Are Olives Good for You? Benefits and Uses of Olives

Those tiny fruits work like a stick of dynamite in your body. Yes, you guessed it right, we are talking about olives here! Are olives good for you? Is that what you are thinking about now? Worry no more! Scroll down to know the benefits of olives for females and males and much more! We have also told you what the ideal intake should be!

What are Olives?

Are you not eagerly wanting to know if olives good for you or not? Well, yes, we will tell you but let us first check out everything about olives.

Olea europaea is the scientific name of olives. You will find them to be small fruits that belong to the stone or drupes family. It is easily relatable to peaches, pistachios, almonds, cherries, and mangoes.

Olives are loaded with nutrients and are a rich source of essential antioxidants and vitamin E. Several studies show that olives are good for you and can save you from having cancer and osteoporosis.

You can include olives into your diet either through the whole fruit and through its oil. Olives fit in well into the Mediterranean diet and make your tapenades, salads, and sandwiches delicious. On average, an olive weighs around 3 to 5 grams.

The color of an immature is green and keeps blackening as they get ripe. You must know that 90% of the olives grown in the Mediterranean region are converted into oil. Now that you know so much about olives let us know how good they are for your health!

Are olives good for you?

The health benefits of whole olives and their oil are vast and uncountable. For years people have been using olives to provide themselves the nutrients olives contain. Now, there is a growing study that is proving the potential benefits of olives.

Manufacturers crush the olives to make olive oil. Once the olives are crushed, they are processed further, and then the oil is taken out from the pulp.  The Mediterranean diet strongly demands olive oil in almost all of their recipes.

Olives provide your body with loads of dietary fiber that keeps your gut in good health. More so, they have a low cholesterol level and is a high copper and iron source.

Several research types show that you tend to live much longer when you follow a Mediterranean diet. A study was done on 26,000 women who were following a Mediterranean diet. The study concluded that the participants had 28% lower chances of developing cardiovascular problems than women who did follow the Mediterranean diet.

What is the Mediterranean Diet?

You need to consume loads of vegetables, nuts, legumes, fruits, and whole grains in a Mediterranean diet. In this diet, you can consume meat and fish in moderate amounts. But if you like consuming processed or red meats, you will have to limit yourself to consume only 2 or 3 portions in a month.

The diet focuses on eliminating saturated and trans fats with healthy fats like monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Some healthy fats sources are olive oil and olives, and unhealthy fat sources are margarine and butter.

Olives also contain oleate. Wondering what is oleate? It is a monounsaturated fatty acid that keeps you healthy and reduces the chances of premature death. A study was done in 2016 to see what happens when you consume high amounts of monosaturated fats. The study concluded that it reduces the chances of illnesses and premature deaths compared to consuming high amounts of carbohydrates.

According to the American Heart Foundation, consuming moderate amounts of monounsaturated fats keeps your heart healthy.

Apart from so many other nutrients, olives are a rich source of polyphenols- a type of antioxidant. It contains other antioxidants too that protects you from heart problems and many more illnesses.

Benefits of Olives for Females and Males

Are olives good for you? Is that the question you are searching for? Well, now that you almost everything about olives, let us see what the benefits of olives for females and males are:

Rich in Antioxidants

Free radicals can deteriorate your health tremendously. It can lead to premature aging, heart attacks, cancer, strokes, and many more illnesses. Wondering are free radicals? Well, they are molecules mixed with unpaired electrons. So, these keep finding another electron to pair themselves but end up damaging the molecules surrounding them. Since they are extremely reactive, you require a potent enemy to stop their destruction. And to do that, antioxidants can help! When you consume antioxidants, you provide yourself with molecules that can safely interact with the free radicals. The free radicals thus neutralize themselves and become harmless.

Olives are a rich source of antioxidants, and consuming them can provide your body with molecules to neutralize free radicals. So, if you are wondering are olives good for you or not, then it is a definite yes!

Low in Calories

Are you dieting? Well then, your answer to your question is olives good for you is a yes! By consuming one olive, you are consuming only 7 calories. More so, another interesting fact about olives is that they have a negative calorie load. That means your body is losing out on more calories while digesting the calories. Thus, you are losing more calories than gaining when you have olives.

Contains Healthy Fats

Olives do not contain fats that make you put on weight. They possess healthy fats such as monounsaturated fats that are present in avocados, nuts, and olives. When you consume good amounts of mono-unsaturated fats, you increase the levels of good cholesterol in your body.

Researches show that when you consume high amounts of mono-unsaturated fats in controlled portions, it benefits your health. You can reduce LDL cholesterol, LDL: HDL ratio, and blood cholesterol. All of which can help to keep your heart in good health.

Improves Memory

Who doesn’t like the fast processing of the mind? Well, you can achieve that by consuming olives. It is rich in polyphenols that is a natural chemical. The natural chemicals work as a tonic to reduce your anxiety and oxidative stress. If you consume a handful of olives regularly, you are sure to improve your brainpower and memory in no time.

