Canned olives - the benefits and harms. The benefits and harms of olives for the body

There is such an amazing long-lived tree that can last up to 2000 years. This is revered since ancient times and personifying a symbol of maturity, wisdom and nobility, a beautiful powerful olive plant. It belongs to the olive family.

The ancient Greeks wove the same wreaths from olive branches that were hoisted on the shoulders of the winners of the first Olympic Games.

Today, the cultivated tree species is grown in many countries: North and South America, Northwest Africa, Australia, Eastern and Mediterranean.

This article will provide a description of this amazing centenarian, talk about its varieties and how olives are useful.

But first, let's define the difference between olives and olives.

Olives and olives

Oddly enough, but those and other fruits grow on the same tree. There is simply the term "olives", used only in Ukraine and Russia. In other countries they are called only olives.

For Russians, green fruits are olives, and black ones are olives. The former are mostly used in conservation, and the latter (real black olives) are used in the production of the well-known oil. That's the whole difference. You can find out what real black olives are just below.

Olives: photo, description

The color of these fruits depends only on their maturity. Green fruits are usually not quite ripe (they are harder) and contain less oil. Ripe fruits are dark purple in color and slightly shriveled.

Black in Russian stores canned olives, as a rule, were also collected green. With the help of certain chemical procedures, they are turned into fruits with a dark color.

The most real ripe olives (photo below) acquire a dark purple color in a natural way (in nature), without the addition of any dyes, and they cost much more than colored counterparts. It turns out that either green olives, or dark, but expensive, bring the greatest benefit.

Varieties and groups of olive fruits

Varieties differ according to their application. There are only 3 groups:

• Oilseeds used in the production of olive oil.
• Combined (or universal) used in canning and butter making.
• Canteens (in canned food), intended for consumption both in canned food and as a whole.

The most world famous olives are Greek. Collect them in Greece (Kalamata).

In shape, they are almond-shaped, brownish-black in color with a tight skin.

In general, in this country there are about 10 types of table olives associated with their place of origin. Many varieties here are also collected in an unripe green form. The Kalamata variety is harvested a little later, at the moment of the beginning of the color change, but there are also those that remain on the tree until they are fully ripe, before the skin begins to wrinkle on them.

The large round brown and shriveled black olives that grow on the islands of Chalkidiki and Thassos, respectively, are salted.

Green olives are often seasoned with lemon, wild fennel, garlic, hot pepper seeds, etc.

More noble olives (Kalamata variety) and other dark types are stored in and in vinegar.

Harvesting

Green olives are harvested by hand from the trees and placed in special baskets. The crumbling mature berries are collected in small nets located under each

After harvesting, all fruits are sorted by size and placed in large containers with a prepared solution necessary to eliminate the bitterness characteristic of olives.

In order to give black color to some olives, a certain chemical treatment is carried out. To do this, the berries are poured into containers and oxygen is supplied to them, which causes the oxidation of the fruit. This whole process takes approximately 7-10 days. Blackened olives acquire a soft texture and a specific aftertaste.

When processing green olives, they do not undergo this oxidation procedure. They are simply placed in a brine seasoned with various spices and seasonings. Subsequently, the product is stored in special plastic barrels (capacity 10 tons) located underground.

The composition of olives, nutritional value

A little lower we will find out how olives are useful, and now we will consider the composition of the fruits of this plant. Besides the fact that these fruits are quite tasty, they are also very nutritious. Due to the fibrous structure, olives are quite easily absorbed by the body.

The nutritional value of these fruits is undoubtedly great. Ripe olives have more oil than green olives. For example, 30 g of the former contains approximately 30 calories, 2 g of carbohydrates, 3 g of fat, 1 g dietary fiber, and 0.3 g of proteins.

The benefits of olives

What are the benefits of olives? According to the beliefs of the peoples of the Mediterranean, the olive never dies, and people who use its fruits become resilient and hardy. Berries help prevent the development of cardiovascular diseases, stomach and liver ulcers. And olive pits are edible, as they are completely and well absorbed in the digestive tract.

Pectins, which are part of the berries, help to remove toxins from the body, as well as salts of various heavy metals. These fruits improve the microflora of the entire intestine. Such berries are vital, especially for people living in places with poor ecology.

The use of several olives a day helps to calm the nervous system, vigor, improve mood and condition of hair and skin.

What else are olives good for? Recent studies have proven that olives can prevent the development of cancer.

Statistics show that Mediterranean women are less likely to get breast cancer, and all this is due to oleic acid, which is the main component of olives and olive oil.

