7 REASONS to love olives!
Olives are one of the few foods of the world that naturally contain four basic flavours: bitter, sweet, salty and acidic. This makes them extremely versatile for cooking and creating powerful flavours in many dishes.
Olives are a key ingredient in the Mediterranean diet, which is famed for being one of the healthiest in the world and has even been declared as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by Unesco. The benefits of the Mediterranean diet have been proven by multiple studies including its ability to significantly lower heart disease.
The possibilities are endless! Not only are there multiple varieties to try and love, you can mix olives with everything from oregano and thyme to chorizo and manchego cheese for an extra twist. There are also different types to choose from including whole or pitted, bruised, split, halved and quartered, green, black, mixed, cured in the Sevilian style or in brine. See Types of olives for more information.
Did you know that table olives are one of the few foods that have all four basic flavours – sweet, salty, bitter and acidic? That’s why they go so well in so many recipes. What’s more, they are affordable and really easy to find. You can store them for a long time and use as a quick-to-prepare snack for parties, lunches, barbecues or just whenever you have an olive craving! Check out our recipes for inspiration.
Olives date as far back as the 1st millennium BC, when Phoenicians introduced the olive tree in the Iberian Peninsula. Thereafter, Romans and Arabs developed the crops using more intensive methods and it was the first Spanish colonisers who brought the olive tree to America. Take a look at our Heritage page for more facts.
Olives are best when shared and enjoyed with others. They make a great snack at gatherings or dinner parties, either on their own or whipped up with other ingredients in a tasty dish. Make sure you always have some in your cupboard, ready to serve at a moment’s notice! Check out our recipes for dish inspiration.
Olives contain 150kcal in around 100 grams, which is four times lower than processed snacks. Olives also contain up to 77% contain oleic acid – an important monosaturated fat – are a natural source of vitamin E, while black olives are a source of iron. So snack on olives and you’ll be doing your body a world of good! Read The Healthy Facts for more information.
The seventh reason is a combination of all of the above – once you’ve discovered all the benefits of olives, you’ll love them just as much as we do!
