Olive is an oval fruit, which is small that grows on trees. These trees are traditionally found in the Mediterranean basin- especially Turkey, Greece, Morocco, Italy and Spain- but are also planted in areas like South America and California. Olives contain healthy monounsaturated fats, as well as antioxidants like vitamin E, which helps to fight disease- causing free radical damage in the body.
Studies indicate that for health and longevity, a Mediterranean-style diet has been proven to be the best eating pattern from all. Olives and olive oil are a hallmark of a healthy meal plan.
Olives are loaded with nutrients which supports our cardiometabolic health, which includes factors that affect your heart, blood and blood vessels.
Olives and olive are among the best sources of monounsaturated fatty acids (or MUFAs), the heart-healthy dietary fats that help lower our ‘bad’ cholesterol and raise our ‘good’ HDL cholesterol.
Olive oil is an excellent anti-inflammatory ingredient, but olives are packed with Vitamin E. Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin that helps scavenge free radicals in the body (which break down your cells), thus, reduces oxidative stress, or an imbalance between antioxidants and free radicals in your body.
The healthy fats found in olives may support in weight management beyond simple helping to fill us up. Studies indicated that diets enriched with oleic acid, the most prevalent MUFA in olives, could possibly support body recomposition by increasing the fat-burning process and energy expenditure (calories burn).
The best way to promote steady blood sugar or blood glucose levels is by pairing carbohydrates with healthy fats and lean proteins, that’s because fats and proteins helps to reduce blood sugar spikes that can follow after we eat carbs.
However, you can improve blood sugar outcomes by unsaturated fats, like the MUFAs which is found in olives. A systematic review found that replacing carbohydrates with the same number of calories from unsaturated fats would lead to an improvement in hemoglobin A1c (a measure of blood sugar control over the past two to three months) and insulin sensitivity.
Olives are mostly high in fat and low in protein and carbohydrate. However, the majority of the dietary fats in olives are those unsaturated fatty acids, which helps to support a healthy cholesterol level.
For other reasons if you are watching your sodium intake or diagnosed with hypertension, then consult your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian about the right amounts of olives for you.
