3 Key Things you must know about the Benefits of Eating Olives
Discover how this small fruit can unlock powerful health benefits, from enhancing your body’s defences to supporting overall well-being and digestive health.
The Olive Fruit
Olives are naturally bitter and not enjoyable to eat immediately after being harvested from the tree. To make them more palatable, olives undergo a curing process that removes their bitterness, transforming them into the tasty table olives that so many people enjoy. At our Victorian grove, Lisadurne Hill plants and processes Kalamata and Sevillano Olives for sale as table olives.
Table Olives – What You Should Know:
1. Supports Bone Health
Olives have been linked to improved bone health due to being a good source of calcium, magnesium, and vitamin K. These nutrients are essential for maintaining bone density and preventing conditions such as osteoporosis.
Table olives are also packed with polyphenols, natural compounds that have awesome antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. A study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry shows that these polyphenols help reduce oxidative stress and inflammation, two things that can weaken bones over time.
So, by including table olives in your food choices, you’re not just enjoying a tasty snack—you’re also helping keep your bones strong and healthy. Consuming table olives is an easy way to add a little extra nutrition to your day while keeping your bones in tip-top shape!
2. Reduce Inflammation & Boost Immune System
Olives are loaded with antioxidants, which are compounds that help protect the body against oxidative stress caused by free radicals. The primary antioxidants in olives are oleuropein, hydroxytyrosol, and tyrosol, which have been linked to anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and anti-aging properties.
A review conducted in 2018 showed that extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) and table olives have special compounds that help reduce inflammation. These compounds can influence important molecules in your body, like cytokines and antioxidants, which play a big role in controlling your immune response and keeping inflammation in check.
These effects are linked to the Mediterranean diet, which includes regular consumption of EVOO and table olives. The study suggests that the bioactive compounds in olives can have therapeutic benefits, helping to manage chronic low-grade inflammation and supporting immune health.
Reducing inflammation in the body is crucial for maintaining overall health, as chronic inflammation is linked to a variety of serious conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, and even certain cancers. Managing inflammation supports a healthier immune system, improving the body’s ability to fight off infections and recover from injuries.
3. Support Digestive Health
It may surprise you to know that eating olives can promote a healthy digestive system due to their high fibre content. Fibre plays a vital role in supporting gut health by promoting regular bowel movements and preventing constipation.
Thanks to their ability to carry probiotic bacteria that support the digestive system, olives also contain probiotics. These feed beneficial gut bacteria, contributing to a balanced microbiome.
Studies show that certain beneficial strains, like Lacticaseibacillus casei and Lactobacillus plantarum, can survive and thrive on the surface of table olives, helping to promote a healthy gut microbiota.
These probiotics not only inhibit harmful microorganisms but also aid in digestion by improving lactose digestibility and increasing the production of beneficial metabolites like short-chain fatty acids. Additionally, olive polyphenols, known for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, contribute to a healthier gut environment.
This makes table olives a tasty and functional food that can support overall gut health, with potential benefits for conditions like irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory gut disorders.
Get Some Healthy Goodness
Incorporating olives into your diet can offer a range of health benefits, from supporting bone health with essential minerals to boosting your immune system with antioxidants and promoting digestive well-being with Fibre and prebiotics.
These 3 benefits make olives not only a flavourful addition to meals but also a powerhouse of nutrition. Whether you enjoy them as a snack, in salads, or as part of your diet, olives are worth it for both the taste and the health benefits.
Buy some delicious Australian Table Olives today, and have them delivered directly to your door.
Sources:
- Hagiwara K, Goto T, Araki M, Miyazaki H, Hagiwara H. Olive polyphenol hydroxytyrosol prevents bone loss. Eur J Pharmacol. 2011 Jul 15;662(1-3):78-84.
doi: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2011.04.023. Epub 2011 Apr 27. PMID: 21539839. - Pérez-Jiménez, F., et al. (2007). The influence of olive oil on human health: not a question of fat alone.
- Roncero-Martín R, Aliaga Vera I, Moreno-Corral LJ, Moran JM, Lavado-Garcia JM, Pedrera-Zamorano JD, Pedrera-Canal M. Olive Oil Consumption and Bone Microarchitecture in Spanish Women. Nutrients. 2018 Jul 26;10(8):968. doi: 10.3390/nu10080968. PMID: 30049982; PMCID: PMC6115724.
- Avermicocca P, Valerio F, Lonigro SL, De Angelis M, Morelli L, Callegari ML, Rizzello CG, Visconti A. Study of adhesion and survival of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria on table olives with the aim of formulating a new probiotic food. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2005 Aug;71(8):4233-40. doi: 10.1128/AEM.71.8.4233-4240.2005. PMID: 16085808; PMCID: PMC1183302.
- Front. Nutr., 18 September 2024 Sec. Nutrition and Microbes Volume 11 – 2024 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2024.1467724 Health benefits of fermented olives, olive pomace and their polyphenols: a focus on the role of lactic acid bacteria
- Gambino CM, Accardi G, Aiello A, Candore G, Dara-Guccione G, Mirisola M, Procopio A, Taormina G, Caruso C. Effect of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Table Olives on the Immune Inflammatory Responses: Potential Clinical Applications. Endocr Metab Immune Disord Drug Targets. 2018;18(1):14-22. doi: 10.2174/1871530317666171114113822. PMID: 29141570.
- Rocha J, Borges N, Pinho O. Table olives and health: a review. J Nutr Sci. 2020 Dec 2;9:e57. doi: 10.1017/jns.2020.50. PMID: 33354328; PMCID: PMC7737178.
