Are Olives Good For You?

What are olives?

Olives are small fruits that are grown on small trees, typically grown and cultivated in the Mediterranean. They can come in different varieties, and different colours — green are when they are unripe and black when they are completely ripe. The flavour depends on which species and level of ripeness. Some olives are more bitter than others, or more sweet, or sometimes more peppery. 

Do olives have nutritional value?

Olives are indeed high in several key vitamins and minerals, so they do have very good nutritional value. These include:

• High in vitamin E
• Good source of iron, copper and calcium
• High in phytonutrients, which help prevent disease

Are olives healthy?

Generally, yes — olives are a pretty healthy food. They are 80% water, low in carbohydrates and though they don’t have a small fat content (10-15%), the fat in olives is oleic acid which is said to have many health benefits, including heart health and its anti-inflammatory properties. The Mediterranean diet features a great deal of olives — either in its normal form or pressed into oil — and its people have some of the longest life expectancies in the world!

Got any more questions for us to explore? Ask us down in the comments and we’ll find out the answer!