Olives - the Mediterranean Fruit with Cholesterol Reducing Fat

Olives have received a lot of bad press due to their high fat content but the fat in olives is the good fat that is actually healthy for our bodies. The little marble sized fruit deserves a second look for its health benefits.

In addition to their monounsaturated fats, which have a positive effect on cholesterol and blood sugar levels, olives are a good source of polyphenols which act as anti-inflammatory properties in the body. They also contain loads of vitamin E, iron, copper, and fiber. It is believed that this combination of nutrients is what gives olives their ability to help ward off cancer and perhaps inflammatory diseases such as asthma, heart disease, arthritis, and even osteoporosis.

The Mediterranean diet, in which olives play a significant role, has been shown to reduce mortality levels and lower incidences of heart disease, obesity and certain types of cancers.

The juice of an olive is actually oil. A University of Barcelona research team recently found that consumption of the equivalent of 5 teaspoons of virgin olive oil daily for just one week could significantly lower LDL or bad cholesterol levels. Olive oil is easy to digest and does not become rancid as quickly as other oils. It can be used on breads, salads, or for sautéing. When buying olive oil, look for the label that says cold pressed or expeller pressed. The first press or extra virgin olive oil is the purest and has the most health benefits.

We enjoy olives in salads, casseroles, relishes, and on pizza but many may not know that the oily fruit has been around since Biblical times and that it is claimed they were so revered that olive farmers were exempted from military service. Olives also appear in one of the oldest cookbooks ever discovered. First produced in the Mediterranean, olives are now grown in the United States and Latin America.

Some olives are picked green before they fully ripen and some are allowed to ripen to a black color on the tree. For the greatest health benefits, olive buyers should choose those that have been traditionally cured instead of lye-processed. Olives can be stored unopened in a cool, dark place for up to two years and opened olives can be refrigerated in non-metal containers for several weeks.

With one large black olive containing only 7 calories, olives deserve a place on the grocery list as a healthful, low-calorie snack.