Canned olives: benefits and harm to the body, calorie content. Canned olives: benefits and harms for the human body

Olives have long taken pride of place in the national cuisines of many peoples around the world. Olives appeared in our country relatively recently, so controversy around them continues. They have an interesting spicy taste that is difficult to describe even for an experienced taster: they simultaneously contain bitterness and sweetness, sour and salty notes. The mystery of this product has long divided all food lovers into great connoisseurs of olives and their ardent haters.

The interest in this product is further fueled by a question that few can answer: “Olive - what is it? Is it a fruit, or a vegetable, or a berry?” The answers to this question are as contradictory as the taste of the product. Some argue that it is a berry or fruit, since it has a seed and grows on bushes or trees. Others claim that it is a fruit or vegetable because it requires additional processing, after which it acquires its unique taste.

To find out what olives are, you need to remember your school botany course. In botany there is no such thing as berries, vegetables or fruits - this is only the consumer name for the fruits of flowering plants that are intended for seed dispersal. There are juicy (berries, drupes) and dry fruits (pods, nuts, pods, achenes, grains). Olives, from a botanical point of view, are drupes and not berries, fruits or vegetables.

Olives or Olives: What's the Difference?

In the domestic market, consumers are not aware of fresh fruits olive trees, and canned products with black or green fruits. This is the reason why there is a common myth among ordinary uninitiated buyers that explains why olives are black and olives are green. In their opinion, the difference between olives and olives is that they are the fruits of different types of trees. But that's not true.

In fact, the words “olives” and “olives” are synonyms in Russian. To make sure that there is no difference between olives and black olives, it is enough to find out which family the trees on which they grow belong to. Olives, also known as olives, grow on trees of the olive genus, the olive family. The word “olives” has Eastern European roots. In the rest of the world, the fruits of these trees are known as “olives.”

It is likely that this confusion with the names of the fruits of olive trees arose due to the current GOST for olives. GOST R 55464-2013 in Russian is called “Olives or black olives in pouring. Technical conditions". At the same time, in the English translation, the GOST names both olives and olives sound the same - olives, however, adjusted for color. Perhaps this is why in Russia green fruits of olive trees are called olives, and black olives are called olives.

What determines the color of olives?

The difference in the color of the fruit appears during their processing before canning. The fruits of the olive tree for preservation are collected while they are still green. To preserve them green, it takes several weeks to keep the olives in brine. To reduce the time of harvesting olives, this process is accelerated: they are saturated with oxygen. This process is called oxidation. After this, the olives acquire a coal-black color, to stabilize which a preservative, iron gluconate, is used. After this treatment, producers receive black oxidized olives, which they preserve.

After you have figured out what colors black olives with, the logical question is: “Are there real black olives?” The color of untreated olives depends on their degree of ripeness:

• yellow-green, yellowish, white olives are harvested at the very beginning of their ripening. They are inherently immature;
• pink, red, brown, chestnut color of the fruit indicates their partial ripeness. These olives are harvested later than green ones, but earlier than ripe ones;
• The dark color of olives is a sign of their ripeness and can have various shades: red-black, purple-black, dark chestnut, violet. But there are no coal-black olives on trees.

The main difference between self-ripened olives is that they are always sold with a pit. This is explained by the fact that it is impossible to remove the pit from their mature pulp without damaging the pulp itself.

How olives grow

Olives grow on evergreen olive bushes or trees. In botany, up to 60 species of olive trees are distinguished, but only half of them are of industrial importance.

The main industrial type of olive trees is the European olive, one plant of which can produce up to 30 kg of fruit per season. Plants of this species are resistant to high temperatures, and mountain varieties are frost-resistant.

Trees of this species are covered with dry, hard gray bark. Narrow gray-green rough leaves grow on their crooked branches. The leaves of the olive tree do not fall off during the cold season: they change on the tree gradually.

Olive trees bloom in April-July. How do olives bloom? Flowers of oil trees are collected in panicles, which consist of 10-40 white fragrant flowers. After flowering, small fruits appear on the branch of the olive tree. An olive is an oval-shaped drupe up to 4 cm long and up to 2 cm in diameter. The color and weight of the fruit depends on its variety and degree of ripeness. The color of the fruit can vary from light green to dark purple. The pulp is elastic, oily, the skin is dense, with a waxy surface. Olive trees first begin to bear fruit after 20 years, bearing fruit once every two years.

The olives are harvested 4-5 months after the trees bloom. Olives ripen between November and January. But the harvest time often depends not on the time when the olives ripen, but on the variety and method of harvesting and processing the olives. If they are used for canning or making green oil, they are harvested 1-2 months earlier than they ripen.

Green fruits are usually picked by hand because they do not fall off the stem themselves. Ripe olives are often shaken onto a pre-spread net under the trees. After harvesting, the olives are sent for processing as quickly as possible. Any delay in this process negatively affects the quality of the final product.

Where do olives grow?

Today olive trees are cultivated:

• in Mediterranean countries (Spain, Italy, Greece, France, Turkey);
• in the Maghreb countries (Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, Libya);
• on the Black Sea coast (in Crimea, Bulgaria, Georgia, Abkhazia);
• in the countries of Asia Minor and the Middle East (Israel, Iran, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan);
• in northern India;
• in Australia;
• in Mexico and Peru.

Olive trees are grown in these countries by both large producers and small farms.

In Russia, olive trees are not grown on an industrial scale, but small olive groves grow on the Black Sea coast of the Krasnodar Territory.

Up to 250 varieties of the cultivated species, European olive, have been bred through selective breeding. The fruits of its different varieties differ in color, size, taste and oil content. There are varieties of olives:

• dining rooms, which contain a lot of pulp, so they are used for pickling, canning and other preparation methods;
• oilseeds, which contain a lot of oils, so they are used to make olive oil;
• universal.

On modern shelves you can find many varieties of olives with diverse origins. Olives are grown on an industrial scale in Spain, Italy, Greece, France, Turkey, Cyprus, Tunisia, Morocco, and Israel.

Spanish olives

The leader in the production of olives and olive products in Europe and the world is Spain. About 50% of all olives exported worldwide come from Spanish producers.

The most popular variety cultivated in Spain is Picual, which translates as “nipple”. This is a versatile olive variety, but is more often used for making butter. Olive trees of this variety are grown in the mountains and on the plains, and the fruits grown in different areas differ significantly in taste.

The Ojiblanca and Casareña varieties are famous for their small black fruits with soft, juicy pulp, from which the stone is easily separated. These are the best olives for canning.

In Italy, olives are one of the main ingredients in many dishes. The world's most popular Italian table green olive of gigantic size is the Vittoria variety. Olives of this variety have a juicy, fleshy, aromatic pulp. No food additives are used for their preparation.

On the southern Italian island of Sicily, the famous variety of bright green olives, Miccio Le Olive, is grown and is renowned for its fruity flavor with a fresh finish. To preserve their color, these Sicilian olives are stored in a special brine, the recipe of which is kept secret and passed down from generation to generation.

Greek olives

More than a hundred different varieties of olives are cultivated in Greece. Often Greek olives are named after the area where olive trees of that variety grow.

The best Greek olives are considered to be the fruits of the Kalamata variety, which got their name from the town of the same name in southern Greece, near which they are grown. Ripe olives of this variety are medium in size and purple-black in color. They have juicy pulp with a tart taste and pronounced aroma.

