Blueprint Olive Oil (Bryan Johnson): What the Polyphenol Claims Mean
Blueprint olive oil is the extra virgin olive oil sold by Blueprint, Bryan Johnson's health company, under the bottle name "Snake Oil". Its product page describes it as cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil "made for longevity with 400 mg/kg polyphenols", from a single source, and says it makes up 15% of Bryan's caloric intake. That polyphenol figure is the reason most people search for it. This guide sets out what Blueprint actually publishes about the oil — figures we checked on its official site and posted lab reports on 2 October 2026 — what a mg/kg polyphenol number measures, how it relates to the one health claim EU law allows for olive oil polyphenols, and what human research has and has not shown.
For our own oil, see our Cold-Pressed Single-Estate Extra Virgin Olive Oil - Marrakech (500ml).
The Short Answer
- Blueprint's Extra Virgin Olive Oil is sold as "Snake Oil" in a 750ml bottle of 50 one-tablespoon servings, with a suggested use of 1–3 tablespoons a day, according to its product page.
- Blueprint states over 400 mg/kg of polyphenols; its FAQ gives 425 mg/kg total biophenols (HPLC) for the current harvest, from Portuguese olives harvested in November 2025.
- Blueprint links a certificate from Laboratorio Espejo in Seville. Its biophenol report (No. A-46697/25, issued 28 November 2025) lists 438 mg/kg total biophenols by the International Olive Council's HPLC method, including 70 mg/kg oleocanthal.
- A total-biophenol figure is an aggregate, expressed as tyrosol. It is not the same measurement as the condition in the EU's olive oil polyphenol claim, which is set per 20 g of oil for hydroxytyrosol and its derivatives.
- The best-known human trial, EUROLIVE, found that higher-polyphenol olive oil lowered markers of lipid oxidation more than low-polyphenol oil over three weeks. Evidence for wider "longevity" outcomes from polyphenol content alone is far thinner.
- For any brand, the useful habit is the same: find the certificate, check the date and the method, and read the number as a measurement of one sample, not a promise for every bottle.
What Blueprint Says About Its Olive Oil
Blueprint publishes more detail about this oil than most brands do. The facts below are quoted or summarised from its product page and FAQ on blueprint.bryanjohnson.com, as checked on 2 October 2026; product pages change, so check the live page before you buy.
| What Blueprint states | Detail on the official page |
|---|---|
| Product name | Extra Virgin Olive Oil, called "Snake Oil" on the bottle |
| Polyphenols | "400 mg/kg polyphenols" in the product description; "over 400 mg/kg" in the FAQ; "425 mg/kg total biophenols (HPLC)" for the current harvest |
| Origin and harvest | Portuguese EVOO from in-season green olives harvested in November 2025; "single-source harvest from alternating hemispheres" |
| Processing | Cold-pressed and unfiltered |
| Other FAQ figures | 80% oleic acid, 3.7 meq/kg peroxide, 0.21% free fatty acids, 97% diacylglycerols, 0/10 sensory defects |
| Testing | Third-party tested for heavy metals, contaminants and toxins, with results published |
| Size and use | 750ml / 25 fl oz, 50 one-tablespoon servings; 1–3 tablespoons daily |
On the name, Blueprint's FAQ quotes Bryan Johnson describing it as "my dance with my haters and a wink to my past constrained self". We take the name at the company's own word and leave it there; this article is about the numbers.
The posted certificate is the more useful document. It bundles several Laboratorio Espejo test reports on samples labelled LS2655, dated late November and early December 2025: a biophenol panel, a full quality panel (acidity 0.15%, peroxide value 4.1 meq O2/kg, oleic acid 74.67%), metals (arsenic, copper, iron and lead each below 0.03 mg/kg) and a pesticide multi-residue screen. The quality figures differ a little from the FAQ's, and the page does not say which sample the FAQ figures describe, so the certificate is the reference to use.
What "400 mg/kg Polyphenols" Actually Measures
Polyphenols — or biophenols, the term the olive oil trade uses — are the bitter, peppery minor compounds that come from the olive fruit and survive into extra virgin oil. They include oleuropein and ligstroside derivatives (among them oleocanthal and oleacein), free hydroxytyrosol and tyrosol, lignans and flavonoids. Our guide to olive oil polyphenols walks through each group.
