1. Olive Facts
2. Types of Olives
3. Nutritional Value of Olives
4. Health Benefits of Olives
The olive (botanical name Olea europaea, "European olive") is a species of subtropical evergreen tree in the family Oleaceae. Originating in Asia Minor, it is abundant throughout the Mediterranean Basin, with wild subspecies in Africa and western Asia; modern cultivars are traced primarily to the Near East, Aegean Sea, and Strait of Gibraltar. The olive is the type species for its genus, Olea, and lends its name to the Oleaceae plant family, which includes lilac, jasmine, forsythia, and ash. The olive fruit is classed botanically as a drupe, similar in structure and function to the cherry or peach. The term oil—now used to describe any viscous water-insoluble liquid—was originally synonymous with olive oil, the liquid fat derived from olives.
The olive has deep historical, economic, and cultural significance in the Mediterranean. It is among the oldest fruit trees domesticated by humans, being first cultivated in the Eastern Mediterranean between 8,000 and 6,000 years ago, most likely in the Levant. The olive gradually disseminated throughout the Mediterranean via trade and human migration starting in the 16th century BC; it took root in Crete around 3500 BC and reached Iberia by about 1050 BC. Olive cultivation was vital to the growth and prosperity of various Mediterranean civilizations, from the Minoans and Myceneans of the Bronze Age to the Greeks and Romans of classical antiquity.
The olive is cultivated in all countries of the Mediterranean, as well as in Australia, New Zealand, the Americas, and South Africa. Spain, Italy, and Greece lead the world in commercial olive production; other major producers are Turkey, Tunisia, Syria, Morocco, Algeria, and Portugal. There are thousands of cultivars of olive tree, and the fruit of each cultivar may be used primarily for oil, for eating, or both, although some varieties are grown as sterile ornamental shrubs, and are known as Olea europaea Montra, dwarf olive, or little olive. Approximately 80% of all harvested olives are processed into oil, while about 20% are for consumption as fruit, generally referred to as "table olives".
History and Origin
The olive is one of the oldest cultivated trees, originating in the Eastern Mediterranean between 8,000 and 6,000 years ago. It was domesticated in the Levant (modern-day Syria and Turkey) and spread throughout the Mediterranean basin via ancient trade routes, reaching Crete around 3500 BC and Iberia by 1050 BC. Today, olives are cultivated globally in regions with a temperate climate, and the tree has become a symbol of peace and abundance.
Olives were a staple crop for ancient civilizations, with evidence of cultivation on Crete by 3000 BC and in Egypt by 2000 BC. The Minoans, Greeks, and Romans all played a significant role in spreading the olive throughout the world.
The Spanish introduced olive trees to the Americas, and the British brought them to Australia in the 19th century, leading to cultivation in those regions as well.
- • Arbequina
- • Azapa
- • Barnea
- • Barouni
- • Coratina
- • Correggiola
- • Frantoio
- • Hardy's Mammoth
- • Hojiblanca
- • Jumbo Kalamata
- • Kalamata
- • Koroneiki
- • Leccino
- • Manzanillo
- • Moraiolo
- • Nevadillo Blanco
- • Pendulino
- • Picholine
- • Picual
- • Sevillano
- • UC13A6
- • Verdale
Australia grows and sells a variety of olives, including common table olives like Kalamata and Manzanillo, as well as oil-producing varieties such as Frantoio and Arbequina. Other popular varieties include Koroneiki, Picual, Coratina, and Barnea, often sold as green or black table olives depending on harvest time.
Common olive varieties
Arbequina: Arbequina olives have a mild, fruity, and sweet taste with buttery notes, a soft texture, and a delicate, slightly peppery finish. They are known for being less bitter than many other varieties and are prized for their versatility, being used both as table olives and for making smooth, aromatic extra virgin olive oil with hints of fresh herbs, apple, and almond.
Barnea: Barnea olives produce a high-quality extra virgin olive oil with a fruity, balanced, and mild flavour profile, often featuring notes of green apple, tropical fruit, and grassy herbs. It has a gentle and subtle peppery finish and can have a more intense, robust flavour depending on harvest time, with a hint of a nutty undertone.
Coratina: Coratina olives have a robust, intensely fruity, and peppery taste with a slightly bitter finish. The flavour profile is often described as having hints of artichoke, almond, and fresh grass or arugula. This strong, bold taste makes it a popular choice for those who enjoy assertive olive oils.
Frantoio: Frantoio olives and their oil have a fruity, aromatic, and fragrant profile with notes of bitter greens and citrus, which can finish with a spicy or peppery kick and a balanced bitterness. The intensity varies depending on ripeness, with earlier harvests yielding a zestier flavour and later harvests a softer, fruitier one. When pickled, they offer a pleasant nutty flavour.