Chalkidiki is a variety of large green olives grown in northern Greece. Due to their large size, these fruits are used for stuffing with fillings (paprika, onions, gherkins, almonds, cheese).

The most numerous olive groves in Greece are located on the island of Crete, where the Koroneiki oil variety is grown. The annual harvest of these Cretan olives exceeds the total harvest of olive fruits throughout the rest of Greece. Aromatic olive oil is made from these olives.

French olives

Nice olives are those collected from olive groves growing near Nice. These are small-sized fruits of purple or black color, have oily pulp with a pleasant delicate taste.

French small black olives from Provence have a slight piquant bitterness. Nion olives round shape, small, red-brown in color and also slightly bitter. The French variety Picolini is represented by green, crispy fruits with a fresh, salty taste.

The vast majority of French olive varieties are universal and are used for making oil and in cooking, in canned or pickled form, in the form of pastes, pates, and dressings. They are made from cosmetics.

Israeli olives

In Israel, mainly oil varieties of olives are grown, so olive production in this country it is directed mainly to the production of oil.

One of the popular Israeli varieties is Suri. It is believed that the real homeland of this variety is the Lebanese city of Sur (Tire). These fragrant olives make savory oil green color with notes of pepper. Israeli Suri oil is well suited for preparing Jewish dishes.

Another popular olive variety grown in Israel and used to make olive oil is Barnea. An oil with a subtle aroma of fresh hay and fruity notes is extracted from them. Israeli green olive oil has a very beneficial property for children - taking it daily on an empty stomach is effective against worms in them.

Chemical composition of olives

The fruits of oil trees contain proteins, fats, carbohydrates (), which are energy and plastic materials for the human body. The B:F:Y ratio per 100 grams of olives differs from their degree of maturity and variety: in unripe small fruits their content is lower than in ripe large ones.

The taste of fresh olives is bitterish-tart or bitter, so they are not eaten raw. For the consumer, what is more important is the nutrient content not in raw olives, but the quantity contained in the finished product. Considering that olives enter the domestic market more often in canned, below is information on the nutritional value and chemical composition of the canned product.

Olives are a source vegetable fats. A remarkable fact is that despite the high fat content in olives, they are not harmful: more than 90% of the fats in the fruit pulp contain mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids. The peculiarity of unsaturated fatty acids is that in the human body they are not independently synthesized and are practically not deposited (accumulated). It is important for the normal functioning of the human body daily use eating foods rich in such fatty acids.

Olive carbohydrates consist of 50-85% indigestible dietary fiber(), therefore these carbohydrates do not represent an energy load on the body. In addition, the glycemic index of olives is low and is only 15 units per 100 g, which allows them to be consumed by diabetics.

The pulp of olives contains phenols (oleocanthal), which have powerful antioxidant properties. These substances are quickly destroyed during cooking of olives, but are preserved in the extra cold-pressed oil.

The pulp of the olive tree fruit is rich in vitamins and minerals. These substances, unlike proteins, fats and carbohydrates, do not contain calories, but are biologically active substances that affect many processes in the human body.

The chemical composition of olives differs significantly from their variety, place of growth, time of harvest, and method of processing.

More than 2 million tons of olive oil are produced annually in the world. It is used in many cuisines around the world, but for our country olive oil is still classified as exotic.

The benefits and harms of oil depend on many factors:

• varieties of olives and places of their cultivation;
• the method of collecting them (manually or mechanically);
• what kind of olives the oil is made from (green or black);
• how the oil is made (first or second pressing, cold or hot);
• conditions and period of its storage.

How is olive oil made?

Olive oil is made from olives of varying degrees of maturity. Most often these are ripe olives, but some varieties of olives are grown for pressing in their unripe form, for example, the Israeli green oil Barnea.

The process of making olive oil consists of several successive stages:

• fruit sorting;
• cleaning them from leaves and stalks;
• wash in warm;
• first oil extraction;
• grinding pulp and seeds;
• second oil extraction.

Most oil producers try to create a full production cycle: from growing the crop to making the oil. It is worth noting that the production of olive products is practically waste-free: biogas is made from olive pomace, and briquetted environmentally friendly fuel is made from olive pits.

Types of Olive Oil

Depending on the method of collection, extraction and thermal or chemical treatment, olive oils are divided into several types.

Extra-virgin (extra-virgin)

This unfiltered oil is obtained by first cold pressing. No heat treatment or chemicals are used in its manufacturing process. During laboratory testing, the oil should contain less than 1% acids. This product contains all the vitamins and essential fats that are found in the fruits themselves, as well as oleocanthal.

Virgin (virgin)

This oil is produced in the same way as extra-virgin oil, so the content of nutrients in it is preserved. The difference between virgin oil is its higher acceptable content acids in it – up to 3.3%. Due to this acidity, virgin oil has a milder taste.

Refined olive

It is obtained by refining from oil that has an acidity of over 3.3%. The taste of refined oil is neutral, it also does not have a special aroma. This is a product that contains almost only fat and none of the beneficial substances that olive oil is so famous for.

Pure olive

This product is obtained by mixing virgin and refined oils to improve the taste and aromatic properties the last one. Accordingly, the beneficial properties of this oil are somewhere between virgin oil and a refined product.

Light and extra light

In the process of producing these oils, various technologies are used (separation, deodorization, bleaching, heat and chemical treatments), resulting in a product with a “lighter” fat composition, and at the same time with a reduced content of all other substances.

Extra virgin and virgin oils contain many beneficial substances and are the most expensive, while refined and light oils are the cheapest.

In addition to cost and usefulness, the choice of olive oil is influenced by its purpose:

• not suitable for frying unrefined oils, because when heat treatment carcinogens are formed in them;
• Refined brands of oils are not suitable for dressing salads because they lack the expected olive taste and aroma.

How olives are harvested

Olives are eaten in prepared form. They are prepared for consumption in different ways:

• dried;
• dried;
• salted (by dry salting);
• marinate;
• canned.

How to remove bitterness from olives

After harvest, olives for preservation are washed and immersed in barrels of brine for several months. Thanks to the fermentation of this brine, the olives lose their bitterness, become soft and sweet. After this, the fruits are sorted, stalks and leaves are removed, and sorted by size.

Olive caliber

On a jar of canned olives, their caliber must be indicated. Their cost depends on this. To inform the consumer about the size of the olives in the jar, symbols are used - two numbers separated by a fraction. These numbers mean the minimum and maximum quantity olives of this caliber in 1 kg. Accordingly, the smaller the numbers indicated in the fraction, the larger the caliber of the olives. There are four calibration categories:

1. Giant or royal olives are especially large in size (70/90, 91/100, 101/110).
2. Large (111/120, 121/140, 141/160).
3. Average (161/180, 181/200, 201/230, 231/260).
4. Small (261/290, 291/320, 321/350, 351/380).

Thus, knowing how many grams are in the jar and the size of the olives, you can figure out how many fruits are in the jar.

How to remove pits from olives

Olives can be preserved pitted or pitted. How do you remove pits from olives? The seeds are removed using a special apparatus with knives. All these processes in large production facilities are carried out on automated lines.

Green olives are often stuffed. Capers, gherkins, peppers, garlic, onions and other various ingredients can be used as filling. This process is carried out manually.

Useful properties

Olive products, due to the large amount of essential fatty acids, vitamins and minerals they contain, have many useful actions on various organs and systems of the human body when ingested. Useful properties olives and olive oil allow them to be included in therapeutic dietary menus, as well as in the daily diet for various pathologies internal organs. They can be eaten with or without the pit. It is difficult to answer which olives are healthier: with or without pits, because they act on the body differently.