The oil from these fruits is absorbed better than others, and therefore it is very popular in many diets.

Olive fruits, as noted above, perfectly neutralize toxins, and therefore they are often added to various alcoholic cocktails.

In conclusion, a little about the harm

Olives can also cause some harm to health with some health problems. For example, with cholecystitis (strong choleretic effect on the body).

Also, olives have a slight laxative property, due to the high content of oil in them, which is contraindicated in case of diarrhea.

These products are the fruits of the olive (or oilseed) tree. These green and black berries have been eaten since ancient times. They are one of the main components of a healthy diet and a source of natural olive oil. It is not only useful but also delicious product, which is highly valued by gourmets from all over the world.

Olives vs Olives: What's the difference?

As a rule, in everyday speech we call green berries olives, and black olives black. In fact, both those and other fruits grow on the same tree, only some were harvested earlier, and others later. In foreign languages, there is not even the word “olives”, the berries are called “black olives” and “ green olives". In other words, they are one and the same. In fact, fruits are formed on the branches of the tree, which darken in the process of ripening, turn red-brown, and then black. Usually, each olive is harvested twice.

Early harvested berries do not mean unripe. Both light and dark fruits have their fans. Connoisseurs note the difference in both taste and texture: early olives are more dense, fleshy, late ones are soft, easily separated from the stone.

Note! The olives that are sold in stores are in most cases green olives dyed black.

Benefits of oilseed fruit

What are the benefits of olives? The properties of these fruits that are important for the human body can be listed for a very long time. Black and green olives contain large quantities. They are needed in the body for:

• normalization of metabolism;
• improve blood circulation;
• cleaning the bloodstream and preventing atherosclerosis;
• prevention of vasospasm, including the prevention of migraines;
• generation of new cells (fatty acids are part of their shell);
• lowering cholesterol levels;
• hormonal regulation of the actions of erythrocytes, platelets and leukocytes.

They also dull the feeling of hunger, so those who want to lose weight often use fruits for this purpose.

The beneficial properties of olives are based on the vitamins and macronutrients that they contain. Calcium strengthens bones and is involved in the formation of the articular bag, preventing arthrosis. Manganese is needed for the efficient functioning of muscles, including the heart.

Potassium is involved in water-fat metabolism, in the renewal of body cells. Phosphorus is an element that makes up bones and teeth, and it is also necessary for the breakdown of consumed proteins, fats and carbohydrates and converting them into energy.

Olives are a source of vitamins C and E. The former strengthens the immune system and helps the body defend itself against infectious diseases. E - "beauty vitamin", it has antioxidant properties, is involved in cell regeneration, especially skin. Regular use of products containing this element leads to smoothing of fine wrinkles and rapid healing of wounds.

The fruits of the olive tree contribute to good digestion, stimulate the production of gastric juice and intestinal motility. The benefits of olives is also to cleanse the body of toxins. Fruits prevent the formation of stones in the kidneys, in the urinary and gallbladder.

Olives are the source of the oil of the same name. It saves everything beneficial features berries, if it is obtained by cold pressing. The oil can also be used externally - as masks and compresses. The mask with its use has a positive effect on the condition of the skin. Compresses are indicated for osteochondrosis.

Olives are even used to treat infertility. It is believed that these berries have a positive effect on potency and increase the likelihood of conception.

How to choose olives

It is very important to know how to choose olives. The benefits and harms of purchased fruits depend on whether you have real olives or colored berries. You can distinguish natural fruits from artificially processed by the following features.

• Natural olives are always expensive (but not all expensive olives are natural).
• Colored olives contain the additive E579 - a black fixative. Manufacturers are required to indicate this substance on the label.
• Real fruits are unevenly colored: somewhere dark, somewhere brownish, with spots on the skin. Processed berries have a deep even black color.

You should not buy olives and black olives with various fillers (shrimp, lemon, etc.). In the manufacture of such snacks, flavorings and preservatives are most often used.

Dishes with olives and olives

Fresh fruits of the olive tree are very bitter, it is impossible to eat them. The ancient Greeks came up with the idea of ​​soaking olives in sea water, this process sometimes lasted a whole year. As a result, bitterness left the fruits. Today, all olives sold in shops and markets are salted or pickled.

To meet the needs of the body in all useful substances ah contained in olives, it is enough for an adult to consume 7-10 berries per day. You can eat them separately as a snack, you can add them to soups (traditionally - to hodgepodge), in various salads. Salt in dishes containing olives can no longer be put.

