What are the benefits of eating olives?

Olive trees (Olea europaea) produce little fruits called olives. They are related to mangoes, cherries, peaches, almonds, and pistachios. They are classified as drupes or stone fruits. Olives are a great source of antioxidants, including vitamin E. Research indicates they may offer protection against cancer and osteoporosis and benefit the heart. 

Olives are packed with healthy fats that are squeezed to make olive oil, a big part of the super healthy Mediterranean diet. People love adding olives to salads, sandwiches and spreads. Some olives start green and turn black as they ripen, while others stay green even when fully ripe. In places like the Mediterranean, most olives (about 90%) are used to make olive oil. If you’re looking for the best gym in Mohali, this article covers all you need to know about olives.

Top Benefits of Olives

Olives offer Healthy Fats 

The highly praised Mediterranean diet encourages eating healthy fats like those found in olives and olive oil. Olives are made up of 11-15% fat, and 74% of that fat is oleic acid, a kind of monounsaturated fat. This is the main fat in olive oil. While fats have more calories than carbs or protein.

Research shows that diets are rich in monounsaturated fats. They have a lot of fat, but not too much. They lower blood cholesterol, including LDL. This reduces heart disease risk.

Regulate Appetite Control

You can reduce your appetite by eating a few olives before a meal. This is because the healthy fats in olives slow digestion. They also raise the hormone cholecystokinin. This signals to the brain that an object is full and satisfied.  

Anti-Inflammatory Properties

A crucial first step for anyone embarking on a health journey is to eliminate inflammatory foods and replace them with anti-inflammatory ones. As inflammation is recognized to be the underlying cause of many diseases! 

Oleocanthal is an anti-inflammatory chemical found in olives. It stops the making of inflammatory enzymes. These enzymes may cause conditions like type 2 diabetes and arthritis. Oleocanthal is a potent anti-inflammatory. It works as a natural painkiller, much like ibuprofen.  

Additionally, antioxidants support the health of your immune system. It prevents you from illness and maintains your well-being as you age. Due to its fat-soluble nature, vitamin E is better absorbed into the bloodstream when mixed with fat. Also, it is shown in the perfectly formed small olive packaging that nature beautifully created. 

 Iron Protects Against Anemia

Only black olives—Kamata olives included—have a greater iron concentration. Iron is an important mineral that aids in the blood’s oxygen transport. Also, those tiny black fruits have a lot of iron. Iron deficiency is common in women and can cause tiredness, dizziness, or cold hands and feet. Eating just 100 grams of olives gives about 16% of the iron women aged 19 to 40 need each day.

Fiber and Probiotics Promote Gut Health

Eating whole olives rather than just their oil has the advantage of supplying you with fiber. This keeps your stomach feeling full and your digestive system functioning properly. Although it’s not much, we’ll grab any opportunity to add a couple of those flavorful, savory bursts to our dishes. 

Furthermore, olives are a well-known fermented food. These are beneficial to the digestive system and intestinal health. Probiotic-rich meals have the ability to fortify the beneficial bacteria and germs residing in your digestive system. 

Olives Are Probiotic Rich

Some olives are made using natural lactic acid fermentation, producing a live-culture food teeming with probiotics—benevolent microorganisms. Most top scientists, doctors, and nutritionists advise eating foods high in probiotics. Probiotics are superfoods for gut health.

It is important to understand that not all olives are live, uncooked, probiotic-rich foods. Olives in cans and those on the dry shelves of your local supermarket are pasteurized and do not contain live culture. 

Low in Calories

The calories in one olive are only about 7. Due to their “negative calorie load,” you use more energy digesting an olive than you do consuming one. Therefore, olives are an extremely healthful snack. 

So, this is the best snack if you are on your weight loss journey or working out in the gym. This will not just make you feel full, but also its healthy nutrients keep you healthy from the inside.

Conclusion

Olives must be brined or preserved by soaking them in salt water. During the brining process, a common fermentation in olives releases the antioxidant oleuropein by breaking down the carbohydrates in the olive fruits into lactic or acetic acid. You may eat preserved olives as fresh as if plucked straight from the olive tree since they keep their moisture and nutrients. So, you can follow all these steps & gain the benefits of the olive to keep yourself healthy.