Kalamata: Kalamata olives have a rich, smoky, and fruity taste with a strong, slightly salty, and peppery flavour profile. They are often described as having a "meaty" or chewy texture because they are tree-ripened and cured in brine, vinegar, or olive oil, which preserves their full flavour. This makes them an intense and distinctive ingredient, different from milder black olives.
Manzanillo: Manzanillo olives have a balanced taste that is slightly sweet with a subtle briny tang, and a hint of smokiness or nuttiness. They are often described as having a mild, buttery flavour, a crisp texture, and a plump, meaty flesh, and are versatile for both eating and making oil.
Picual: Picual olives have a bold, robust, and slightly peppery taste, often with fruity notes of green tomato, apple, and grass, and a hint of bitterness. The intensity can vary depending on how early the olives are harvested, but the signature spicy, peppery finish is a key characteristic due to high polyphenol content.
Other grown and sold varieties
Azapa: Azapa olives have a rich, rich, meaty texture and a unique flavour that is slightly sweet with a mild bitterness. They are large, dark reddish-brown olives from the Azapa Valley in Chile, often enjoyed on their own or used in salads and appetizers.
Barouni: Barouni olives have a rich, bold, and fruity flavour with a slightly bitter and peppery finish when processed as oil, while table olives can have a more mild, crisp, and tangy taste. Their flavor can be described as nutty, earthy, and buttery, with an intense fruity aroma.
Correggiola: Correggiola olives have a distinct taste profile that can be described as complex, with notes of fresh grass, green apple, and herbs, sometimes with hints of nutmeg or a savory, malty centre. When used for oil, the flavour is typically balanced, with medium intensity, and can be robustly peppery, while as a table olive, it has a more subtle nutty flavour.
Hardy's Mammoth: Hardy's Mammoth olives have a mild, buttery flavour and are often eaten as a table olive, while their extra virgin olive oil is known for its complex, fruity profile with notes of passionfruit, guava, and citrus, balanced by a peppery finish. The oil can be used for salads, vegetables, and as a finishing oil on cooked dishes.
Hojiblanca: Hojiblanca olives produce a balanced, medium-intense oil with fruity Flavors like green apple and tropical fruit, balanced by a medium bitterness and a peppery or spicy finish. Its aroma is often described as similar to fresh-cut grass. As a table olive, it has a sweeter flavour but can still have bitter notes and an almond aftertaste.
Jumbo Kalamata: Jumbo Kalamata olives have a rich, tangy, and slightly smoky flavour with fruity and sometimes bitter notes. They are large, meaty, and firm with a deep purple color when ripe. The specific taste can vary depending on the curing process, with some being more briny and salty while others are less so.
Koroneiki: Koroneiki olives have a bold, fruity taste with a distinctive peppery finish, and a high level of antioxidants. When made into extra virgin olive oil, their flavour is complex and robust, featuring notes of fresh-cut grass, green apple, artichoke, and wild herbs. They are prized for this intense, well-balanced flavour profile and are more commonly used for making high-quality olive oil than for eating whole as a table olive.
Leccino: Leccino olives have a mild, balanced, and fruity taste with a smooth, buttery texture. They are known for delicate Flavors that can include hints of almond, fresh-cut grass, and sweet notes, with a subtle peppery finish and a slightly bitter balance. This versatile flavour profile makes them a great table olive, as well as an excellent choice for oil production.
Moraiolo: Moraiolo olives produce a robust, intense, and complex olive oil with a distinctive peppery and bitter taste, along with fruity and herbaceous notes of artichoke and green almond. This profile comes from its high polyphenol content, which creates a pronounced pungency and a lingering, pleasant finish.
Nevadillo Blanco: Nevadillo Blanco olives have a smooth, buttery, and mild flavour with hints of nuttiness, sweetness, and a slightly bitter or peppery finish. The taste can be influenced by how they are processed, leading to oils described as fruity, with notes of almond and herbs, and sometimes a tropical fruit character in late-harvest oils.
Pendulino: Pendolino olives produce a delicate, smooth oil with a fruity, mild taste, often described as having notes of green almond, apple, and grass. It has low bitterness and a mild peppery or spicy finish. This makes it versatile for both raw applications, like dipping bread, and cooking, particularly with seafood, soups, or lighter meats.
Picholine: Picholine olives have a distinct taste profile that is often described as a balance of tartness, nuttiness, and a mild bitterness, complemented by herbaceous and peppery notes. They are known for their firm, crunchy texture and vibrant green colour.
