that people used to call “a nervous stomach.” The medical profession came up with a more official-sounding name. They call it “irritable bowel syndrome.” I’ve had it long enough to know certain foods to avoid and certain levels of stress to avoid that could trigger what we might euphemistically call “an episode.”
I can’t help but think that if you take coffee and olive oil and combine them, that could cause “an episode” for someone even if they’ve never had a moment of IBS.
One Starbucks employee claimed that’s exactly what happened…
I found a Today story on precisely that “predictable” outcome. The headline pretty much says it all:
Starbucks customers are complaining about stomach issues from new olive oil-infused coffee
Well, of course they are!
The article points to a post on Reddit by someone who claims to be a Starbucks barista. The poster claims several members of her team ended up in the bathroom after trying the concoction.
One person who responded to the post summed it up nicely:
Caffeine is a stimulant for your bowels and oil a relaxant… So yeah wonderful idea by Starbucks.
Would you be brave enough to try olive oil in coffee? I wouldn’t…no matter who made it!