Improves Skin Health

The benefits of olives for the skin are immense. They possess rich amounts of oleic acid that keeps your skin glowing and healthy. More so, the antioxidants present in olive can reduce oxidative stress that can lead to premature aging. So, your answer to ‘are olives good for you’ is indeed a yes!

Rich in Vitamin E

Vitamin E can provide you with loads of benefits. It helps in neutralizing the free radicals that are present in body fat. You will find olive works wonderfully for the presence of monounsaturated fats. Further, vitamin E allows this neutralization process much safe and fast.

You must keep in mind that when the cell’s DNA is destroyed, it can mutate quickly and turns cancerous. Several studies show that diets rich in olives or olive oil reduce the chances of colon cancer. Olives are more potent when compared to fish oil in reducing cancer risks.

Controls Appetite

Have a handful of olives before you have your meal, and be sure to reduce your appetite massively. You will notice this change in your appetite because of monounsaturated fatty acids present in olives. More so, it stimulates cholecystokinin- a hormone that increases your feeling of fullness. Even more, it slows down the digestion process that keeps you full for longer and stops frequent food cravings. So, if you are on a weight loss process, olives can be a great choice.

Relieves Pain

Olives and olive oil possess anti-inflammatory properties. So, the presence of an anti-inflammatory substance – oleocanthal, works like any painkiller in your body. So, when you suffer from anybody ache or inflammation, consume olives or apply olive oil.

Contains Anti-Cancer Properties

Olives contain anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative properties. So, these two properties present in olives works natural anti-cancer. All these properties present in olives can reduce chronic inflammation and oxidative stress that are the main reasons that cause cancer.

When your body is filled with extreme inflammation and oxidative stress, your chances of developing cancer increase, so it becomes essential to supply your body with nutrients like anti-inflammatory properties and anti-oxidants. So, it becomes essential you supply yourself with both these nutrients through foods.

Benefits of Olives for Skin

Are you wondering that the goodness of olives has to an end? Well, no! There are more.

Are olives good for you has more to it! Here is a list of benefits of olives for skin:

Reduces Age Spots and Wrinkles

Olive oil contains polyphenolic compounds that help in reducing wrinkles and aging. That happens because the compounds can help in reducing oxidative stress. You can consume olive oil and olives to provide yourself with all the nutrients present in them. However, you can also try massaging your body with olive oil to keep your skin healthy. It not only improves the elasticity of your skin but also removes dark spots and wrinkles.

Gives protection against sun damage

Olive oil has a nice and thick consistency. More so, it is rich in antioxidants that keep your skin away from sun damage. If you happen to stay outdoors, maybe due to work or activities, use olive oil. Try massaging your hands, legs, arms, neck, and of course, face with olive oil. It gives your skin a layer of protection and keeps your skin problems at bay. But remember not to allow the oil to absorb into your skin completely. Apply it before you go out or wash it 20 minutes after application.

Keeps skin moist

Olive oil not only contains antioxidants but also rich in vitamins A and E. It works as a moisturizer and keeps your skin moist and smooth. So, you can say bye to dehydrated and dried skin. More so, it also helps in balancing your skin’s oil, making it look supple and healthy.

Works as a natural aftershave

Men can save a lot of their money from their aftershave expenses. Olive oil works wonderfully to keep your shaved skin moist. All you need to do is take a few drops of olive oil after you shave. Then massage the oil into your moist skin lightly. Make sure you do not rub the olive oil into your skin completely.

Keeps away from itchy skin

Olive oil has a soothing and relaxing nature. It will help in reducing any itchiness and discomfort in your skin. You can use olive oil to treat redness and rashes that includes nappy rash too. More so, the anti-bacterial properties present in olive oil can reduce skin allergies and any other skin problems.

Benefits of Olive oil for Hair

Now that you know how beneficial olive oil is for your skin let us check out how it benefits your hair. Here are the following:

Helps to Reduce Scalp Infections

If you suffer from any scalp infections, then olive oil can be a great choice. All you need to do is apply olive oil twice a week and be sure to get rid of scalp infections in no time.

Helps in Conditioning the Scalp

Olive oil can remove frizz and keep your hair wavy and bouncy. So, if you want to remove the rough locks, start using olive oil. It will make your hair manageable and also improve the texture of your hair.

Works as a Natural Hair Conditioner

You already know that oils can make your hair soft, but the work that olive oil does is incomparable. Olive oil contains palmitic, oleic, and squalene acid that works wonderfully as a natural hair conditioner.

How many olives should I eat a day?

Are you still in search to know are olives good for you or not? Well, all the benefits mentioned above have indeed made you think eating plenty of them will keep you healthy.

But here’s the trick! How many olives should you consume in a day? Here we will tell how much is perfect and too much or too little!

You should keep in mind that olives have a high salt content and overall fat content. To help weight loss and consume low calories, you need to consume olive in moderate amounts.

If the olives’ sizes are small or medium, you can consume about 16 to 24 olives a day. The portion is perfect for keeping you in good health.

Final Thoughts

You know well enough how the little fruits work in your body! So, start introducing olives into your diet, and be sure to keep most of your health problems at bay. But always remember to consume them in the correct amount to provide yourself the perfect nutrition!