4 Benefits of olives for health, if consumed directly

Olives (Olea europaea) aka olive has been famous since time immemorial as a fruit with many benefits. In Indonesia, this fruit is generally used when it is processed into olive oil, which can be used as cooking oil, oil to treat facial beauty, oil to nourish hair, and much more.

Actually, the benefits of olives are not only used as oil. This green or blackish purple fruit is also beneficial if consumed directly. The benefits of olives come from nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and organic compounds, including iron, fiber, copper, vitamin E, phenolic compounds, oleic acid, and various antioxidants. Apart from that, olives also have a low glycemic index.

Nutritional content of olives

Olives contain 115-145 calories per 100 grams, or about 59 calories for 10 olives (assuming the average olives weigh 4 grams). This content consists of 75-80% water, 11-15% fat, 4-6% carbohydrates and a small amount of protein.

Fat

Olive fruit is a fruit that has a high fat content, by 11 to 15 percent. However, the fat in this fruit is good fat. The most abundant fatty acid is oleic acid, which is a monounsaturated fatty acid, and makes up 74 percent of all olives.

Oleic acid is associated with several health benefits, such as reducing swelling and lowering the risk of heart disease. It can even fight cancer.

Carbohydrates and fiber

Olives are low in carbohydrates, only as much as four to six percent. Most of these carbohydrates are made up of fiber. There is as much as 52 to 86 percent of fiber resulting from the total carbohydrate content in olives.

Benefits of olives

Fight infection

Olives are very rich in antioxidants, such as oleuropein, hydroxytyrosol, tyrosol, oleonic acid, quercetin. Olives can reduce oxidative damage in the body and help fight infections caused by bacteria.

Improve heart health

Olives contain oleic acid which can improve heart health by regulating cholesterol levels and protecting LDL cholesterol from oxidation, and can help reduce blood pressure. High cholesterol and high blood pressure are risk factors for heart disease.

The hydroxytyrosol content in olives can also protect the heart. These antioxidants act as an anticoagulant to thin the blood, which reduces the chance of blood clots and blocks blood flow.

Improve bone health

Osteoporosis is characterized by a decrease in bone mass and bone quality. This can increase the risk of fractures. The rate of osteoporosis was lower in Mediterranean countries (which eat olives a lot) than in other European countries, leading researchers to speculate that olives may be protective for bones. Several compounds found in olives and olive oil have been shown to help prevent bone loss in experimental animals.

Prevent cancer

The high content of antioxidants and oleic acid in olives can help reduce the risk of cancer. This has been proven in a study that olives can disrupt the life cycle of cancer cells in the breast, colon and stomach. However, further research is still needed.