The figure on Blueprint's certificate comes from the International Olive Council method COI/T.20/Doc. No 29, "Determination of biophenols in olive oils by HPLC". That method extracts the polar phenolic fraction — natural and oxidised oleuropein and ligstroside derivatives, lignans, flavonoids and phenolic acids — and reports the total in mg/kg expressed as tyrosol. So "438 mg/kg" means: in that sample, the measured phenolic compounds added up to the equivalent of 438 mg of tyrosol per kilogram of oil.
Three things follow. A total-biophenol figure is one aggregate, not a single compound. It is only fairly comparable with another oil tested by the same method, because older colorimetric methods such as Folin-Ciocalteu give different results; a 2026 study by Castillo-Luna and Priego-Capote, testing 100 extra virgin olive oils, found the Folin method non-selective and liable to underestimate real phenolic content [1]. And it describes the sample tested on a given date, not every bottle afterwards — phenolic content falls as an oil ages.
Blueprint's 438 mg/kg sits comfortably within the range of genuinely robust extra virgin oils. It is not an extreme figure; some specialist oils publish figures many times higher, as our article on Atsas olive oil shows. A higher number is not automatically a better oil to cook and eat with, either.
The EU Polyphenol Claim: What It Says and What It Does Not
There is one authorised health claim for olive oil polyphenols. Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012, whose annex we read on legislation.gov.uk on 2 October 2026, permits the wording "Olive oil polyphenols contribute to the protection of blood lipids from oxidative stress". Its condition of use reads: "The claim may be used only for olive oil which contains at least 5 mg of hydroxytyrosol and its derivatives (e.g. oleuropein complex and tyrosol) per 20 g of olive oil." The consumer must also be told that the benefit comes with a daily intake of 20 g of olive oil. The claim rests on a 2011 EFSA scientific opinion.
Notice what the condition measures: hydroxytyrosol and its derivatives, per 20 g of oil. Blueprint's certificate reports total biophenols as tyrosol, plus free hydroxytyrosol (2 mg/kg) and free tyrosol (2 mg/kg). Free hydroxytyrosol is only a small part of "hydroxytyrosol and its derivatives", because most of it is bound up in larger secoiridoid molecules in fresh oil. So the low free figure does not mean the oil falls short, and the total figure does not prove it qualifies. The certificate simply does not report the specific measure the claim is written around — and, as far as we could see, Blueprint's page does not use the EU claim wording.
That is a common position for high-polyphenol oils sold online, not a criticism peculiar to Blueprint. Our guide to high phenolic olive oil explains in more detail why total biophenols and the claim condition are related but not interchangeable numbers.
What the Human Research Shows
The study most often behind olive oil polyphenol marketing is EUROLIVE, published by Covas and colleagues in the Annals of Internal Medicine in 2006 [2]. In a randomised crossover trial across six centres in five European countries, 200 healthy men took 25 mL a day of three olive oils that differed mainly in phenolic content — low (2.7 mg/kg), medium (164 mg/kg) and high (366 mg/kg) — for three weeks each. HDL cholesterol rose with all three oils, more with higher phenolic content, and markers of oxidative stress, including oxidised LDL, fell in line with phenolic content.
That is a meaningful result, and it is the kind of evidence the EU claim is built on. It also has limits: healthy men, short periods, and lipid markers rather than long-term health outcomes. When EFSA assessed a newer application in 2025 to link olive oil polyphenols with maintaining normal HDL cholesterol, its panel noted that the dose-dependent HDL rise in that single trial had not been replicated in other studies or populations, and concluded the evidence was insufficient to establish cause and effect [3].
The broader olive oil evidence comes from diet patterns, not polyphenol counts. In the PREDIMED trial, reported by Estruch and colleagues in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2018, 7,447 Spanish adults at high cardiovascular risk followed a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra virgin olive oil or nuts, or a reduced-fat control diet [4]. That tested a whole way of eating, not a polyphenol threshold.
The honest summary: polyphenol-rich extra virgin olive oil has a real, if modest, evidence base for blood-lipid oxidation markers, and it belongs to a well-studied dietary pattern. Claims that a particular mg/kg figure extends lifespan are not established by the research we found.
