It grows mainly in Africa, Australia, tropical regions of Europe, and South Asia. For the whole world, the division is into green and black olives, and only in Russia is the division into olives and black olives accepted. Green fruits are harvested earlier than black ones.
Benefit
Olives, beneficial features which have long been known in the Mediterranean region, are not yet so popular in Russia, and some do not even realize the richness of their composition and effect on the body. They are rich in manganese and calcium, which has a positive effect on the musculoskeletal system. Olives are even used to treat joint pain. The benefits of black olives have been confirmed in preventing the formation of gallstones. You can consume the fruits of the olive tree daily to prevent stroke, angina and heart attack. They are also very useful for the gastrointestinal tract due to the fact that they help improve digestion and remove waste products from the body. Olives contain linoleic acid. One of its properties is its healing effect, helping the speedy healing of wounds and cuts. Interestingly, black olives, which have so many beneficial properties, can also relieve headaches.
They contain a lot of proteins, fats, sugar, ester and pectin, alcohol, and contain sufficient amounts of vitamins C, B, F, E and P, iron, phosphorus, fiber and potassium. If you eat olives at least once a week, your heart function will improve and your blood vessels will dilate. Some elements of these Mediterranean fruits have a beneficial effect on cell restoration and renewal. In addition to these advantages, olives have other advantages. The beneficial properties are due to the antioxidants they contain. Regular consumption of olives helps prevent both the early signs of aging and the progression of cancer.
Healthy olives
The beneficial properties of olives are due to many factors, including the presence of vitamin E and phytosterols, which have a positive effect on the reproductive function of women, so these products are recommended for pregnant women and those planning to conceive. People suffering from colds or flu will benefit from olives due to the anthocyanins they contain - dyes, which strengthen the immune system and are generally a good cold remedy. Extra virgin olive oil, consumed as food, will reduce the number of wrinkles due to the oleic acid it contains.
Olives and healing the body
You need to know how to eat olives correctly. Their beneficial properties depend on what kind of processing the black olives have undergone. If it is impossible to find fresh fruits, it is better to give preference to salty ones, which do not contain preservatives or vinegar. In this form, their benefits are preserved better. Due to the high content of vitamin A, consumption of olives helps prevent vision diseases. Vitamin E, also present in black olives, has a beneficial effect on hair condition. Olives will only benefit your hair and skin if they are consumed internally. That is, with food.
Olives are good for your heart due to their high content of monounsaturated fats and antioxidants. Polyphenols have a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system. They are able to strengthen the walls of blood vessels and prevent the formation of blood clots. Due to this, in turn, the wear and tear of the heart is reduced and its functions are improved. Thanks to the antioxidant activity of the substances contained in olives, the effects of free radicals are neutralized. This prevents the appearance of cancerous tumors and premature aging.
Bones are also useful
The beneficial properties of olives and their harm are determined by their chemical composition. The same goes for bones. Olive kernels are commonly used for back pain caused by pinched nerves and muscle inflammation. You need to crush half a glass of seeds and add 200 ml of melted paraffin or wax. Cool the resulting mass slightly and fill a rubber heating pad with it. Then the heating pad is applied to the painful area of the body for 20-30 minutes until the wax cools. Warm up should be done daily, after the procedure you need to rest lying down, do not make sudden movements. Can olives with pits be eaten? We discussed the beneficial properties of the latter in the treatment of neurological diseases above. As for eating the whole fruit (along with the pit) - this is what some residents of Mediterranean countries do - expert opinions differ on the benefits (or harm) of this method.
Recipes that include olives
Remedy to alleviate the condition of a patient with atherosclerosis: crushed 200 g. put the olives in a thermos and pour it heated to 60°C vegetable oil. Leave for 48 hours. Drink 1 tablespoon 3 times a day before meals.
You can get rid of swelling with the help of a tincture based on the fruits and leaves of the olive tree. In order to prepare the medicine, you need to pour a tablespoon of finely chopped olives and a tablespoon of leaves with a glass of boiling water, leave for 5-10 minutes in a water bath, then filter the raw materials and add another glass warm water. You need to drink the infusion 1 tablespoon 3 times a day half an hour before meals.
To prepare an infusion that relieves high blood pressure, pour 1 tablespoon of leaves with a glass of boiling water, hold in a water bath for about 5 minutes, then strain and dilute warm water. Take 1 or 2 tablespoons half an hour before meals 3 times a day.
