Herb

Olive Leaf

82/100

RemedyRank score

The leaf of the olive tree, taken as tea or extract, traditionally used to support immunity and healthy blood pressure.

Silvery-green olive leaves on a stem beside a small amber dropper bottle.

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🌱 What it is

Olive leaves come from the same tree that gives us olives and olive oil. They contain oleuropein, a bitter compound long studied for its traditional use in Mediterranean folk medicine.

📜 Where it comes from

Olive trees and their leaves have been valued across the Mediterranean world for thousands of years, with references to the olive branch appearing throughout the Bible as a symbol of peace and healing. Ancient Greek and Egyptian healers used olive leaf preparations to cool fevers and treat infections, and Mediterranean folk tradition continued this use for generations. Olive leaf extract entered wider Western herbal use in the twentieth century as researchers began isolating its bitter compound, oleuropein.

Biblical Greco-Roman Ancient Egyptian European folk & herbals Modern science & nutrition

✨ Why it's good for you

Traditionally used to support the immune system
May help support blood pressure already in the normal range
May help support healthy blood sugar levels
Rich in antioxidant plant compounds

🥗 Nutrition

Per 1 cup brewed tea (240ml) · about 2 calories

Oleuropein (polyphenol)
Antioxidant polyphenols
Negligible macronutrients

Source: Nutrition estimate (per typical serving)

🥄 How to use it

Steep 1 teaspoon of dried olive leaf in hot water for 10 minutes for a tea, or take an olive leaf extract per the label; it works gradually.

How much: As tea, 1 teaspoon dried leaf per cup; or extract per the label.

Why it works: Helps protect against infection by influenza, herpes and other viruses, and against bacterial and fungal infections.

Show full details & how to prepare it

Olive leaf — from the same ancient tree that gives us olives and oil — contains oleuropein, a compound studied for supporting the immune system against bugs and gently helping lower blood pressure. It's taken as a slightly bitter tea or a standardized extract.

Ways to prepare it

Olive leaf tea: Steep 1 teaspoon dried olive leaf in a cup of hot water for 10 minutes; sip one to two cups a day.

Extract: Take an olive leaf extract per the product label for immune and blood-pressure support.

🧺 Other forms of Olive Leaf

These used to be pages of their own. They are the same remedy in a different form — the differences worth knowing are below.

Olive Leaf ExtractSupplement

A concentrated olive leaf extract some people use, alongside medical care, to help support the body during a shingles outbreak.

How this form is used: Take 1-2 capsules twice a day, often alongside vitamin C, as a complement to medical care for a shingles outbreak — not as a replacement for antiviral treatment.

Cautions for this form

Not a substitute for antiviral medication — see a doctor promptly for shingles, especially if the rash is near an eye or you have a weakened immune system.
May lower blood pressure or blood sugar — use caution with related medications.
Stop and consult a doctor if you notice stomach upset or unusual symptoms.

Natural Remedies Encyclopedia (7th ed.)

Shop olive leaf extract capsules on Amazon

Formerly its own page at /remedies/olive-leaf-extract, now redirected here.

⚠️ Cautions

May lower blood pressure and blood sugar — use caution with related medications.
Generally gentle; can cause mild digestive upset in some.
Avoid large medicinal doses in pregnancy -- those on related medications sometimes find the interaction worth discussing with a pharmacist or doctor first.

📚 Learn more

🌿 Deeper natural detail

🩺 The conventional view

Olive leaf — Wikipedia ↗

🔎 What this addresses

Where Olive Leaf fits into a condition's cause-and-symptom picture — some conditions it works on the root cause of, others it mainly soothes.

Eases the symptoms of

For these, it calms the condition without addressing what drives it.

Eczema — This is olive leaf extract, taken as a supplement — not olive oil on the skin. A Manchester study found that oils, including olive oil, applied to a newborn's skin actually impaired the skin's protective barrier, and a 2021 medical commentary was titled 'Olive oil is for eating and not skin moisturization.' Olive leaf shouldn't be confused with rubbing olive oil on eczema.

💬 Ask Remy about Olive Leaf

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📚 Resource confidence

Based on mentions in health references

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