Olives are a storehouse of vitamins, macro- and microelements, antioxidants. No wonder they are an important product of the Mediterranean cuisine, recognized throughout the world as the healthiest. Eat these fruits regularly, and you will strengthen your health and gain great health and blooming appearance.

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

Olives and black olives came to us along with the peoples of the Mediterranean and began to be grown on the Crimean shores, where the climate is less severe and warm, and, therefore, more suitable for this plant.

There are two types of olives: black and green, both of which are equally useful and valuable for the body. The only difference is in the way they are processed. Black olives, which we often call black olives, are processed 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 as they are processed in a different way. Processing of olives is necessary to eliminate the bitterness of unripe fruits, but they fully retain all their properties. Canning olives in sea water is less common. 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 in vain that in ancient Greece olive oil was compared with gold and was valued no less than gold bars. In addition, the benefits of olives have long been discovered by the Caucasian peoples, who included them in their diet and thanks to this they are famous for their incredible longevity. Russian chefs who appreciated not only the properties, but also taste qualities these fruits, add them to the composition various dishes. Olives are found in both first and second courses, appetizers, sauces and salads. Their piquant and unusual taste will make it exquisite and add zest to any dish you cook. But do not forget that even the most healthy foods can become dangerous if used in excess. This also applies to olives. The benefits of olives depend entirely on the amount eaten. That is why it is recommended to consume no more than 7-10 pieces of both fresh and canned olives daily.

The 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 get rid of ulcers and gastritis, improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, speed up metabolism, reduce the risk of kidney stones, increase the production of bile by the body, as well as the functioning of the gallbladder. Under the influence of the oil contained in olives, the production of gastric juice decreases, fats and salts are absorbed faster and do not accumulate in the body. Olives also have a positive effect on the kidneys. The substances included in their composition help to get rid of toxins and toxins, removing them from the body in a natural, painless way. The fruits of the olive tree are a natural remedy that lowers blood pressure, so they will be a salvation for people suffering from high blood pressure and those with 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 who have tumors in the intestines from their further development and prevent the formation of breast cancer in women.

Useful composition of olives

Despite the fact that the olive at first glance is a fairly ordinary and unremarkable product, it is rich in various vitamins and minerals that have a healing effect on the body. The composition of these fruits includes 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, as regular consumption of olives will restore it and return it to normal in a short time. 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 tissues will improve, and they will always be in good shape. Thanks to linoleic acid, coordination of movements will improve, which is very important for both the elderly and young children, who will also be very useful for olives. The vitamins that make up the olives will help solve the problem of conception, filling the body with the missing trace elements and normalizing the work of almost all internal organs. For pregnant women, the use of olives will help restore the loss of sodium salts, which are intensively occurring at this time in the body. For men, olives can act as aphrodisiacs and have a positive effect on potency.

Olives for beauty

Do not forget about the effect olives and olive oil have on the 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 regenerating cosmetics. It slows down the aging of the skin, intensively smoothes fine wrinkles, makes the skin soft, supple and elastic, giving it a fresh and blooming look. In addition, olive oil protects the skin from harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun, so do not neglect the use of olive-based cosmetics in the summer. if you are not sure about the quality of ready-made cosmetics, you can make them yourself at home, using only high-quality products. One of these remedies can be a fairly simple mask based on olive oil. Mix in equal proportions freshly squeezed lemon juice and olive oil and apply the mask on your face several times a week for 20 minutes. In a couple of weeks you will see a great result that will please you.

As for hair, the vitamins contained in olives make them several times thicker, stronger and healthier. In addition, hair growth is accelerated, they become shiny and obedient. To achieve this effect, special cosmetics or homemade hair poppies will help. The most elementary mask will be slightly warmed olive oil, which must be applied to the hair from the very roots to the tips 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, runny flower honey, egg yolk, and cognac. Take each of the ingredients in equal proportions, mix thoroughly until a homogeneous mass is obtained and apply the mask on wet hair, distributing along their entire length. After 40 minutes, wash off the mask with warm water. Regularly making such masks, you can forget about brittleness and hair loss and enjoy luxurious hair.

Olives will also help to cope with the problem of brittle nails. By doing special nail baths only 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 hold your nails for 10 minutes, then wipe with iodized alcohol. But to get more 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 the huge number of advantages, olives still have their disadvantages. One of them, the most significant and significant is their high calorie content Therefore, people who want to lose weight are advised to limit the use 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 use them. Remember that olive oil loses most of its properties when heated intensively, so you should not use it when cooking hot dishes in a pan. Better refuel olive oil salads. Olives do not mix well and are much less digestible when combined with dairy products. if you plan to consume any dairy or dairy products, then eliminate olives from your daily diet. Please note that olives are contraindicated in people suffering from cholecystitis, as they have a choleretic effect. In addition, canned olives can cause allergies in the form of skin rashes. When eating 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 useful olives are, always remember that any products are beneficial only when used in moderation and following all recommendations.

