Olives

Since I moved to France I found myself addicted to green olives. Back in Malaysia, I hated them after trying a few at a neighbor's house and would always request that my pizzas have no olives. So it came as a huge surprise to myself that I am now craving my daily olives fix!
I am not too sure how this addiction came about but I think Fred brought back a bottle of olives one day and added them to the salad. Now I have olives with salads, pizza, pasta and whatever else I can mix it with without being too weird. When I am watching TV or am craving a snack, its the olives that I turn to (no longer Lay's Salt and Vinegar chips, thank God!!!!)
I find myself buying the XL sized bottle of green olives nowadays, instead of the small one since I tend to run out of my favourite snack quite fast! But since all the olives that I buy are soaked in brine and therefore very salty (I always wash them to rinse out the brine), I decided to check and see if my indulgence is healthy or not, and the following is what I found out:

Nutritional Value of Olives
Given below is the amount of nutrients present in three olives, combined together:
* Fat - 2.5
* Cholesterol - 0mg
* Sodium - 110mg
* Carbohydrate - 1g
* Calories - 25
* Protein: 0g
* Iron
* Vitamin E
* Dietary Fiber
* Copper
* Fatty Acids
* Amino Acids

Nutritional Value of Olive Oil
Given below is the amount of nutrients present in 100 gm olive oil:
* Energy - 900 cal
* Saturated Fats - 15.6 gm
* Unsaturated Fats - 73.4 gm
* Poly-saturated Fats - 9.5 gm
* Vitamin E - 19.4 mg

Did you know...

* The mono-saturated fats present in olives/olive oil, when combined with the antioxidant protection offered by vitamin E, lower the risk of damage and inflammation.
* Olive/olive oil contains active phytonutrient compounds, including polyphenols and flavonoids, which have been found to have significant anti-inflammatory properties.
* The vitamin E present in olives/olive oil has been known to offer cellular protection against free radicals present in the body.
* Olives/olive oil prevents the oxidation of cholesterol in the body and thus, helps reduce the risk of having heart attack or stroke.
* Since they help the body in neutralizing free radicals, the nutrients in olives/olive oil also lead to prevention of colon cancer.
* Olives/olive oil are said to be effective in reducing the frequency and/or intensity of hot flashes in women, who are going through menopause.
* Regular consumption of olive oil has been associated with decrease in systolic (maximum) as well as diastolic (minimum) blood pressure.
* Those who consume olives/olive oil are at a lesser risk of developing diabetes at later stages in life.
* Good quality olive/olive oil contains a natural chemical that acts like a painkiller.

Olive/olive oil has been known to be beneficial for people suffering from the following ailments:
* Asthma
* Osteoarthritis
* Rheumatoid Arthritis
* Arteriosclerosis
* Stomach Problems
* Constipation
* Diabetes

When you’re shopping for olive oil, always purchase oil that has been cold-pressed.  Heat processing destroys the better properties of oil. Extra-virgin olive oil is probably the healthiest. It is the “first pressed” and has a lovely flavor. Extra-virgin is the lowest in acidity and is the purest. Virgin oil also has a nice taste, but the acidity is higher than in extra-virgin oil. “Normal” olive oil is not as pure and has been refined, a process which can remove the benefits of the extra-virgin oils. Olive oil is stable and does not turn rancid as easily, but it is best not to buy it in huge quantities. I use olive oil for most of my cooking unless I am deep frying foods. We consume a lot of salad at every meal, and besides the olives that I add into the sald, I also use olive oil together with balsamic vinegar or apple cider vinegar and mustard as the sauce.