Enjoyed all over the world, olives are a martini staple, but their incredible benefits go beyond providing good drinks. Olives are above all healthy food that packs a number of nutrients.
The antioxidants and the anti-inflammatory nutrients in olives are among the first reasons to consume them regularly, either on their own or as part of a meal.
How to cook with olives
Olives are delicious food consumed on their own, but they can also be used to create various dishes.
Salads: Mediterranean salad is the most common type of salad made with olives as is Italian olive salad that combines green and black olives with capers, artichokes, pickled vegetables and various herbs and spices.
Pizzas: Great to sprinkle on pizza are plain black olives, Kalamata olives, and green olives, otherwise known as Cerignola olives.
Pasta dishes: olives can be used to create the sauce for pasta dishes, or they can be cooked in the pan with other ingredients for making pasta.
Breads: rustic breads are commonly baked with olives and sometimes herbs or cheese for a more flavorful option that can remove toppings or spreads.
Roasts: Two popular roasts made with olives are chicken and pork. The olives are usually added towards the end of the cooking process, about five minutes before turning off the oven for a boost of flavor.
What’s in an olive?
One large ripe olive contains approximately 5 calories, 0.3 grams carbohydrates, 0.5 grams fat, and 0.1 grams fiber.
Olives are 80% water and 11% to 15% fat. About 74% of the fat content is the monounsaturated fatty acid known as oleic acid, which has been linked with many health benefits including:
- Reducing blood pressure;
- Helping with weight loss;
- Preventing ulcerative colitis;
- Aiding type 2 diabetes;
- Protecting cell membranes;
- Supporting proper brain function.
Olives – Vitamins and Minerals
1 cup of olives will usually provide approximately 38% of the copper daily value, 25% iron, 17% fiber and 15% vitamin E. These are the top 4 nutrients in olives, meaning olives are an excellent source of copper, fiber, iron, and vitamin E. They also contain calcium and can contain a high amount of sodium when packaged in saltwater.
The most important compounds in olives are however the phytonutrients that come in a diverse range with some unique only to them.
A large proportion of the phytonutrient content provides antioxidant support, helping the body ward off certain conditions caused by oxidative stress. One of the most abundant antioxidants in olives is oleuropein, which has been studied a lot and proved to protect against nerve cells damage among others.
Other key phytonutrients in olives are hydroxytyrosol – a very powerful antioxidant, tyrosol – important in preventing heart disease, oleanolic acid – protecting against liver damage, quercetin – lowering blood pressure, and anthocyanidins – protecting the body against harmful chemicals.
Moreover, olives provide anti-inflammatory benefits, which are brought about by the phytonutrients content. In all its richness, it comes with anti-cancer benefits, particularly fighting against breast cancer and gastric cancer.
Olives – Types according to country of provenience
Greece
Kalamon or Kalamata olive; Halkidiki olive; Konservolia olive; Koroneiki olive; Thassou olive.
Spain
Manzanilla olive; Nevadillo olive; Cornicabra olive; Bical olive; Lemono olive.
Italy
Moraiolo olive; Cipresino olive; Coratina olive; Intrana olive; Leccino olive.
Although olives are used greatly and mostly for extracting oil, a large proportion is sold for whole consumption. There are many varieties, but another thing that makes one olive different to another is the processing and the way they are treated. Some olives are harvested early and then subjected to various ripening processes, while others are harvested fully ripen.