For the cardiovascular system

Olives are a leader among foods that are good for the cardiovascular system. Polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are contained in large quantities, are absorbed into the human blood from the intestines and exhibit their beneficial properties:

• anti-atherosclerotic effect (binds in the blood, prevents the formation and reduces existing atherosclerotic plaques);
• increase the elasticity of blood vessels (by restoring damaged vascular endothelium);
• reduce vascular permeability (by strengthening the connections between the cells of the vascular walls);
• reduce blood viscosity, thereby reducing the risk of pathological thrombosis;
• help reduce blood pressure.

Indications for regular use olive products for diseases of the heart and blood vessels are:

• atherosclerosis;
• coronary heart disease;
• arrhythmias;
• arterial hypertension;
• neurocirculatory dystonia;
• varicose veins;
• thrombosis and thrombophlebitis;
• thrombophilia;
• post-infarction and post-stroke conditions;
• angiopathy.

The benefits of olive tree fruits and olive oil for the heart are proven by scientific research. After mass clinical examinations of residents of European countries, they found that residents of the Mediterranean suffer less from coronary heart disease and atherosclerosis of blood vessels than residents within the continent.

For the digestive system

What are the benefits of olives for gastrointestinal tract? Polyunsaturated fatty acids and vitamins from olive products have a beneficial effect on work digestive system:

• stimulate the production of digestive juices and;
• heal defects in mucous membranes;
• restore liver cells;
• have a choleretic effect;
• prevent the formation of stones in the bile ducts;
• normalize intestinal peristalsis (forward movements);
• remove toxins from the intestines;
• restore intestinal microflora;
• help with hemorrhoids.

Olives affect a person’s stool, but it is difficult to say unambiguously whether olives strengthen or weaken, because the effect of their use depends on the presence of a pit in them.

Olive pulp, containing a lot of fat, helps accelerated elimination intestinal contents. Therefore, when eating olives in small quantities daily, they have a laxative effect and prevent constipation.

And the oil seed, containing a lot of tannins, strengthens, and is therefore useful for digestive disorders associated with diarrhea. Indigestible fiber, due to its spongy structure, is able to absorb toxins and toxic substances and remove them from the body, so activated carbon can be replaced with olives.

For the genitourinary system

Olive products can reduce the tendency to form stones due to urolithiasis. Regular consumption of olive oil helps get rid of kidney stones.

The inclusion of olive products in the daily diet is beneficial for the health of the female reproductive system, since fatty acids are included in fat metabolism and help normalize the synthesis of female sex hormones. For men, olives are useful for their ability to increase potency and improve sperm quality.

For metabolic disorders

Olive products can be consumed for diabetes. They normalize blood cholesterol levels in type 2 diabetes, thereby preventing the development of diabetic macro- and microangiopathies.

Olive oil is useful for gout because it helps dissolve uric acid salts that are deposited in the joints and urate stones in the kidneys.

For neurological diseases

Fatty acids and fatty acids contained in olive products normalize the functioning of the central nervous system, increase its performance, and improve memory. Scientists have proven that daily consumption of olive oil improves the condition of patients with multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer's disease, and restores cognitive functions of the brain after strokes.

For inflammation

Olive products block the synthesis of prostaglandins - substances that cause inflammatory reactions in the human body. Oleocanthal, present unchanged in extra-virgin olive oil, has anti-inflammatory properties that mimic the effects of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). This allows you to include olives and products made from them in medical nutrition for arthritis, arthrosis, osteochondrosis and spondylosis.

For the body losing weight

The beneficial properties of olives and products made from them are successfully used in various diets. However, they should be included in the diet menu in doses, since they have a high energy value. For example, it is allowed to alternate black and green olives, but no more than 4 pieces per day. Their benefit for weight loss lies in the complex effect of the substances contained in olives on human body:

• binding of “harmful” fats and cholesterol in the intestines and blood;
• saturating the body with essential fatty acids;
• antianemic effect;
• increasing the elasticity of blood vessels and skin;
• improving the condition of the skin and its appendages (hair, nails);
• normalization of stool;
• improving mood.

Why do people who are losing weight crave olives so much? What is missing in their body? Olives are rich in sodium salts, so the desire to eat them arises when there is a deficiency. This desire is especially relevant for people on a diet. To satisfy your desire to eat olives, you should not include them in your diet in canned, pickled or salted form. This cooking process makes the olives very salty, and is known to retain fluid in the body. It is better to give preference to dried, dried olives or olive oil.

Against cancer

According to medical statistics, women in Mediterranean countries suffer from breast cancer several times less often than European women living in other areas. The assumption that the reason for this is the large amount of olives and olive oil in the diet was confirmed in large-scale studies conducted in Spain from 2003 to 2009. The purpose of the research was to prove the anti-cancer effect of olive fats.

Spanish doctors examined about four thousand women who adhered to different diets:

1. The first group of women followed a Mediterranean diet with olive oil for a long time.
2. The second is the Mediterranean diet with hazelnuts.
3. The third is a diet with a reduced amount of fat.
4. The fourth group was a control group and did not include changes in diet.

During the medical examinations of women who took part in this experiment, it was found that women in the first group were almost 70% less likely to develop breast cancer than women in the other three groups.

For pregnant women and nursing mothers

The mother's body experiences an increased need for nutrients, vitamins and minerals, especially essential (irreplaceable) ones, to provide your baby with them in sufficient quantities. If there is a deficiency of such substances, they begin to be “washed out” from the organs of a pregnant woman or nursing mother, leading to disruption of their functioning. If the deficiency of nutrients persists, the child will also develop a deficiency in the future.

The substances in olives have beneficial influence on a woman’s body during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Their benefits are undeniable both for the female body and for the harmonious development of the child. Olives, especially those that have ripened on their own, are a source of iron, and therefore prevent the development of anemia in pregnant women. Healthy fats Olive oil improves the condition of the placenta and cervix before childbirth.

Regular consumption of olives (except canned) and olive oil helps pregnant women and nursing mothers, without compromising their own health, provide their baby’s body with the substances it needs for growth and harmonious development.

For children

Olives are good for childhood, but children need to introduce them into their diet very carefully. At what age it is best to do this depends on the state of the child’s digestive system. Considering that in our country olives are sold in the form of canned food, children over 3 years old can start introducing these products into the menu.

It’s better to start with ripe olives, which are sold in glass jars, but no more than 1 piece per day. At the same time, the product should not contain preservatives, especially iron gluconate. This preservative may cause allergies.

For animals

Olive fats are also beneficial for pets (dogs and cats): they improve digestion and make the coat smooth and shiny. Therefore, it is not at all surprising why dogs and cats love food flavored with olive oil.

But sometimes it also happens that animals are “drawn” to eat olives from the owner’s table or drink the brine in which they were kept. Owners have quite natural questions: “Are they harmful to animals? Is it possible to give them to a dog or cat?

It is not known for certain why cats love olives. They probably instinctively feel the usefulness of this fruit. Fresh, dried or dried olives can be given to animals, but in a limited form. As for canned olives, it is not recommended to give them to pets, as they contain a lot of salt and preservatives.

Benefits of seeds

Many olive lovers are interested in whether it is possible to eat olive pits? What are olive pits good for?