How to properly include olives in your diet
The benefits and harms of olives depend both on human health and on the amount of consumption of these products. It is advisable to eat olives every day, but not large quantities. For example, add them to salads. Olives go well with fresh cucumbers, feta cheese, boiled chicken breast. In addition to salads, black olives can be added to soups, stir-fries, pilaf and other hot dishes or used as a snack between meals.
For whom can olives be harmful?
It is advisable for a person to limit himself by buying canned olives. The beneficial properties of them and olives can be harmful to health if they are consumed excessively. For example, they will negatively affect the health of people suffering from cholecystitis. This is explained by the fact that they have a fairly strong choleretic effect. In addition, olives are saturated with vitamin A, which in significant quantities is toxic and has a negative effect on human body. You need to be especially careful when handling canned olives. When preserving, auxiliary substances are used, the excessive use of which may cause an allergic reaction. Iron gluconate, which is often used in the production of canned olives, can be especially dangerous. Up to the appearance of a stomach ulcer in a person who abuses canned foods.
Today, olive oil is cultivated everywhere, and there are certain reasons for this. In olives and natural oil contained great amount a variety of fats and vitamins. The olive branch has always been considered a symbol of peace and good intentions. The rulers of ancient states offered it to their neighbors as a sign of an offer of friendship and cooperation. In addition, an olive branch always adorned the heads of Olympic champions, which symbolized fair sports competitions between countries.
The evergreen olive tree can grow for thousands of years, but produces a harvest only 10-20 years after planting. Olive fruits can be of different sizes and colors - from dark green to yellow and even burgundy. The color depends on the variety of olives and the degree of ripening of the fruit. Large olives are valued much more - the fewer olives there are in a kilogram of product, the higher the price you can ask for the product. IN fresh They do not eat olives - they have a characteristic bitter taste. This bitterness is removed different ways– olives are marinated and treated with oxygen. The surprising thing is that after such treatments, the olive does not lose its beneficial properties; it can be stored for a very long time. It's all about the oil juice olive fruits– it is a natural preservative. To reveal the true benefits of olives, let's talk about how the fruits affect the body's functioning, consider contraindications to taking olives, and learn how to eat olives correctly to get the maximum benefit from them.
Beneficial properties of olives for the human body
Many people ask the question: what is the difference between olives and black olives? In fact, they are essentially the same thing. First the olives take on a minty flavor. green tint. They are collected by hand and subjected to special treatment - as a rule, they are dipped in a caustic soda solution to get rid of the characteristic bitterness. After this, the olives become black, they are called olives only in the post-Soviet space, in the rest of the world olive is both black and green fruit. But sometimes green olives are left to ripen on the tree - if they are subsequently going to be used to make oil. Black olives are softer and more oily.
The composition of olive fruits is very diverse. They contain a large amount of polyunsaturated fats; olives contain carbohydrates, proteins and alimentary fiber. The composition is rich in microelements - sodium, calcium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus. Olives contain vitamins - a lot of tocopherol (vitamin E), which is an essential antioxidant against skin aging. In addition, olives contain folic acid and a full complex of B vitamins. The calorie content of olives is quite high, so you should not abuse the product. The Greeks claim that just 7 olives a day will significantly improve a person’s health and give him longevity. Let's try to figure out how olive fruits affect the human body.The oil composition of olive gently lines the walls of the stomach, relieving inflammation and irritation. If you eat 3-4 olives before each meal, you can completely get rid of the signs of gastritis and ulcers.
A large amount of B vitamins makes the product indispensable for work nervous system. After just a couple of weeks of regular consumption of olives, you will notice that you are getting better sleep, anxiety and insomnia have passed, and you have become more stress-resistant.
The calcium in olives makes bones, nails and teeth stronger, which is an excellent prevention of osteoporosis.
Olives contain folic acid, which is so necessary for early stages pregnancy. Folic acid reduces the risk of developing neural tube defects in the fetus, so olives should be consumed before a planned pregnancy and in the early stages of its course.
The product is very useful for the functioning of the gallbladder and is capable of removing small stones.
Polyphenols in olives prevent the formation of blood clots and thin the blood.
A sufficient amount of potassium ensures excellent performance of cardio-vascular system. Regular consumption of olives reduces cholesterol levels in the blood and normalizes blood pressure.