Sevillano: Sevillano olives have a mild, buttery, and fruity flavour that is often described as being smooth with a slightly briny or tart taste. Their texture is firm and meaty. The flavour can also have delicate notes of green apple and pepper, especially in the olive oil pressed from them.
UC13A6: The UC13A6 (Californian Queen) olive has a sweet, mild flavour and is prized as a large, flavourful table olive. It can be pickled green or black, and its fruit is often described as having an excellent flesh-to-pit ratio.
Verdale: Verdale olives have a delicate, sweet, and mild flavour profile with nutty, buttery, and fruity notes, sometimes with a hint of fresh herbs or apple. They have a firm, crisp texture and can be used as green table olives or for producing an oil with similar characteristics.
Fruit ” Olives ” ( Nutritional value )
Nutritional value per 100 g
Olives, pickled, canned or bottled, green
|
Nutrient ( Proximate’s )
|
Unit
|
Value
|
Daily Value %
|
|
Energy
|
kcal
|
145
|
7.2%
|
|
Protein
|
g
|
1.03
|
2.0%
|
|
Total lipid (fat)
|
g
|
15.32
|
19.6%
|
|
Carbohydrate, by difference
|
g
|
3.84
|
1.3%
|
|
Fiber, total dietary
|
g
|
3.3
|
11.7%
|
|
Sugars, total
|
g
|
0.54
|
|
|
Minerals
|
|||
|
Calcium, Ca
|
mg
|
52
|
4%
|
|
Iron, Fe
|
mg
|
0.49
|
2.7%
|
|
Magnesium, Mg
|
mg
|
11
|
2.6%
|
|
Phosphorus, P
|
mg
|
4
|
0.3%
|
|
Potassium, K
|
mg
|
42
|
0.8%
|
|
Sodium, Na
|
mg
|
1556
|
67.5%
|
|
Zinc, Zn
|
mg
|
0.04
|
0.3%
|
|
Copper, Cu
|
mg
|
0.120
|
13.3%
|
|
Selenium, Se
|
mcg
|
0.9
|
1.6%
|
|
Vitamins
|
|||
|
Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid
|
mg
|
0.0
|
|
|
Thiamin (B-1)
|
mg
|
0.021
|
1.7%
|
|
Riboflavin (B-2)
|
mg
|
0.007
|
0.5%
|
|
Niacin (B-3)
|
mg
|
0.237
|
1.4%
|
|
Pantothenic acid (B-5)
|
mg
|
0.023
|
0.4%
|
|
Vitamin B-6
|
mg
|
0.031
|
1.8%
|
|
Vitamin B-12
|
mg
|
0.00
|
|
|
Folate DFE (dietary folate) (B-9)
|
mcg
|
3
|
0.7%
|
|
Vitamin A, RAE (retinol)
|
mcg
|
20
|
2.2%
|
|
Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol)
|
mg
|
3.81
|
25.4%
|
|
Vitamin D (D2 + D3)
|
mcg
|
0
|
|
|
Vitamin K (phylloquinone)
|
mcg
|
1.4
|
1.1%
|
|
Lipids
|
|||
|
Saturated Fatty Acids
|
g
|
2.029
|
10.1%
|
|
Monounsaturated Fatty Acids
|
g
|
11.314
|
|
|
Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids
|
g
|
1.307
|
|
|
Trans Fatty Acids
|
g
|
0.000
|
|
|
Cholesterol
|
mg
|
0
|
|
|
Carotenoids
|
|||
|
Beta-Carotene
|
mcg
|
231
|
|
|
Beta-Cryptoxanthin
|
mcg
|
9
|
|
|
Lutein + zeaxanthin
|
mcg
|
510
|
|
|
Reference Values are based on a 2,000 Calorie Intake, for Adults and Children 4 or More Years of Age. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
|
|
Percentages are roughly approximated using (RDA) Recommended Dietary Allowances for adults. Source: USDA United States Department of Agriculture
|
|
Reference Values for Nutrition – FDA U.S. Food and Drug Administration
|
Olives Nutritional Value
Olives provide numerous health benefits, including supporting heart health through healthy fats and antioxidants, reducing inflammation with compounds like oleocanthal, and providing essential nutrients like vitamin E, iron, and copper. They are also rich in antioxidants called polyphenols that protect cells from damage, potentially lowering the risk of chronic diseases like cancer. Additionally, their fiber and healthy fat content can aid in weight management by promoting fullness.
