The Amazing Benefits Of Eating Olives. What Effects Can It Have On Your Body
Olives are eaten all over the world, but few really know the effects they have on the body. That’s why it’s good to eat olives!
Olives are a staple of Mediterranean diets. Greeks, Italians and Spaniards are among the largest consumers of olives. Apparently, the frequent consumption of olives influences the state of health, and those in whose country they are produced know best their effects. Not for nothing, the Greeks, Italians and Spaniards are among the healthiest people. Their good health is also due to the consumption of olives.
Olives protect your health and are indicated to fight many ailments
Olives are among the most popular foods, so there is almost no meal to miss from the plate. According to archaeologists, the olive tree was cultivated 6,000 years ago. It was the Greeks who introduced olives to the kitchen and made them famous. The olive tree is said to have been given to the Greeks by the goddess Athena, and the gift was invaluable. Olives have a lot of beneficial properties for the body! That’s why it’s good to eat olives, whether you like them or not.
These oval-shaped fruits produced by the Olea Europaea tree belong to the Oleaceae botanical family and the genus Olea, providing an important supply of antioxidants, minerals, phytosterols and vitamins.
The important nutrients that olives contain contribute to maintaining good health through the properties essential to the proper functioning of the body.
The nutritional information per 100 grams of olives is:
- Calories 115 kcal;
- Carbohydrates 6.26 grams;
- Protein 0.84 grams;
- Total fat 10.68 grams;
- Dietary fiber 3.2 grams;
- Niacin 0.037 mcg;
- Pantothenic acid 0.015 mcg;
- Pyridoxine 0.009 mcg;
- Thiamine 0.003 mcg;
- Vitamin A 403 IU;
- Vitamin C 0.9 grams;
- Vitamin E 1.65 mg;
- Sodium 735 mg;
- Potassium 8 mg;
- Calcium 88 mg;
- Copper 0.251 mg;
- Iron 3.30 mg;
- Magnesium 4 mg;
- Manganese 0.020 mg;
- Phosphorus 3 mg;
- Zinc 0.22 mg;
- Carotene 237 mcg;
- Crypto-xanthine 9 mcg;
- Lutein, zeaxanthin 510 mcg;
- Phytosterols 221 mg;
- Saturated fats 1,415 grams;
-Monounsaturated fats 7,888 grams;
-Polyunsaturated fats 0.911 grams;
Benefits
Although they are a high-fat food (80% — 85% of their calories come from them), olives provide quality fats such as oleic acid (monounsaturated fatty acid), linoleic acid and alpha-linoleic acid (an essential omega-3 fat). ), all associated with a lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease and an optimal level of good HLD cholesterol in the body.
Recent studies show that monounsaturated fats from olives help lower blood pressure, especially due to the beneficial oleic acid at the cellular level. Other significant benefits from the nutritional properties of olives are:
- Prevention of chronic diseases. Olives contain important phenolic compounds, such as oleuropein and oleocanthal, responsible for the bitter, specific taste of these fruits. The two substances are among the most powerful antioxidants in nature, which along with vitamin E and carotenoids in olives, play a vital role in preventing cancer, inflammation, coronary heart disease, degenerative nerve disease and diabetes.
- Maintaining the integrity of cell membranes. The rich content of vitamin E in olives, a soluble antioxidant essential for many physiological functions, ensures the maintenance of the integrity of cell membranes and mucous membranes (including the skin), through increased protection against the action of free radicals.
- Ensuring the optimal daily intake of micronutrients. Olives provide significant amounts of calcium, copper, iron, manganese and zinc. Moreover, they are valuable food sources of the B vitamin complex (niacin, choline and pantothenic acid in particular).
- Treatment of constipation. Olives also have a stimulating effect on the digestive system, being recommended for consumption in case of constipation. Excessive olives can, however, be dangerous for people with obesity or high blood pressure.
- Regulation of cholesterol in the body. Monounsaturated fats from olives help regulate the total level of cholesterol in the body, by reducing the bad (LDL) and supplementing the good (HDL).
- Prevention of fattening. Olives have a low glycemic index (15), as in the case of cruciferous vegetables, onions or mushrooms. This nutritional characteristic is important for the prevention of fattening, as maintaining the blood sugar level at a low level also ensures the regulation of the food appetite.
- Fighting inflammation in the body. Monounsaturated fats and vitamin E from olives are a real cocktail to eliminate and prevent inflammation in the body, which means that this food can help fight the symptoms of inflammatory diseases such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis or asthma. The anti-inflammatory properties of olives also help to slow down the oxidative processes at the cellular level, slowing down the aging of the body and stimulating the elimination of water from the body.
- Facilitate weight loss. Replacing saturated fats in the diet with monounsaturated fats (from olives) facilitates weight loss, according to specialists. Researchers have found that olive oil breaks down fat in fat cells, reducing fat in the abdomen and insulin resistance. Medical statistics show that people who eat olives regularly consume fewer calories each day and are rarely overweight. Blood tests have shown that olives stimulate the production of serotonin, a hormone that induces satiety. Researchers say that olives can help reduce daily calorie intake by up to 200 kcal.
- Maintaining healthy hair and skin. Black olives are rich in fatty acids and antioxidants that nourish, moisturize and protect the skin and hair (vitamin E contributes the most to this beneficial effect). For this reason, olive oil is included in many beauty treatments and is considered an excellent nourishing and moisturizing agent.
- Allergy control. New research speaks of the direct positive impact of the anti-inflammatory properties of olives on allergies. Olive extracts act similarly to cellular antihistamines, according to laboratory experiments. They block histamine receptors and temper allergic responses in contact with allergens. Scientists have concluded that olives should be an important part of the anti-allergy diet, as they improve blood circulation, help ease breathing and effectively relieve all allergic symptoms, even after their onset.Although they are a high-fat food (80% — 85% of their calories come from them), olives provide quality fats such as oleic acid (monounsaturated fatty acid), linoleic acid and alpha-linoleic acid (an essential omega-3 fat). ), all associated with a lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease and an optimal level of good HLD cholesterol in the body.