According to scientific research, olive oil, when consumed regularly, reduces the risk of developing diabetes mellitus by 20%.
It has been found that olive fruits can fight certain types of cancer. The skin of olives contains special acids that protect a person from colon cancer. Polyphenols reduce the risk of developing breast cancer. And squalene in olives slows down the proliferation of any cancer cells.
Vitamins C and E have a beneficial effect on the functioning of the musculoskeletal system. Olives relieve inflammation and help get rid of joint pain due to arthritis, gout and osteochondrosis. In addition, increased consumption of olives helps to recover from injuries and sprains much faster.
Olives in general have a very positive effect on the body - they tone it up, relieve drowsiness and loss of strength, and give vigor throughout the day. But olives and olive oil are not always consumed only internally.
Everyone knows that olive oil is very beneficial for the body. But few people know that the product has pronounced bactericidal and antiseptic properties. The oil is often used in the fight against various wounds, cuts, and abrasions. It softens the skin and stimulates it to regenerate. Olive oil can be used in the fight against scars and scars. But you shouldn’t lubricate burns with oil - otherwise a thin, greasy film will form on the surface, which prevents oxygen from reaching the wound.
Very often, olive oil is used in cosmetology. A large amount of vitamin E makes the product literally indispensable for the beauty of hair and skin. Olive oil perfectly fights dry and parched hair and is effective in combating dry and cracked skin. The oil is used to restore hair after curling, dyeing and bleaching. The oil effectively moisturizes and supports aging skin, preventing processes premature aging. The bactericidal properties of the product make it possible to use olive oil in the fight against acne and blackheads.
Contraindications to eating olives
Any food product has its own beneficial properties, but only if consumed in moderation. At the same time, any product has its contraindications, and olives are no exception.
First of all, we must not forget that olives are quite high in calories. With low consumption - no more than 5 pieces per day, olives are really good for your figure - they speed up metabolic processes, saturate the body healthy fats. But if you eat olives in large quantities, slim figure you can say goodbye.
People with kidney disease and urolithiasis It is better to avoid olives - this can provoke the movement of stones.
Olives can often be the cause of individual intolerance to the product. If after eating olives you experience nausea, vomiting or indigestion, you should avoid them. Moreover, an allergy to olive oil can also result from its external use. If applied to the skin, rash, redness or swelling may occur.
Very doubtful benefit canned olives– they contain a lot of acid and salt. Dried olives are considered the healthiest - they are dried in the shade and in the sun, getting rid of the characteristic bitter taste and preserving their beneficial components. Marinated olives, as noted above, are not valuable ecological product, as producers treat olives with various chemicals. Remember that the blue tint of olives indicates numerous chemical influences on the product. Olives can be eaten cooked - they perfectly complement the taste various salads, olives can be eaten with a side dish and even just eaten with bread.
If you cannot get fresh and whole olive fruits due to your geographical location, it is better to eat olive oil. It will give you the delicate taste of olive, and most importantly, it will retain all the useful and valuable components in its composition. Eat olives and fill yourself with the power and wisdom of the ancient Greek gods!
Video: how to choose olives and olives
Olives are the fruit of the evergreen olive tree, which grows in subtropical climates. Olive Tree hardy, tolerates drought and bears fruit once every two years.
Composition of olives
Olive fruits contain 56% fats and oils, 23% water, 9% fiber and 6% proteins. Olives are leaders in vitamin content:
- A – 0.12 mg;
- B1 – 0.02 mg;
- B2 – 0.01 mg;
- B4 – 6.6 mg;
- E – 2.8 mg;
- RR – 0.24 mg.
The mineral composition of olive pulp is represented by macro- and microelements:
- sodium – 750 mg;
- calcium – 74 mg;
- potassium – 36 mg;
- magnesium – 8 mg;
- phosphorus – 4 mg;
- copper – 0.23 mg;
- iron – 3.3 mg;
- zinc – 0.22 mg;
- selenium – 0.01 mg.
But vitamins and minerals are not the most valuable thing. The following fats are important in olives for humans:
- omega 3 – 0.04 g;
- Omega 6 – 0.55 g;
- monounsaturated fatty acids – 5.1 g;
- polyunsaturated fatty acids – 0.59 g;
- saturated fatty acids – 0.9 g.