Olive pits dissolve in the stomach, enveloping its walls, which is useful for erosions and ulcers of the gastric mucosa. In order for their antiulcer effect to manifest itself, it is enough to swallow 4-5 seeds on an empty stomach.

Swallowing whole olive pits can often be difficult and sometimes dangerous (some varieties of olives have large, sharp pits). To avoid harm to health, to treat stomach ulcers it is better to grind the seeds and eat them in powder form.

Olive pits are useful as absorbents after alcohol abuse. The bone is partially digested in the stomach, enveloping its mucous membrane, and the rest of it dissolves in the intestines, absorbing toxic substances.

For face and body

The rich chemical composition of olive oil has a good cosmetic effect, improving the condition of the skin and its appendages (hair, nails). Based on it, a variety of homemade cosmetics for women are made (creams, ointments and balms for the body, masks for the face and hair, baths for nails). It is also included in industrial cosmetics.

Cosmetics based on it are recommended for use every day, because they have virtually no contraindications. But before using them, especially for problem skin, it is necessary to conduct skin allergy tests. To do this, apply a little product to the bend of the elbow joint and after 30 minutes look at the reaction of the skin in this place. An allergy test can be considered negative if there is no feeling of burning, itching, redness or irritation at the site of application.

Restrictions and contraindications for use

Canned olives, like any other canned food, are rich in salty marinade, so eating them daily is not recommended. This is especially true for oxidized black olives, which contain the preservative ferric gluconate. One can of oxidized black olives contains more than 20 mg of iron gluconate at its maximum daily dose for an adult 10 mg, so it can cause food poisoning. This preservative makes olives an allergenic product.

• children;
• pregnant women, especially in the early stages;
• women with breastfeeding (breastfeeding);
• with gastritis with high acidity;
• for pancreatitis and cholecystitis in the acute phase;
• with cholelithiasis;
• for kidney stones;
• with cystitis.

Contraindications to the use of canned olives are also individual intolerance and allergies.

How to use

Canned oxidized olives are tasty, but they cannot be used as a remedy: they should be considered solely as a delicacy that should be included in the diet only occasionally.

How many olives can you eat and what kind? For the olives to show their healing properties fully, they should be consumed daily in dried, dried, pickled form in the amount of 5-7 pieces per day.

Fruits can be replaced with olive oil. Preferred daily use by adults medicinal purposes high-quality unrefined vegetable oil, best of all - extra-virgin or virgin, 1-3 tablespoons. It should be remembered that 1 tablespoon of olive oil contains 200-220 kcal.

How to choose olive oil

Recently, Chinese entrepreneurs have begun to produce olive oil from fruits purchased in bulk from olive farmers. Transporting fresh olives adversely affects the quality of their oil, so it is better to avoid such a purchase.

In today's market, according to the University of California, about 80% of olive oil sold is counterfeit. Counterfeits often have bottles and labels similar to the original ones, so it is very easy to make a mistake. How to distinguish fake olive oil from real one?

To protect yourself when purchasing this valuable product, you must follow simple rules:

1. It is advisable to buy the product in specialized or brand stores, which is better than purchasing it on the Internet or on the market.
2. It is better to prefer oil from well-known brands.
3. Before purchasing, you need to study on the Internet (preferably on the manufacturer’s website) what the differences are original packaging and the label, and what is its approximate market value.
4. Carefully inspect the packaging and label on the selected product container to ensure they match the original ones.
5. The label must contain information in Russian about the manufacturer, type and method of oil extraction, storage conditions, container volume, expiration date.
6. The price of the original product should not differ significantly from the average market price.
7. You should not purchase expired olive oil. Not only will it be bitter, but it can also cause food poisoning.

When you get home, you should put the container with oil in the refrigerator. At low temperatures, natural olive oil becomes cloudy and flakes appear. At room temperature the oil becomes clear again and the flakes dissolve.

How to choose olives

It is best to buy olives in the regions where they are grown. This is where you can buy the most delicious and useful fruits, which are difficult to find here.

The cost of harvested olives depends on many factors:

• where and how trees grow;
• how the harvest is harvested;
• caliber;
• preparation method (salted, pickled, canned);
• the presence of a seed (with or without seeds);
• integrity of fruits (whole or cut);
• type of filling.

In order for the purchased olives to be tasty and healthy, you need to know how to choose them. Today you can purchase these fruits by weight (in barrels or polymer containers) and in individual packaging (in jars or vacuum packaging). Which ones are healthier?

Buying in bulk

When purchasing olives by weight, you need to pay attention to:

1. Container with olives. The container must be plastic and have a lid. If olives are sold from open tin container, such a purchase should be abandoned. When opened, tin containers quickly oxidize and release toxic substances into the product.
2. Label. The label must be available to the buyer so that he can familiarize himself with the manufacturer’s information and clarify the date of manufacture and expiration date of the product.
3. Temperature and storage conditions. Storing pickled olives without brine is unacceptable. The fruits must be completely covered with it. The storage temperature of an open container with pickled olives in brine should not exceed +6°C.
4. Brine color. The brine should not be cloudy or dark. It is advisable that the brine be covered with a layer of olive oil on top, which prevents it from spoiling.
5. Type of olives. Crumpled, weathered and wrinkled fruits should not be found among fresh ones. If there are any, this indicates that the seller mixed unsold remaining product with fresh product.
6. Taste of fruits. Try one drupe. Its pulp should be soft and easily separated from the stone. No foreign smell or taste should be felt.
7. Pay attention to how and how the fruits are removed from the brine and what equipment is used for this. The safety of the released product depends on the cleanliness of these devices.

But, no matter how attentive and careful the buyer is, he is not immune from unscrupulous sellers. To avoid deception and counterfeiting, you can purchase olives in individual packaging.

Purchasing individual packaging

What are there individual packaging? How to choose canned olives? On store shelves, consumers are offered olives in different types packaging: glass, tin and vacuum packaging. Which ones are better? When choosing from the proposed options, it is better to give preference to olives in a vacuum or a glass jar. This way you can see what the drupes look like, what color and size the fruits are.

The label must indicate how much the product weighs without containers (net weight). Be sure to pay attention to the expiration date of olives. Expired fruits can cause food poisoning or intoxication with heavy metal salts.

How to store the product

Canned olives can be stored in an airtight container for 3 years. After opening the original packaging, the shelf life is reduced many times over. How long open cans of olives are stored depends on the material from which the container is made.

Storing olives in an open tin is strictly prohibited. The inner surface of this container is not designed for contact with air, so it quickly oxidizes. Toxic oxidation products pass into the brine, and from it into the olives. Consumption of such olives is fraught with severe food poisoning and intoxication. How to store opened olives from a tin so that they do not cause poisoning? Immediately after opening a tin of olives, the product must be transferred to a glass or ceramic container.

How to store opened olives? In glass or polymer containers, opened canned olives in brine can be stored for up to 3 days.

It happens that after opening a can of olives, the brine was drained and the entire product was not used. How to preserve leftover olives without brine? Is it possible to freeze them? You cannot store olives without brine: the product quickly weathers, loses moisture, and wrinkles. You should also not freeze olives without brine or with it. Frozen olives become very soft and tasteless after defrosting.

Use in cooking

Whole olives with pits or stuffed olives are used as a separate snack. Cut olives and pitted olives are used to decorate dishes, added to salads, soups, casseroles, stews. They are ground into puree and olive paste is prepared from them. Thanks to his spicy taste, olives add spicy notes to drinks.