Why the Oil Makes You Cough
Blueprint's FAQ says you may cough if you take its oil straight. That sting is a recognised property of polyphenol-rich oil, and it has a named cause. Beauchamp and colleagues reported in Nature in 2005 that oleocanthal, a compound in fresh extra virgin olive oil, produces a throat sting similar to ibuprofen and inhibits the same cyclooxygenase enzymes in laboratory tests [5]. Peyrot des Gachons and colleagues showed in 2011 that oleocanthal activates the TRPA1 receptor, and that where this receptor sits in the mouth and throat matches where people feel the sting — mainly at the back of the throat [6].
Blueprint's certificate lists 70 mg/kg of oleocanthal, which fits the peppery description. A cough is a sensory signal that oleocanthal is present; it is not a measure of quality on its own, and a laboratory finding about enzymes is not evidence that a spoonful of oil acts like a painkiller. Our article on oleocanthal covers what its numbers do and do not show.
Fair Questions a Sceptical Reader Might Ask
"If Bryan Johnson uses it, isn't that proof enough?" One person's routine, however carefully measured, cannot separate the effect of an olive oil from everything else in that routine. The useful evidence is the certificate and the published trials, and both are described above.
"Is 400 mg/kg a lot?" It is a solid figure for an extra virgin olive oil, but there is no legal threshold for the phrase "high polyphenol", and only oils tested by the same method can be compared fairly. Robust, peppery oils from many producers reach similar figures.
"Will the bottle in my kitchen still have 438 mg/kg?" Not necessarily. The figure belongs to a sample tested in late 2025. Phenolic content declines with time, light, heat and air, which is why harvest dates and storage matter as much as the headline number. Our guide to choosing a quality olive oil covers those checks.
Why Sidr & Stone
We sell olive oil too, so we should be plain about where we stand. Blueprint publishes a dated biophenol certificate for its oil, and that is a genuine strength we credit openly. We have not yet published a polyphenol figure for our own oil, so we will not quote one: Sidr & Stone's Cold-Pressed Single-Estate Extra Virgin Olive Oil - Marrakech (500ml) is pressed from olives grown on our own family-owned farm on the plains outside Marrakech, Morocco.
- Single-estate — Sidr & Stone's olive oil comes from our own family-owned farm near Marrakech, and we control every step from tree to bottle, with no blending across origins.
- Rain-fed — our trees are not irrigated; they take what the season gives.
- Organically grown — no synthetic fertilisers, pesticides or herbicides are used (not yet certified; certification is in progress).
- Single harvest — a small, limited batch, picked when the fruit is ready; the current batch's harvest details are on the product page.
- Cold-pressed within hours of harvest — mechanical extraction only, with no solvents, refining or deodorising.
- Unfiltered extra virgin — minimally processed, so it may show natural sediment, which is normal.
- 100% natural — a single ingredient, olive oil, with nothing added.
- Dark glass with a gold label — protective packaging against light.
- 10% of profits to charity — a brand-wide Sidr & Stone commitment.
- Fulfilment in the UK, EU, and US.
We will not tell you our oil is the best olive oil — that would be the kind of claim this article asks you to check. What we will say is that it is single-estate Moroccan, rain-fed, organically grown and cold-pressed within hours of harvest, and that when we publish lab figures, they will come with the certificate.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Blueprint olive oil?
It is the extra virgin olive oil sold by Bryan Johnson's company Blueprint, branded "Snake Oil". Blueprint describes it as cold-pressed, unfiltered and single source, with over 400 mg/kg of polyphenols; the current harvest is from Portugal.
How are olive oil polyphenols measured?
The standard trade method is the International Olive Council's HPLC method, COI/T.20/Doc. No 29, which reports total biophenols in mg/kg expressed as tyrosol. Blueprint's certificate uses this method; older colorimetric methods give different numbers.
How do I check any brand's polyphenol claim?
Ask for the certificate of analysis, then check the laboratory, the test date, the method and whether the sample matches the harvest you are buying. A figure without a date or method tells you little.
Does Blueprint olive oil meet the EU polyphenol claim condition?
The posted certificate reports total biophenols and free hydroxytyrosol and tyrosol, but not hydroxytyrosol and its derivatives per 20 g, which is the measure the EU condition uses. On the published figures alone, it cannot be confirmed either way.
How does Sidr & Stone's olive oil compare?
Ours is a single-estate, rain-fed, unfiltered extra virgin olive oil from Marrakech. We have not yet published a polyphenol figure for it, so we do not compare numbers; Blueprint currently publishes more lab data than we do.
Why is Blueprint olive oil called Snake Oil?
