Types of Olives – Health Benefits of Olives
Spanish, Greek, Black, Green, Martini and Pimento Stuffed Olives
There are many uses for olives and even though the olive is a fruit, in culinary terms it’s used more like a vegetable. Olives are used in salads, as toppings for pizza and eaten as a snack. Olives are not usually eaten raw because of their bitter taste. Olives are normally cured, fermented or stuffed with herbs and spices. One of the most popular uses is making olive oil. Olive oil is popular for all types of cooking, and is considered a healthy alternative to cooking oils.
Variety and Type of Olives
Green and black olives are not really types of olive. The difference between green and black olives is that green olives are picked from the tree early whereas black olives are ripened on the tree until they turn black. That’s why black olives have a softer texture and are less bitter than green olives.
- Manzanilla Olives- The Manzanilla olive is also known as the Spanish olive. Spain is the largest exporter of olives and the Manzanilla is Spain’s top produced olive. The Manzanilla is also the top olive produced in California. It is often cured and is a medium sized green olive. The Manzanilla olive is slightly bitter with a nutty flavor. It is often stuffed with pimentos and eaten as a snack. The Manzanilla is an excellent olive for making olive oil.
- Hojiblanca Olives – Hojiblanca olives are a popular Spanish olive. They have a great flavor with a bit of an almond and peppery flavor. The Hojiblanca is a large variety and are ripened to a light purple coloring. Even though they are used as a table olive, their most popular use is for the making of olive oil.
- Gordal Olives – Gordal olives are another popular olive of Spain. Gordal olives are also known as queen olives and are jumbo in size. They are popular table olives and are usually picked green and brined. Gordals are very meaty and have a mild flavor. They are very popular for martinis because of their mild flavor and large size.
- Kalamata Olives – The Kalamata olive is a favorite olive of Greece. It is used as a snack and for the production of olive oil. As a table olive the Kalamata is usually left on the tree until it ripens to a dark brown, almost black color. The Kalamata has a meaty texture with a bit of a sweet fruit flavor. Kalamata olives are often split to allow the curing marinate to penetrate the flesh.
Health Benefits of Olives – Nutritional Values
The following nutritional values are based on 1 ounce of ripe canned olives, which equals about 7 large olives. Nutritional values can vary depending on the olives curing methods and ingredients used.
- Olives are very low in calories with 32 and relatively low in total fat with 3 grams
- Olives are very low in sugar and cholesterol with near zero amounts
- Olives are high in sodium with 244 milligrams
- Olives are not a good source of protein
- Olives have some dietary fiber values with 1 gram
- Olives are not a good source of vitamins
The biggest negative factor for olives is the high amounts of sodium. Olives also have some nutritional values of Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids, also known as the good fats.
There are hundreds of types of olives. This article only focused on a small variety of the more popular types of olives. Because of the many good qualities in olives, they can be part of a healthy balanced diet. With the various types and flavors of olives, it’s hard to beat the unique flavor and great tasted of the olive.
Types of Olives - Health Benefits of Olives
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