Olive oil is used in cooking for dressing salads, preparing sauces and marinades, and baking. Can you fry in olive oil? Only refined olive oil is suitable for frying. Extra virgin oils are eaten raw.

Are olives eaten raw?

Raw olives have a bitter taste, so they are not usually eaten raw. Everywhere except their homeland - Greece. For example, in one of the central Greek regions of Magnesia, ripe olives are eaten without any pre-treatment. This is a special local variety of large dark cherry-colored olives with easily peelable skin and juicy, oily soft pulp. These olives have a tart, bittersweet taste with a spicy aftertaste.

But eating olives in this way is an exception to the rule. More often, olives are used in cooking in processed form. For culinary purposes, they are dried, dried, salted, pickled, and canned.

What do olives go with?

The specific taste of the fruit of the olive tree goes well with:

• spicy herbs;
• lemon;
• pickled garlic and onions;
• vegetables (cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers);
• greens;
• nuts;
• pickled cheeses;
• fish;
• seafood;
• lean meats;
• alcoholic beverages (wines, liqueurs).

Black olives are more suitable for meat dishes, and green olives are more suitable for fish and seafood.

What do you eat olives with?

Different people have different taste preferences. Very often they depend on the characteristics of the national cuisine. In Greece, they prefer to eat olives with feta, cheese, tomatoes,... In Spain, olives are usually served with sweet peppers, meat dishes, and seafood. In Italy, olives are added to pizza, lasagna, eaten with mozzarella, and tomatoes.

But, as they say: “There is no friend according to taste!” Where to add, with what and how to eat olives, everyone is free to choose at their own discretion. The main thing is that it tastes good!

In Mediterranean countries, flavored olive oil is used as a salad dressing. How to make homemade flavored olive oil? To do this, light or refined olive oil is infused for 15-20 days:

• spices (, coriander, cloves,);
• herbs (thyme, basil, marjoram, rosemary, oregano);
• zest and fruits of citrus fruits;
• vegetables (garlic, horseradish, paprika);
• dried berries.

In recent years in the Mediterranean European countries It has become fashionable to decorate the table with olives, which are colored with natural food coloring in red, orange, emerald colors.

Sometimes it happens that you need pitted olives to prepare a dish, but there are only fruits with pits in the refrigerator. To remove pits from olives at home, you can use a cherry pitting machine.

There is another secret to pitting olives: use a wide knife blade to lightly press the olive onto the work surface. If the olive is ripe, the pit in it will begin to move. After this, it can be easily removed using tweezers.

To extend shelf life open canned food with olives, you need to drain the brine and pour the rest of the product with olive oil. These canned foods can be stored for up to 2 months.

In the history of mankind, the branch of an olive tree has always been considered a symbol of peace among many peoples.

Greece is considered the birthplace of the olive tree. In ancient Greek mythology, there is a myth about the appearance of the olive tree. According to this myth, once a dispute arose between the goddess of wisdom, crafts and knowledge, Pallas Athena, and the ruler of the seas and oceans, Poseidon, over the ownership of Attica. Competing with each other, Poseidon presented the people of this region as a gift with a source of sea water, and Athena, thrusting a spear into the ground, presented an olive tree. The judges recognized Athena as the winner in the dispute, since they considered her gift more useful, and gave her this land under her protection. The people of Attica, in gratitude for such a generous gift, named the city of Athens in her honor.

The Olympians of Ancient Greece were awarded a wreath woven from olive branches if they won the Games. Its image can be found on ancient Greek vases and amphorae, from where the culture of worship of this plant passed on to Ancient Rome. The first descriptions and characteristics of olive trees and their fruits in the literature also appeared there.

But it was not only the Greeks and Romans who revered olive trees. The Bible also contains references to this tree: during the Flood, Noah was notified that dry land was nearby by a dove that brought him an olive branch. And the Virgin Mary was notified that she would give birth to the Savior of the human race by an angel who brought her a sprig of olive.

In the Middle East, the olive tree was considered a symbol of love and passion, where there is its own legend about the appearance of the olive tree. One day Princess Maslina fell in love with a shepherd named Olivo, but her love was not reciprocated. Then Olive got angry and killed the shepherd on a dark night. At the site of his death, a tree with narrow leaves and small tart fruits grew. This tree was named olive tree in honor of the shepherd, and the fruits ripening on it were called olives.

The olive tree in Muslim countries is considered the Tree of Life and a symbol of the Prophet.

The olive branch today is a symbol of peace and is present on the coats of arms of many countries: Italy, Cyprus, Serbia, Portugal, France, Zaire. The white olive branch is featured on the emblem of the United Nations (UN).

These interesting facts indicate the importance and reverence of this plant in many countries around the world.

Conclusion

For many centuries, olives and olive oil have been the basis of the economy of many countries. Today they have not lost their popularity. They are valued not only for their taste, but also for their usefulness, low content calories and plenty of healthy fats, fiber and iron. Knowing the benefits of olives, it becomes clear why you want to eat them.

Fresh olives are not edible until they undergo certain culinary processing. They are consumed salted, pickled or canned. Green olives stuffed various fillings, ranging from onions and garlic to gourmet blue cheese. Olive oil is no less popular in cooking.

The beneficial properties of olives and their oils are successfully used in therapeutic nutrition for diabetes, gout, cardiovascular diseases, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, urolithiasis, sexual disorders. Even the seeds of the olive tree are useful.

Despite all the beneficial properties, olives have a number of restrictions when consumed. To ensure that these fruits do not cause harm to health, you need to know in what quantity and how to properly eat olives for a particular ailment. Before taking them as a preventative or remedy You should consult your doctor.

Olive is the fruit of an olive tree or evergreen shrub native to the Mediterranean and central Asia. It is an oval drupe of green, black or purple hue, up to 3-4 cm in length. What are olives made of? The benefits and harm to the body were appreciated by the ancient Greeks, who cultivated the plant.

Many people wonder whether olives and black olives are different crops or are they the same thing? Olives are black fruits of the olive tree that are in biological maturity, and olives are in technical maturity. This division is unique to Russia.

Olives and olives are the fruits of the same olive (oil) tree or bush.

Another interesting question: are olives a berry or a fruit? Experts have not come to the same opinion. Growing like a berry and having a seed inside like a fruit, the olive is used as a vegetable.

Olives: chemical composition

The calorie content of olives per 100 grams is 112 kcal. The calorie content of canned pitted olives is slightly different, amounting to 145 kcal. Are olives high in calories or not? Their energy value is even higher, 165 kcal.

Nutritional value of 100 g of olives (bju):

1. proteins 1 g;
2. fats 11 g;
3. carbohydrates 5 g.

The composition of canned olives is similar, but may vary depending on the stuffing. How many carbohydrates do they have? 4 g, the vast majority of which are fiber.

What are the fruits of the olive tree rich in? Contains vitamins B, A (retinol), C, E, amino acids, phytosterols, oleic acid. Mineral composition includes sodium, phosphorus, iron, potassium, copper, chlorine, iodine.

Olives: beneficial properties and contraindications

What makes olives unique? The benefits and harm to the body that they can cause have been known since the times of the ancient Greeks, who appreciated this tree.

The beneficial properties of olives are high due to the content of monounsaturated fats, which help reduce the presence of cholesterol and have positive action on blood vessels, heart, circulatory system. The product has a therapeutic effect against atherosclerosis and thrombosis.

Olives strengthen the musculoskeletal system and are effective for osteochondrosis, gout, and arthritis.