Blueprint's FAQ quotes Bryan Johnson describing the name as "my dance with my haters and a wink to my past constrained self". It is a deliberate, self-aware choice of name by the company.
Where can I buy a single-estate extra virgin olive oil?
Look for a producer that names one farm and one origin and bottles in dark glass. Ours is available to pre-order from our limited single-harvest batch, with fulfilment in the UK, EU, and US.
Is olive oil a medicine?
No. Olive oil is a food, not a medicine. It has a long traditional history — including being honoured in the Prophetic Sunnah — and a substantial body of modern research, particularly around polyphenols, cardiovascular health, and the Mediterranean diet pattern. It can be a worthwhile part of a healthy routine, but it does not cure diseases and is not a substitute for medical care. Be cautious of any olive oil marketed with specific disease-cure claims.
Final Thoughts
Blueprint's olive oil comes with more published evidence than most bottles on the market: a stated harvest, a named laboratory and a dated certificate showing 438 mg/kg of total biophenols. That transparency deserves credit. What the number means is narrower than the marketing around polyphenols often implies — a measurement of one sample, by one method, related to but not the same as the condition in the EU's one authorised polyphenol claim.
The research supports polyphenol-rich extra virgin olive oil as a good everyday fat with modest, measurable effects on blood-lipid oxidation markers. It does not turn a mg/kg figure into a longevity guarantee. Read the certificate, check the date, and choose an oil you will actually enjoy using. If you are comparing other brands, our A–Z of olive oil brands is a good place to start.
Our Cold-Pressed Single-Estate Extra Virgin Olive Oil - Marrakech (500ml) — rain-fed, organically grown and unfiltered — is available to pre-order now from our limited single-harvest batch, with fulfilment in the UK, EU, and US.
Our extra virgin olive oil is grown organically on our own single-estate farm on the plains outside Marrakech: we control every step from tree to bottle, and no synthetic pesticides, herbicides or fertilisers are used. It is not yet certified organic — certification is in progress, and we will publish it as soon as it comes through.
References
- Castillo-Luna A, Priego-Capote F. Absolute Quantitation of Phenolic Compounds in Olive Oil for Health Claim Recognition. Antioxidants (Basel). 2026;15(4):511. doi:10.3390/antiox15040511. PMID 42072153
- Covas MI, Nyyssönen K, Poulsen HE, et al.; EUROLIVE Study Group. The effect of polyphenols in olive oil on heart disease risk factors: a randomized trial. Ann Intern Med. 2006;145(5):333-341. doi:10.7326/0003-4819-145-5-200609050-00006. PMID 16954359
- EFSA Panel on Nutrition, Novel Foods and Food Allergens (NDA), Turck D, Bohn T, et al. Olive oil polyphenols and the maintenance of normal HDL-cholesterol concentrations: Evaluation of a health claim pursuant to Article 13(5) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. EFSA J. 2025;23(5):e9372. doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2025.9372. PMID 40321163
- Estruch R, Ros E, Salas-Salvadó J, et al.; PREDIMED Study Investigators. Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease with a Mediterranean Diet Supplemented with Extra-Virgin Olive Oil or Nuts. N Engl J Med. 2018;378(25):e34. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1800389. PMID 29897866
- Beauchamp GK, Keast RS, Morel D, Lin J, Pika J, Han Q, Lee CH, Smith AB, Breslin PA. Phytochemistry: ibuprofen-like activity in extra-virgin olive oil. Nature. 2005;437(7055):45-46. doi:10.1038/437045a. PMID 16136122
- Peyrot des Gachons C, Uchida K, Bryant B, Shima A, Sperry JB, Dankulich-Nagrudny L, Tominaga M, Smith AB, Beauchamp GK, Breslin PA. Unusual pungency from extra-virgin olive oil is attributable to restricted spatial expression of the receptor of oleocanthal. J Neurosci. 2011;31(3):999-1009. doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1374-10.2011. PMID 21248124
Disclaimer: This article describes Blueprint's olive oil using the company's own published product page, FAQ and posted laboratory certificate as checked on 2 October 2026, together with published research and the text of Regulation (EU) No 432/2012; product details, test results and research findings may change, and readers should check current sources. References to Blueprint and Bryan Johnson describe publicly available information and are not affiliated with or endorsed by either. Comparisons are made in good faith and in fair terms. Olive oil is a food, not a medicine, and is not a substitute for medical treatment of any condition. For any health concern, consult a qualified medical professional.