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The olive is a fruit that can be green, purple, black, dark brown and even pink in colour. Olives cannot be eaten directly from the tree since they are very bitter, so they need to be processed before they are edible. Olive oil is healthier than regular vegetable oils, and the world consumes approximately 2.5 million tonnes of olive oil each year. Olives are typically in season from May, June and July.
Health Benefits
Olives have a high Vitamin E content and contain powerful antioxidants. Olives are good for the heart and protect against cancer and osteoporosis. 100g of olives contains:
- Vitamin A – 8% of DV
- Vitamin E – 19% of DV
- Vitamin K – 2% of DV
- Vitamin B6 – 2% of DV
- Calcium – 5% of DV
- Iron – 3% of DV
Selecting tips
- When buying in bulk, make sure that the containers are clean and smell like olives
- Avoid olives that appear dried up or have mould
- The liquid in olive jars should be clear and not cloudy