How are olives beneficial for the gastrointestinal tract? Having choleretic and enveloping properties, the oils contained in them reduce the pH of gastric juice and normalize intestinal function. Eating olives for gastritis has proven its healing effect.

Do olive fruits weaken or strengthen? They have a mild laxative effect.

Olive oil and fruits have a pronounced preventive and healing effect against cancer.

Goat milk also helps in the fight against cancer

Skin lesions, incl. and burns, effectively lubricate with olive oil for speedy healing.

Research by doctors has shown that regular consumption of oil reduces the likelihood of diabetes by 20%. The low glycemic index (only 15 units) allows us to claim that they help stabilize sugar levels when consumed regularly in diabetes.

Olives for weight loss

People sticking proper nutrition and those who count calories are often concerned with questions: is it possible to eat olives on a diet? Is it possible to eat olives while losing weight?

Of course it is possible. Thanks to the content of healthy fats, eating just a few berries will dull the feeling of hunger for a long time, filling the body with energy, nutrients and vitamins. However, you should not abuse the fruits: in this case, they will contribute to weight gain.

Popular information about olives and black olives, see the video:

Olives: benefits for men

The unique chemical composition is also important for men’s health, primarily for potency. In the second - as a rescue from a hangover.

Olives: benefits for women

How are these small fruits useful for women? Their greatest contribution is in cosmetology, because olive oil is a common additive in all skin care products. Its benefits for hair, nails, and skin are invaluable. This oil is used both internally and externally.

Can pregnant women eat canned olives? Olives are not contraindicated during pregnancy because they do not contain dangerous or harmful substances. In addition, the oil, when applied externally and consumed internally during this period, will prevent the appearance of stretch marks on the abdomen, brittleness and splitting of hair and nails.

The benefit of canned olives for women is that they prevent the occurrence of breast cancer.

Can I use this product while breastfeeding? Female body during this crucial period, there is a shortage of many minerals, vitamins, acids, and olives can help cope with this problem. Olive oil is an element of milk formulas used for artificial children.

Can children have olives? In very limited quantities and only good quality. For children, olive oil will be more beneficial than the fruits themselves.

Contraindications

If you have allergies, as well as individual intolerance, you should stop using drupes.

The products are used with caution during retinol therapy due to the risk of developing hypervitaminosis.

Is it possible to eat with pancreatitis? People suffering from pancreatitis or cholecystitis should not eat olives due to their ability to increase bile production.

How many olives can you eat per day without it being an abuse and causing harm? 5-10 pieces or 1 tbsp. there will be enough oil.

Pickled olives: benefits and harms

It is almost impossible to find fresh fruits in stores, because... they taste too bitter. Transportation will be expensive and impractical due to large losses. Therefore, in countries where the fruits are grown, they are immediately processed: pickled fruits and olive oil are produced.

Are canned olives healthy? Their composition at the right technology(excluding the addition of chemicals, dyes, preservatives) is in no way inferior in its usefulness to fresh drupes. By the way, can you eat olives with pits? It turns out that it is possible, because The bone is successfully digested. However, this will not bring any benefit and can only be practiced by people without gastrointestinal problems. The use of seeds is also prohibited for children.

What are the benefits of pickled ginger and what are the features of its use? right now!

Olives in jars will be useful for adults and children when added to salads (for example, Greek), to soups (various solyankas); They are also good as an independent snack.

Often found in the assortment of canned foods stuffed fruits- cheese, lemon and other ingredients are used: the taste becomes more piquant, however, the quality of such additives may suffer.

Sliced ​​fruits are used in making sandwiches, and when crushed in a blender, they are used in the form of pate.

Baking with drupes has bright taste and aroma. Buns with olives and...

They are good for any food: meat, fish, mushrooms, pasta, etc.

Olive oil is used to season salads and is added when baking and frying.

Benefits in cosmetology

An important property of olive oil is that it does not leave an oily sheen, does not close pores, allowing the skin to breathe. Its rejuvenating properties have been proven, one of the effects is normalization water balance skin. Firmness and elasticity increase, the face tightens.

About the use of olive oil in cosmetology - the following video:

The oil has the greatest effect when applied to dry and damaged skin; Constant application to oily skin may worsen the condition.

The oil saves from stretch marks and is used for anti-cellulite massages.

Periodic application of masks with oil will make hair manageable, have a vibrant shine, prevent fragility, and restore the secretion of the sebaceous glands. Egg mixture, 2 tbsp. butter and tbsp. Apply honey evenly on hair and head for 20 minutes, then rinse. This mask will nourish your hair with vitamins and help restore it quickly.

The product is also suitable for sensitive skin around the eyes: apply a small amount of oil to this area daily, massaging with light movements. Leave for up to half an hour, remove any remaining residue with a napkin. Fine wrinkles will be noticeably smoothed out even after the first use

It is also used to remove makeup. And by adding a few drops to a jar of cream, you will receive daily dosed care.

The mixture of olive oil also has a beneficial effect on nails: you can use the product as a reusable bath, or apply it, lightly massaging until completely absorbed.

Thus, a very useful and valuable product, but only under one condition: the fruits must be of good quality. How to choose olives? The berries should be elastic, not loose, and the seed should be easily separated from the pulp. Coal-black fruits the size of grapes without seeds inside, but containing iron gluconate, are extremely undesirable for consumption, because will cause more harm. It is better to give preference to unstuffed olives with a pit, as the content of harmful substances will be lower.

Similar materials

It grows mainly in Africa, Australia, tropical regions of Europe, and South Asia. For the whole world, the division is into green and black olives, and only in Russia is the division into olives and black olives accepted. Green fruits are harvested earlier than black ones.

Benefit

Olives, whose beneficial properties have long been known in the Mediterranean region, are not yet so popular in Russia, and some people do not even realize the richness of their composition and effect on the body. They are rich in manganese and calcium, which has a positive effect on the musculoskeletal system. Olives are even used to treat joint pain. The benefits of black olives have been confirmed in preventing the formation of gallstones. You can consume the fruits of the olive tree daily to prevent stroke, angina and heart attack. They are also very useful for the gastrointestinal tract due to the fact that they help improve digestion and remove waste products from the body. Olives contain linoleic acid. One of its properties is its healing effect, helping the speedy healing of wounds and cuts. Interestingly, black olives, which have so many beneficial properties, can also relieve headaches.

They contain a lot of proteins, fats, sugar, ether and pectins, alcohol, and contain sufficient amounts of vitamins C, B, F, E and P, iron, phosphorus, fiber and potassium. If you eat olives at least once a week, your heart function will improve and your blood vessels will dilate. Some elements of these Mediterranean fruits have a beneficial effect on cell restoration and renewal. In addition to these advantages, olives have other advantages. The beneficial properties are due to the antioxidants they contain. Regular consumption of olives helps prevent both the early signs of aging and the progression of cancer.

Healthy olives

The beneficial properties of olives are due to many factors, including the presence of vitamin E and phytosterols, which have a positive effect on the reproductive function of women, so these products are recommended for pregnant women and those planning to conceive. People who are sick colds or the flu, olives will be useful for the anthocyanins they contain - coloring substances that strengthen the immune system and are generally a good anti-cold remedy. Extra virgin olive oil, consumed as food, will reduce the number of wrinkles due to the oleic acid it contains.

