Olive fruit is a stone fruit. It is like most stone fruit aren’t eaten directly from the tree due to the presence of oleoresin. Oleoresin is a bitter compound that is removed by bringing/salting, fermentation and acidification. Table olives are olives ready to be eaten as opposed to olives used for oil production.
Olive is one of the oldest fermented foods in the Mediterranean diet. They are enjoyed worldwide as an appetizer and in variety of dishes. Olive oil is a versatile fat that’s created through crushing, milling and putting olives to obtain their oil. This small but mighty fruits is used for boasting a lot of important nutrients. This nutritious oil is rich in protective compound that positively impact health in several ways including protecting against heart diseases and type 2 diabetes. It is an important component of the Mediterranean diet which is considered the healthiest eating pattern in the world. The olive oil is a healthy fat that is rich in vitamins E; a nutrient that functions as a powerful antioxidant in the body.
Most of the fats in olive oil is unsaturated which make it a smart and nutritious choice for heart health. Olive oil is mainly composed of monousaturated fat and this saturated fat is low. It is worthy of note that the monounsaturated fat in olive oil, especially oleic acid, is beneficial for heart health. Studies suggest that replacing sources of saturated fat like butter with monounsaturated fat like Olive oil could help reduce the risk of heart disease. Olive oil is also a good source of vitamin E, a nutrient that plays an important role in immune function and protect cells against oxidative damage that may otherwise lead to diseases.
Therefore, findings have proven that most people don’t consume enough vitamin E – rich foods. Some evidences suggest that around 96percent of women and 90percent of men in some part of the world have insufficient vitamin E intake, which could negatively impact overall health. Fortunately, including more Olive oil in your diet is an easy way to boosting your intake of this essential nutrients. Here’s a nutrition break down for a one table spoon serving olive oil:
* Calories 126. *Fat 14grams. *Saturated fat 2.17grams. Monounsaturated fat 9.58g. polyunsaturated fat 1.33grams. Vitamin E 2.93mg or 20% of the daily value
Risk of olive oil: Although olive oil is considered a healthy fat and safe to consume, people who are allergic to olives should avoid all olive-derived products, including the olive oil. Also, like all fat, olive oil is calories dense. Just one table spoon serving contains 126 calories and 14grams of fat like olive oil and avocados can be enjoyed regularly as part of a well-rounded nutritious diet.
However, people trying to lose weight may want to cut back on their daily portions of high-calories deficit to promote fat loss. There are many other ways to use olive oil in your kitchen. So don’t be afraid to experiment with this versatile fruit and fat. Try replacing different fat like butter and vegetable oil with olive oil in your favourite food or recipes, and you should try to keep high quality olive oil in your pantry or foodstuffs so that you will always have a healthy fat option to prepare your delicious meals.
Happy healthy Eating!
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