Now, not only in Greece, but also in many countries of the world, people are happy to use olives and black olives. The benefits and harms of these products were known several thousand years ago. The fruits of the olive tree are used by people today for a variety of purposes. They serve as raw materials in soap making and pharmacology, but most of us know olives as tasty and unusual. food product. To date, there are more than thirty types of fruits, and all of them have a valuable chemical composition that has a beneficial effect on human health.

Olives and olives - the difference and features

Before considering the benefits and harms of olives and olives, you need to understand how these two products differ from each other. Olives are green and olives are black. At the same time, both of them grow on the same trees. It's just that olives are harvested before the moment they ripen and turn into olives. Each olive tree is usually harvested twice.

It is worth considering that early harvested green olives are not inferior to black ones in terms of taste and richness. chemical composition. They contain all the same useful substances. As they ripen, only their texture changes, it becomes softer, and the bones move away from the pulp more easily.

Today in any grocery store you can see an impressive range of canned products. One important thing to remember before buying them is that black olives are usually just green olives dyed black with food coloring. If the marinade is dark, then most likely it is a fake. It does not pose any danger, but lovers of real olives will immediately understand the substitution to taste.

The composition of olives and their benefits for the body

Olives are not only excellent snack and an indispensable ingredient in a number of dishes, it is also a medicine. The benefits of olives and their green counterparts are approximately the same due to the similarity of the composition of the products. Here are the main substances that endow products with healing properties:

1. Vitamins A, C and E.
2. Minerals such as potassium and calcium are a few rare trace elements.
3. Polyunsaturated fatty acids.
4. vegetable fibres.

Interesting fact: In most foreign languages ​​there is no such thing as "olives". In many countries, olives are simply divided into black and green, without using additional terms for this.

Only canned olives can positively affect the state of human health. The fresh product is so bitter that it is impossible to eat it. Over the long years of working with the fruits of the olive tree, people have learned to subject them to the most gentle treatment. It retains the maximum useful substances in the composition of the delicacy and endows it with the following properties:

• Improves the process of outflow of bile. Doctors often recommend that their patients use olives in their menu to cleanse the liver and gallbladder. Even in the case of healthy people, this procedure improves well-being.
• Stimulates the excretion of urine. This can serve as an effective prevention of the formation of stones in the kidneys and gallbladder. But we must remember that if the stones have already formed, the use of useful products will have to be abandoned.
• The body is being cleansed. Substances in the composition of olives stimulate metabolic processes and digestion. Excess fluid is removed from the tissues, the intestines are cleansed of everything unnecessary and harmful.

• The level of stomach acid decreases. This significantly alleviates the condition of patients with gastritis and peptic ulcer.
• Antioxidants in the composition of the food product impose the fight against free radicals. They remove them from the body, reducing the risk of malignant tumors.
• Increased visual acuity. Of course, it will be better if the use of canned olives is carried out for a preventive purpose, and not against the background of a sharp deterioration in performance.
• Reduces high blood pressure. This is due to the presence of fatty acids, which lower cholesterol and improve the condition of blood vessels.
• The work of the heart and blood vessels is normalized. Trace elements support the heart muscle in optimal condition and strengthen the vascular walls.
• The work of the nervous system is stabilized. In terms of efficiency in this regard food ingredient not inferior even to antidepressants. The inclusion of black or green olives in the diet helps to normalize sleep, eliminate signs of stress and emotional overload.
• Strengthens bones, ligaments and joints. The introduction of olives in the menu helps to restore the listed tissues, so they can be recommended for fractures, dislocations and joint diseases.
• The functionality of the vestibular apparatus increases. This property of the product is due to the presence of linoleic acid. Olives will not get rid of motion sickness, but coordination in older people will definitely improve.

In addition to all of the above, the benefits of olives are also obvious as a cosmetic product. Blanks can be used externally in pure form or in combination with other cosmetic components. Based on them, excellent face masks are obtained with a rejuvenating, cleansing and moisturizing effect.

Rules for the selection and use of olives

The benefits and harms of olives depend on the quality of the selected product. Most of the problems and side effects occur in people who consume not very fresh or colored products. In order not to get into an unpleasant situation, you need to consider the following points:

• A quality product cannot be cheap if it is not sold in the same country in which it was grown.