Olives and healing the body

You need to know how to eat olives correctly. Their beneficial properties depend on what kind of processing the black olives have undergone. If it is impossible to find fresh fruits, it is better to give preference to salted ones, which do not contain preservatives or vinegar. In this form, their benefits are preserved better. Due to high content Vitamin A consumption of olives serves as a prevention of vision diseases. Vitamin E, also present in black olives, has a beneficial effect on hair condition. Olives will only benefit your hair and skin if they are consumed internally. That is, with food.

Olives are good for your heart due to their high content of monounsaturated fats and antioxidants. Polyphenols have a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system. They are able to strengthen the walls of blood vessels and prevent the formation of blood clots. Due to this, in turn, the wear and tear of the heart is reduced and its functions are improved. Thanks to the antioxidant activity of the substances contained in olives, the effects of free radicals are neutralized. This prevents the appearance of cancerous tumors and premature aging.

Bones are also useful

The beneficial properties of olives and their harm are determined by their chemical composition. The same goes for bones. Olive kernels are commonly used for back pain caused by pinched nerves and muscle inflammation. You need to crush half a glass of seeds and add 200 ml of melted paraffin or wax. Cool the resulting mass slightly and fill a rubber heating pad with it. Then the heating pad is applied to the painful area of ​​the body for 20-30 minutes until the wax cools. Warming up should be done daily; after the procedure, you should rest lying down and do not make sudden movements. Can olives with pits be eaten? We discussed the beneficial properties of the latter in the treatment of neurological diseases above. As for eating the whole fruit (along with the pit) - this is what some residents of Mediterranean countries do - expert opinions differ on the benefits (or harm) of this method.

Recipes that include olives

A remedy to alleviate the condition of a patient with atherosclerosis: crushed 200 g. put the olives in a thermos and pour it heated to 60°C vegetable oil. Leave for 48 hours. Drink 1 tablespoon 3 times a day before meals.

You can get rid of swelling with the help of a tincture based on the fruits and leaves of the olive tree. In order to prepare the medicine, you need to pour a tablespoon of finely chopped olives and a tablespoon of leaves with a glass of boiling water, leave for 5-10 minutes in a water bath, then filter the raw materials and add another glass warm water. You need to drink the infusion 1 tablespoon 3 times a day half an hour before meals.

To prepare an infusion that relieves high blood pressure, pour 1 tablespoon of leaves with a glass of boiling water, hold in a water bath for about 5 minutes, then strain and dilute with warm water. Take 1 or 2 tablespoons half an hour before meals 3 times a day.

How to properly include olives in your diet

The benefits and harms of olives depend both on human health and on the amount of consumption of these products. It is advisable to eat olives daily, but in small quantities. For example, add them to salads. Olives go well with fresh cucumbers, feta cheese, boiled chicken breast. In addition to salads, black olives can be added to soups, stir-fries, pilaf and other hot dishes, or used as a snack between meals.

For whom can olives be harmful?

It is advisable for a person to limit himself by buying canned olives. The beneficial properties of them and olives can be harmful to health if they are consumed excessively. For example, they will negatively affect the health of people suffering from cholecystitis. This is explained by the fact that they have a fairly strong choleretic effect. In addition, olives are rich in vitamin A, which in significant quantities is toxic and has a negative effect on the human body. You need to be especially careful when handling canned olives. When preserving, auxiliary substances are used to excessive consumption which may cause an allergic reaction. Iron gluconate, which is often used in the production of canned olives, can be especially dangerous. Up to the appearance in a person who abuses canned foods, peptic ulcer stomach.

That is why the olive tree is considered the personification of life, and its fruits are valued and protected.

There are two types of olives: black and green, both of which are equally healthy and valuable for the body. The only difference between them is the processing method. Black olives, which we often call olives, are treated with chemical mixtures during preservation, as a result of which they acquire such a specific color. Green olives are unripe fruits that do not change color because they are processed differently. Processing of olives is necessary to eliminate the bitterness of unripe fruits, but they fully retain all their properties. Less common is the canning of olives in sea ​​water. They are of great value and differ in taste from the olives we are used to.

Whatever type of olives you choose for yourself, they will certainly have a positive effect on your body, because it was not for nothing that in Ancient Greece olive oil was compared to gold and was valued no less than gold bars. In addition, the benefits of olives were discovered long ago by the Caucasian peoples, who included them in their diet and, thanks to this, are famous for their incredible longevity. Russian chefs, who appreciate not only the properties, but also the taste of these fruits, add them to the composition various dishes. Olives are found in both first and second courses, appetizers, sauces and salads. Their spicy and unusual taste will make it exquisite and add zest to any dish you prepare. But we should not forget that even the most healthy products may become dangerous if consumed in excess. This also applies to olives. The benefits of olives depend entirely on the quantity eaten. That is why it is recommended to consume no more than 7-10 pieces of both fresh and canned olives daily.

Benefits of olives

Let's talk more specifically about the benefits of olives. They will be especially useful for those who suffer from diseases of the digestive system. Regular consumption of olives can relieve ulcers and gastritis, improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, speed up metabolism, reduce the risk of kidney stones, increase the body’s production of bile, as well as the functioning of the gallbladder. Under the influence of the oil contained in olives, the production of gastric juice is reduced, fats and salts are absorbed faster and are not deposited in the body. Olives also have a positive effect on the kidneys. The substances included in their composition help get rid of waste and toxins, removing them from the body in a natural, painless way. The fruits of the olive tree are natural remedy, lowering blood pressure, so they will be a salvation for people suffering from high blood pressure and problems with the cardiovascular system. In addition, olives can restore nervous system and improve vision. But the main advantage of olives is their ability to fight tumors, both benign and malignant. They will protect people with intestinal tumors from their further development and prevent the formation of breast cancer in women.

Healthful composition of olives

Despite the fact that olive at first glance is a rather ordinary and unremarkable product, it is rich in various vitamins and minerals that have a healing effect on the body. These fruits contain vitamins A, C, D, E, F and K, calcium, manganese, linolenic, linoleic and oleic acid. Thanks to this, you can be calm about your skeletal system, since regular consumption of olives will quickly restore it and return it to normal. You can forget about arthritis, osteochondrosis and other diseases of the musculoskeletal system. The production of connective tissues, as well as articular cartilage cells, will be restored and normalized, which will relieve you of joint pain. The condition of muscle tissue will improve, and they will always be in good shape. Thanks to linoleic acid, coordination of movements will improve, which is very important both for the elderly and for young children, for whom olives will also be very useful. The vitamins contained in olives will help solve the problem of conception, filling the body with missing microelements and normalizing the functioning of almost all internal organs. For pregnant women, eating olives will help restore the loss of sodium salts that intensively occur in the body at this time. For men, olives can act as an aphrodisiac and have a positive effect on potency.

Olives for beauty

Don’t forget about the effect olives and olive oil have on appearance, and in particular on the condition of the skin, hair and nails. That is why olive oil is one of the main components of healing and restorative cosmetics. It slows down skin aging, intensively smooths out fine wrinkles, makes the skin soft, elastic and elastic, giving it a fresh and blooming appearance. Additionally, olive oil protects your skin from the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays, so don't neglect using olive-based cosmetics during the summer. if you are not sure of the quality of ready-made cosmetics, you can make them yourself at home, using only high-quality products. One of these means can be quite simple mask based on olive oil. Mix freshly squeezed lemon juice and olive oil in equal proportions and apply the mask to your face several times a week for 20 minutes. In just a couple of weeks you will see a magnificent result that will not fail to please you.