- SUPPORT FOR BONES AND BRAIN
Olive’s support bone health through calcium content and polyphenols that may help prevent bone loss. They support brain health through polyphenols with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects that may help protect against neurodegeneration, and extra virgin olive oil may help maintain synapses. - CANCER PREVENTION
Olives and their oil may help prevent cancer due to compounds like polyphenols, which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that protect cells from DNA damage. Key components like oleuropein and squalene have shown anti-tumour and anti-proliferative effects in studies, potentially by inhibiting tumour growth, promoting cancer cell death, and interfering with tumour-promoting genes like Ras. However, more large-scale human clinical trials are needed to confirm these findings. - RICH IN ANTIOXIDANTS
Olives are rich in antioxidants like polyphenols, vitamin E, and terpenoids, which help fight chronic diseases and inflammation. These compounds protect cells from damage and may reduce the risk of heart disease, certain cancers, and cognitive decline. Key antioxidants include oleuropein, hydroxytyrosol, and oleocanthal. - PROMOTE HEALTHY SKIN
Olives promote healthy skin by providing hydration, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory benefits from compounds like vitamin E, oleic acid, and polyphenols. These components help protect against environmental damage, reduce signs of aging, improve skin tone, and may even aid in wound healing.
- AID IN WEIGHT MANAGEMENT
Olives can aid weight management due to their high fiber and monounsaturated fat content, which promotes fullness and satiety. They also contain antioxidants like elenolic acid and oleuropein, which studies suggest may help regulate appetite and metabolism, though more research is needed to confirm these effects in humans. A moderate intake is key, as olives can be high in calories and sodium, depending on the type and preparation. - PROVIDE ESSENTIAL NUTRIENTS
Olives provide essential nutrients like healthy fats, fiber, vitamin E, iron, copper, and calcium. They are also rich in beneficial antioxidants, such as oleuropein, and other phytonutrients that offer anti-inflammatory and heart-healthy properties. - ANTI-INFLAMMATORY PROPERTIES
Olives have anti-inflammatory properties due to compounds like oleocanthal, oleanolic acid, and polyphenols. These compounds can help inhibit inflammatory enzymes and may reduce the risk of chronic inflammatory diseases. The anti-inflammatory effects of oleocanthal are similar to those of ibuprofen. - SUPPORT HEART HEALTH
Olive’s support heart health primarily by providing heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, especially oleic acid, which help lower "bad" LDL cholesterol and reduce inflammation. They also contain antioxidants and fiber, which contribute to a healthier cardiovascular system. However, due to their high sodium content, it's advisable to consume them in moderation or rinse them before eating, especially if you have high blood pressure.
References
Nutrient Database – USDA (United States Department of Agriculture)
Reference Values for Nutrition – FDA U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Support heart health - Olive’s support heart health primarily by providing heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, especially oleic acid, which help lower "bad" LDL cholesterol and reduce inflammation. They also contain antioxidants and fiber, which contribute to a healthier cardiovascular system. However, due to their high sodium content, it's advisable to consume them in moderation or rinse them before eating, especially if you have high blood pressure.
Rich in antioxidants - Olives are rich in antioxidants like polyphenols, vitamin E, and terpenoids, which help fight chronic diseases and inflammation. These compounds protect cells from damage and may reduce the risk of heart disease, certain cancers, and cognitive decline. Key antioxidants include oleuropein, hydroxytyrosol, and oleocanthal.
Anti-inflammatory properties - Olives have anti-inflammatory properties due to compounds like oleocanthal, oleanolic acid, and polyphenols. These compounds can help inhibit inflammatory enzymes and may reduce the risk of chronic inflammatory diseases. The anti-inflammatory effects of oleocanthal are similar to those of ibuprofen.
Provide essential nutrients - Olives provide essential nutrients like healthy fats, fiber, vitamin E, iron, copper, and calcium. They are also rich in beneficial antioxidants, such as oleuropein, and other phytonutrients that offer anti-inflammatory and heart-healthy properties.
Aid in weight management - Olives can aid weight management due to their high fiber and monounsaturated fat content, which promotes fullness and satiety. They also contain antioxidants like elenolic acid and oleuropein, which studies suggest may help regulate appetite and metabolism, though more research is needed to confirm these effects in humans. A moderate intake is key, as olives can be high in calories and sodium, depending on the type and preparation.
Promote healthy skin - Olives promote healthy skin by providing hydration, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory benefits from compounds like vitamin E, oleic acid, and polyphenols. These components help protect against environmental damage, reduce signs of aging, improve skin tone, and may even aid in wound healing.
Cancer prevention - Olives and their oil may help prevent cancer due to compounds like polyphenols, which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that protect cells from DNA damage. Key components like oleuropein and squalene have shown anti-tumour and anti-proliferative effects in studies, potentially by inhibiting tumour growth, promoting cancer cell death, and interfering with tumour-promoting genes like Ras. However, more large-scale human clinical trials are needed to confirm these findings.