Let’s start from the beginning: the olive is a fruit (yes, a fruit!) of the Olea Europea tree, an evergreen tree native to the Mediterranean basin, Africa and Asia, which man has consumed for so long that its origins are lost in history and mythology.
Unlike all other fruits, the olive cannot be eaten raw because of the high concentration of oleuropein, a substance that defends the plant from parasite attacks, but makes the freshly picked fruit very bitter. To make the olive “edible” as we are used to consuming it, this molecule must be transformed with a mixture of water and salt called brine.
There are many different varieties of olives in the world and all are rich in fiber, vitamins, calcium, potassium, iron, magnesium, antioxidants and unsaturated and monosaturated fats (oleic acid).
Health benefits:
Le olive allungano la vita? Pare proprio di si! Consumare giornalmente una quantità limitata di olive vuol dire:
- Rallentare l’invecchiamento: grazie ad antiossidanti come la vitamina E ed il betacarotene, che proteggono dai radicali liberi e dall’invecchiamento cellulare.
- Reduce bad cholesterol: olives, in moderate quantities, help lower LDL cholesterol (the so-called bad cholesterol), as well as reduce blood pressure, preventing cardiovascular diseases;
- Protect your eyesight: olives are good for your eyes thanks to the presence of beta-carotene, which is essential for visual function;
- Favorire la digestione: le olive sono ricche di fibre che agevolano la motilità intestinale e stimolano l’appetito (non a caso l’oliva è la regina degli aperitivi!);
- Keep diabetes at bay: oleuropein, present in olives, acts as a natural anti-diabetic, counteracting the increase in blood sugar levels after each meal; therefore, they are even recommended in moderate quantities for those suffering from type 2 diabetes;
- Oleuropein and its glycoside are the most abundant polyphenols present in the olive, as well as the products that give it its main organoleptic characteristics, together with lignans and other derived phenols, such as hydroxytyrosol – the most important bioactive principle of the olive;
- The same polyphenols would be responsible for the cardioprotective, neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-tumor properties of the olive, which make it one of the most important nutraceutical foods of the Mediterranean diet;
- In realtà molte e molte più cose potrebbero esser citate rispetto a questa sostanza (l’oleuropeina), ma per non essere noiosi ci riserviamo di darvi altre “chicche” in seguito. Per i più curiosi, google ci regala una preziosa fonte di informazioni, digitando “oleuropeina”.
Is there a difference between green and black olives?
Green olives get their color from chlorophyll and are harvested when unripe. Black olives are nothing more than olives harvested when fully ripe. From a nutritional point of view, there is not much difference except that black olives have a slightly higher protein content than green olives, and the percentage of fat varies on average from 15% of green olives to 25% of black olives.
For those who are watching their figure:
If you are wondering if olives can be included in a slimming diet, know that the answer is yes, but in moderation! Obviously the caloric intake varies greatly based on the type of olives and processing; it ranges, on average, from 140 kcal for green olives to 235 kcal for black olives (on a 100g portion). On a diet that is around 1500 kcal it is advisable not to exceed 9/10 olives per day (about 50 kcal).
Fun Fact: Did you know that olives are a natural antiemetic to combat nausea during pregnancy? Try it and believe it.