Tip: If you drink green olives with young white wine, you can achieve a special stimulating effect. This combination has been known since antiquity for its energizing properties and is also used today as a natural aphrodisiac.

• When buying canned olives, be sure to pay attention to the date of their manufacture and expiration date. Many do not do this, being sure that nothing can happen to conservation.
• You can not buy olives and olives in containers with drips or if the smell of marinade comes from the jar.
• In the composition of colored olives there is a special food supplement- E579. This substance is designed to fix the black color on the fruit.
• Painted products have an even black color. Natural products look imperfect. They may have light spots.

Preservation, which contains food additives, is generally not credible. Real olives are stored in a marinade that does not require the use of artificial chemicals.

Harm of olives and contraindications

To obtain the above therapeutic effects, it is enough to consume 7-10 fruits per day. It does not matter if they are eaten in their pure form, as part of salads or soups. By the way, you can not put salt in dishes with canned and salted preserves.

Olives and olives are practically safe for the human body, but there are still a few points that you should pay attention to:

1. Abuse of products can provoke a set of excess weight. Especially if you use it in combination with other high-calorie ingredients.
2. With stones in the kidneys and gallbladder, the use of olives can provoke the movement of formations.
3. Some people are allergic to olives. It is noteworthy that it may not appear immediately, but only after a while or a certain amount of fruits eaten.
4. The use of low-quality or expired product can cause severe food poisoning.
5. The fruits of the olive tree are not combined with a number of products. In particular, this is milk, kefir and other fermented milk products (cheeses are an exception to this rule).
6. Do not fry the blanks. As a result, such heat treatment they may contain substances that have a negative impact on human health. If possible, they should not even be baked.

Olive fruits are considered dietary product, they can be safely used in the presence of excess weight. To some extent, the products even stimulate the metabolism, which leads to a smooth disposal of extra pounds. The main thing is not to try to build your diet on olives alone. This is an auxiliary ingredient and you should not exceed its recommended dosages.

Olives are a cult fruit of all Mediterranean countries; for many peoples of Southern Europe and North Africa, the olive tree is a symbol of health and longevity. Greece is considered the birthplace of olives, where there is a legend that olives were given to people by the goddess of wisdom and justice, Athena.

From the fruits of the olive tree produce one of the most useful vegetable oils and different kinds preservation of the olives themselves. The benefits and harms of canned olives depend primarily on the method of processing the fruit and the use of chemical ingredients in the cooking process.

Varieties of canned olives and black olives

It should be clarified that, contrary to popular belief, olives and black olives are the fruits of the same tree, which are collected at different stages of ripening. The green olives are picked from the branches when unripe, while the black olives are allowed to ripen on the tree. The size, color and intensity of the color of the olives depend on the type of tree, the degree of maturity and the method of conservation. At the same time, the composition and properties of canned olives and black olives do not differ significantly and have very similar indicators.

Unfortunately, not all black olives are exactly the ripened fruit of the olive tree, many producers chemically process green fruits, after which a product is obtained that looks and tastes like ripe fruits. Only the benefits of such canned olives are highly questionable.

Fresh olives have a strong bitter taste, which was previously eliminated by long soaking in sea water. With this processing, vitamins, microelements and the benefits of canned olives and black olives are maximally preserved. When choosing olives and olives in the store, you should pay attention to the manufacturer. Products famous brands those that use a slower type of retting and natural processing methods tend to cost more.

When buying black olives, there are several important factors to consider:

• olives ripened on the tree are larger than unripe green olives;
• the appearance of black olives that have undergone natural processing differs from the fruit after a quick chemical soaking and coloring, natural olives do not have a smooth and glossy shiny skin, they are slightly dented and rather dull;
• the color of natural olives is not uniformly black, sometimes partially unripe brown blotches come across;
• if the food additive E 579 (ferrous gluconate) appears on the label of canned olives, this means that they are colored artificially.

Useful properties of canned olives

The main benefit of canned olives is their composition, which includes a lot of healthy minerals and nutrients. With natural preservation, all their natural richness is preserved in the fruits of the olive tree:

The calorie content of canned olives is 145 kcal, olives - 115 kcal. With proper use and the right choice, these products can significantly compensate for the lack of nutrients in the body, strengthen the immune system, bone and muscle tissue, improve digestion and enrich the diet.

Canned olives can harm people who suffer from kidney disease and a tendency to edema. This is due to the fact that they contain a fairly large amount of sodium salts. Nutritionists do not advise buying olives with various fillers, since the shelf life of such products and the safety of the vitamin and mineral composition are rather low.