Often mistaken for a vegetable, olives are actually fruits.They belong to the group of stone fruits called a drupe. They are related to other fruits like mangoes, cherries, and almonds.Olive trees are commonly found extending from the Mediterranean coast to western Asia. An olive tree is small in size; they reach 26-49 ft (8-15 m) at the highest. These trees have elongated oval-shaped leaves and are evergreen in nature. There are hundreds of millions of trees worldwide, and all of them survive for 300-600 years. Olives are often enjoyed as toppings on delicious foods like pizza, salad, and sandwiches. There are many health benefits of eating olives. They are a source of iron, calcium, vitamins, and minerals. They also contain abundant antioxidants that help a person fight many chronic diseases.Fun Facts About OlivesMany people think of olives as a vegetable, but in reality, they are a type of fruit. They are bitter to taste and turn from green to darker shades as they ripe. Canned black olives can be harvested and stored for later usage.The oldest olive tree is found on the Island of Crete. It’s 4,000 years old, but the tree still produces olive fruits.They flower four years after being planted, and the first harvest of the fruit occurs 15 years after the tree is planted. Olives grow between the months of October and November.Raw olives are very bitter in taste. They cannot be eaten fresh without being cured or fermented. If you buy fresh olives, be sure to cure them at home.Fermented olives have health benefits on the digestive system of the person.Olives come in a variety of colors, as they can be green, black, purple, dark brown, and even pink in color. Green and black ones are the most common. The color of olives depends on the level of maturity of the olive. A totally ripe olive is black, while an unripe olive is green.Olives come from all parts of the world, and there are large varieties of olives. Some of the most popular varieties include Spanish green olives or manzanilla, Greek black olives or kalamata, Italian black olive or gaeta, and French black olives or nicoise.Black olives are less bitter than green olives, so they are preferred more by the food industry.Black olives are also a good source of minerals, mainly iron, which helps carry oxygen to the red blood cells.Apart from being a delicious addition to your meal, olives are incredibly healthy. They are packed with nutritional content that lowers cholesterol and helps your body thrive overall.The largest variety of olive is known as donkey olive, while the smallest type is called a bullet.An olive branch is used as a symbol of peace all over the world. In ancient times, people used to show olive branches to declare a truce. The United Nations and four states of the US have olive branches on their flags.Olive branches were also used in the Olympic Games in ancient days. They were used for making crowns for the Olympic winner in the past, and this tradition was revived in the Olympic Games in Athens in 2004.Nutritional Facts About OlivesOlives are nutritional fruits with many health benefits. They are an excellent source of healthy fats and are packed with iron, calcium, copper, and vitamin E. These nutrition facts about eating olives will help you know more about this fruit.Olive is an unusual fruit since it has a high-fat content. It decomposes fat in the form of fatty acids, like oleic acid and palmitoleic acid.Oleic acid is the most abundant fat of olive, but this component has several health benefits.Olives are also rich in vitamins and minerals. Olives contain a large amount of vitamin E and K and small traces of vitamin B, calcium, and iron.Olives contain tyrosol phenolic compounds such as oleuropein and oleocanthal. These compounds are responsible for giving a bitter taste to raw olives.These compounds, oleuropein and oleocanthal and their derivative hydroxytyrosol found in olives, are the most powerful antioxidants in nature. They play a vital role in fighting cancer.Surveys in the Mediterranean region suggest that people there are less prone to coronary artery disease and strokes as monosaturated fatty acids help prevent such diseases.Lower rates of osteoporosis or decreased bone mass in the Mediterranean than in the European countries have caused scientists to suggest that olives might also protect bone health.Eating the pulp of olives is proven to increase blood levels of glutathione in the body. It’s a powerful antioxidant.Facts About Olive OilOlive oil is a natural extract of the olive fruit. It has health-promoting properties and has been used in cooking for a long time in history. Using olive oil to cook your food also adds flavor to the food. 14% of the oil is saturated fat, while 11% is polyunsaturated. These nutrition facts about olive oil will help you know about its health benefits.Apart from cooking, olive oil is used as lamp fuel, medicine, and as a skincare product. Along with being beneficial for health, it’s also used in making face masks.Out of all olives harvested, only 10% are used as fruits. They make olive oil with the rest of the 90% of the harvested olive.They produce a liter of oil from 15.4 lb (7 kg) of olives.People all around the world consume 2.25 million liters of olive oil in a year. This is because it’s proven to be much healthier than other types of regular vegetable oils.The monosaturated fat called oleic acid is the predominant fatty acid of the oil, making up almost 73% of the oil content.Oleic acids have beneficial effects as it reduces inflammation and fights against cancer cells.The oil contains modest amounts of vitamin E and K. It is loaded with powerful antioxidants that help reduce the chances of many chronic diseases.It reduces the chances of having strokes by maintaining heart health, which is the second biggest cause of death in developed countries.Extra virgin olive oil reduces the chances of heart disease by maintaining heart health. It reduces blood pressure and bad cholesterol and improves the functions of blood vessels.The extra virgin oil contains abundant antioxidants. It’s exceptionally good for maintaining joint, brain, and heart health.Facts About Canned OlivesOn comparing fresh olives with canned varieties, we don’t find any great deal of difference to indicate that the canned ones are bad. A staple food for the Mediterranean side, canned olives contain many essential nutrients required in a balanced diet.Olives stored in cans have a long shelf life as they can be stored at home for months, which reduces spoilage by a great deal. It’s also an economical way of eating olives.Thinning olives are prepared fruits. The branches and leaves are removed, and then they are placed in a sterilized tin.Once the tin is opened, the olives should be consumed within one to two weeks. If the can isn’t opened, the content inside the can lasts for one to two years.Olives in cans are a good source of iron. The high iron content makes up for 6% of the daily need of women and 14% for men.A 1.05 oz (30 g) olive can contain 35-70 calories which are just enough to add a little bit of flavor to the diet without thinking about going overboard.The high sodium content is the only drawback of olives in cans.If these olives are fermented in salt brine, then there is a possibility that they may contain too much sodium.Regular consumption of such sodium-rich food might increase blood pressure and affect heart health.These canned pickled olives generally are loaded with sodium. They should be consumed in moderation, especially for people with heart diseases.
Often mistaken for a vegetable, olives are actually fruits.