As for hair, the vitamins contained in olives make it several times thicker, stronger and healthier. In addition, hair growth accelerates, making it shiny and manageable. Special cosmetics or homemade hair poppies will help you achieve this effect. The most basic mask will be slightly heated olive oil, which must be applied to the hair from roots to ends and left there for 30-40 minutes, then rinse the hair thoroughly with warm water without using shampoo. For another recipe you will need olive oil, liquid flower honey, egg yolk and cognac. Take each of the ingredients in equal proportions, mix thoroughly until smooth and apply the mask to damp hair, spreading over its entire length. After 40 minutes, rinse off the mask with warm water. By regularly making such masks, you can forget about hair fragility and loss and enjoy luxurious hair.

Olives will also help cope with the problem of brittle nails. By doing special nail baths just once a week, you will save yourself from this annoying phenomenon. So, for a bath, ordinary warm olive oil may be enough, in which you need to soak your nails for 10 minutes, then wipe with iodized alcohol. But to get a greater effect, it is recommended to combine the oil with additional ingredients, such as milk. Mix equal amounts of olive oil with warm milk and soak your hands in it for 30 minutes. After such procedures, you will not only get rid of brittle nails, but also restore elasticity and smoothness to the skin of your hands.

Harm of olives

Despite huge amount advantages, olives still have their disadvantages. One of them, the most significant and significant, is their high calorie content, so people who want to lose weight are advised to limit the consumption of these fruits. Fresh olives contain a large amount of oil, which, in fact, makes them high in calories, so pay attention to how much and in what form you consume them. Remember that with intense heating, olive oil loses most of its properties, so you should not use it when cooking hot dishes in a frying pan. It is better to season salads with olive oil. Olives do not combine well and are much less digestible when combined with dairy products. if you plan to consume any dairy or fermented milk products, then exclude olives from your daily diet. Please note that olives are contraindicated for people suffering from cholecystitis, as they have a choleretic effect. In addition, canned olives can cause allergies in the form of skin rashes. When consumed fresh fruits such a reaction is less likely, because the cause of the allergy is most often the marinade in which they are preserved. No matter how healthy olives are, always remember that any product is beneficial only if consumed in moderation and following all recommendations.

Olive trees with their juicy fruits have been cultivated by people for so long that scientists still cannot decide whether this is a miracle specially bred by breeders or a slightly cultivated wild species of plant from the olive family. One way or another, the benefits of olives were widely known back in ancient Hellas. Moreover, the Greeks believed in the divine origin of the olive and knew about its miraculous properties.

Olives and olives - similarities and differences

The oblong fruits of the olive tree are widely consumed throughout the world. Moreover, in Russia they are called both olives and olives. What is the difference and is there any?

Juicy black olives are simply fruits taken from the tree in the phase of biological ripeness. At the same time, olives can be collected from the same tree, but before they are fully ripe. That's why olives are green in color. As they ripen in natural conditions, they darken from light pink to blue-black. However, the difference between these fruits is not only in color.

Due to the fact that olives have been on their native tree longer, they can be larger and grow to the size of a small plum. But as for the chemical composition and effect on the human body, the benefits of olives and black olives are almost the same.

Variety of canned olives

When buying a jar of juicy canned olives, you may be surprised that fresh olives from the tree are not available for sale anywhere. The thing is that freshly picked fruits taste bitter and are very hard, regardless of their ripeness. Therefore, they are always first soaked to remove the bitterness, and then pickled or salted to make them soft. Often the olive pits are removed. The benefit of this is that you can place the filling instead.

Today, olives are offered for consumption with additives, which can be tuna, anchovy, lemon or even cucumber. You can also often find fruits with and without seeds on sale. At the same time, gourmets prefer olives with pits, pointing to their special taste and softness.

What is so “magical” about simple olives?

Since these berries have been eaten by people for a very long time, the benefits and harms of canned olives are well known and studied. Today scientists say that all of them are extremely useful, because:

• They contain antioxidants, which means they help relieve depression and reduce the effects of severe stress.
• They replenish the body with elements such as calcium, chlorine, sodium, magnesium, iron, iodine, potassium and phosphorus, as well as many others.
• They contain various amino acids and numerous vitamins, including vitamin E.
• Their chemical composition includes special natural substances - polyphenols, which, in turn, help improve memory and better brain function.
• They contain oleic acid, which is so important for those who want to preserve youth. Because of this, regular consumption of olives reduces the appearance of wrinkles by 25%.
• Reduces cholesterol levels in the blood and promotes its removal.
• They reduce appetite due to the monounsaturated fatty acids they contain, which leads to rapid saturation with this product. Nutritionists advise eating 7-10 olives before meals. This simple rule of nutrition leads to weight normalization. In addition, thanks to the same acids, after eating, fat burning processes are launched in the body, which last for 5 hours.

What are the benefits of olives for men, women and children?

The benefits of black olives for men's intimate health have already been proven. Regular consumption of these fruits increases potency. In addition, men value canned olives for another quality - relieving hangover syndrome. Olives are recommended for women not only as a unique dietary product, but also for the prevention of such a terrible disease as breast cancer. Studies have shown that it is on the Mediterranean coast, where olive fruits are part of the daily diet, that malignant tumors of the mammary glands are less common than in the rest of the world.

What are the benefits of canned olives for children? And there are a lot of advantages here. But it will be much better if, instead of a canned product, olive oil is included in the child’s diet.

People of all ages with digestive tract problems can also eat olives. The low acidity level of olives allows them to be easily digested, and the oils they contain improve the functioning of the stomach. But at the same time, you need to be careful about canned food that is too spicy, since the brine in which the olives are pickled can cause an exacerbation of gastritis and ulcers.

Harm from olives - myth or reality?

Olive fruits collected from the tree and processed, regardless of their ripeness, are always useful. The oil obtained from them is considered one of the most valuable food products. However, there are situations when caution in their use will not hurt.

Of course, if you are allergic to them, which is quite rare, this product becomes prohibited for a person. And if you have a disease such as cholecystitis, olives can cause damage to the body. The thing is that they have a choleretic effect, and although in other conditions this is also a benefit of olives, in the case of this disease it is harmful.

Those who are undergoing a course of treatment that involves the use of retinol should also beware of eating olives. After all, vitamin A is contained in olives, and with its excess, various side effects, characteristic of hypervitaminosis. In this situation, the benefits and harms of canned olives depend only on the amount eaten, but it is better to avoid such risks.

But most dangerous product Today, green olives can become green, which are dyed black with ferrous gluconate for marketing purposes. Despite the fact that nutritional indicators Such canned olives are safe; the dye itself can cause acute allergic reactions and, if consumed in large quantities, can cause stomach ulcers.

How to recognize fake olives?

Colored olives, which are sold as olives, can be distinguished from the natural product by the following characteristics:

• They are almost always rolled up in tin cans. This also determines the price category of the product. Natural olives are always a little more expensive than green olives.
• The color of the fake fruits is uniformly black, while the berries themselves are the size of grapes. But ripe olives can be the size of a plum, and their color is not so ideal. However, most often the seeds are not removed from such fruits.
• The composition, which is always indicated on the jar of fake olives, contains a dye - iron gluconate E-579. Natural canned product may contain citric acid and spiced olive oil in the brine, but not dyes.

By choosing the right olives for your table, you can be confident in the quality of your nutrition. But in any case, olives are an excellent prevention for a whole list of diseases, including diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, atherosclerosis, depression and obesity.