Although we think of Greece when we hear “olives”, these little fruits are part of almost any diet in the world now. However famous they may be, let’s see if you know these 10 facts about them:
- Olives are pretty bitter by taste, right? That’s because of the polyphenol, but, luckily, people today put them in brine and the problem is gone!
- Ever heard of California Ripe (“artificial maturing”)? That’s a method in which producers put olives in caustic soda, then wash them and inject with compressed air. That process oxidizes the ‘skin’ and the inner part of the olives, which makes them go dark.
- The popular fruits are digestives as they stimulate the appetite and digestion. The black olives contain fewer carbohydrates than the green ones, but are higher in fats and calories.
- What’s more, olives are one of the few foods that have all 4 basic tastes: sweetness, sourness, saltiness, bitterness.
- The green fruits are usually being harvested unripe, while the black ones – after maturing. In order to preserve them, people harvest both types by hand!
- Kalamon is the name of the most famous Greek dark olives. The fruits have smooth, violet color, while the trees are popular for their huge leaves.
- Olives are number one cultivated plants in the whole world! Of course, the Mediterranean countries hold the powerful 95% of their production.
- Did you know that the little fruits are rich in oleic acid? It has a super strong effect on our body as it benefits the cholesterol metabolism.
- It’s not a surprise that all Holy texts of Islam, Christianity and Judaism often mention the olive tree as a God’s gift!
- 2014 is a year all people who deal with olives will remember! They know it as the year with the worst harvest in history because of the climate changes and air pollution. Some English experts say that if we continue destroying the nature, the problem will become deeper and deeper!