The fruits are not consumed fresh as they are bitter. The bitterness of fruits comes from a natural polyphenol, oleoropein. To get rid of the unpleasant bitter taste, olives are soaked in salt water or treated with alkali - caustic soda - and then washed. The second method is faster and simpler, which is why all manufacturers use it.
Depending on the variety, olives can have other colors: pink, yellow, light green and purple. There are always black olives on the counters next to the olives.
Olives differ from olives in color: olives are green, olives are purple. Olives and olives are the fruits of the same tree, but they are collected at different times: green olives are unripe fruits, black olives are ripe.
It takes more time and expense to ripen olives, which is why they cost more. Here chemists managed to outwit nature with the help of oxygen and iron gluconate - E579. Oxygen is passed through the brine with green fruits and the olives become olives. To prevent olives from turning green, iron gluconate is added to them. Such olives look blue-black with an unnatural glossy sheen without scratches or dents.
The benefits of black olives for blood vessels exceed the benefits of green olives, as they contain many healthy fats.
General
The benefit of olives for the body is that they enhance the secretion of digestive juices and enzymes. During the feast best snack- not sausages and smoked meats, but olives, which will help in digesting gastronomic delights. Olives have a gentle effect on the gastrointestinal tract, since by stimulating digestion they heal microcracks in the stomach and intestines.
Have a choleretic effect
Due to a sedentary lifestyle, an abundance of fatty and sweet foods, and attacks by toxins, it is more difficult for the liver to produce bile. Stones form in the gallbladder, and little bile enters the stomach. As a result, food is digested worse, diarrhea, bloating, and pain occur. To help the liver, you need to include olives in your diet, as they have a choleretic effect and restore liver cells.
Kill cancer cells
A sensation in 2015 was the study of the substance oleocanthanol, which is found in olives. In the journal Molecular and Cellular Oncology, scientists from Rutgers University in New Jersey (USA) and Hunter College in New York (USA) wrote that oleocanthanol kills cancer cells. Oleocanthanol causes a tumor cell to die from its toxins in 30-60 minutes and does not affect healthy cells, but “puts them to sleep” for 24 hours. The study of oleocanthanol is not completed and has prospects.
Remove inflammation
Inflammation is the body's defense mechanism against damage or irritants. The inflammatory process is triggered by prostaglandin substances, which are found in all organs and tissues. Oleocanthanol blocks prostaglandin synthesis and prevents inflammation. Olives are an essential food against arthritis, arthrosis, and osteochondrosis.
For women
Olives can replace vitamins for hair, nails, and skin, as they contain all the components for youth and beauty. Fruits are record-breaking foods for the content of vitamins A and E, which are dissolved in fats.
Rejuvenate
Vitamin E prolongs cell life and stimulates the production of collagen, without which the skin loses its elasticity. Without tocopherol, vitamin A cannot be absorbed, which is no less important for the epithelium. responsible for elasticity and nutrition of the skin.
Pickled olives will bring benefits to the skin thanks to fatty acids: oleic and linoleic. Linoleic acid protects the skin from dehydration and fills microcracks, which means it prevents bacteria from penetrating under the skin through damage. Oleic acid penetrates deeper than linoleic acid and increases skin permeability to biologically active components. Olive oil can replace or complement creams.
Increases chances of conception
When creating a family menu, we think not only about filling the dinner table with dishes, but also about the healing abilities of foods. Let's talk about olives - their benefits and harms, calorie content and use in cooking, and also dwell on the criteria for choosing canned olives. These beautiful berries not only have very spicy taste, but with their appearance they can decorate any, even the most exquisite dish!
For thousands of years, the fruits of the olive tree and products made from them have been an important constant. national cuisines Mediterranean, and beyond. This speaks not so much about the suitable climate for growing olive crops in industrial scale, how much about the high gastronomic qualities of their fruits, both fresh and canned. Let's add to this greatest benefit olives for humans and see the perfect gift of nature!
The fruits of the olive tree are a real wealth, a receptacle of valuable natural compounds that strengthen human health and treat his illnesses! Olive drupes are rich in vitamin E – the vitamin women's health and beauty; ascorbic acid, carotene, vitamins D, K, group B, as well as mineral salts of iron, phosphorus, potassium, iodine, magnesium, calcium and others.
Invaluable medicinal substances in olive fruits are unsaturated fatty acids, of which up to 56% are found in fruits. They strengthen blood vessels, lower cholesterol levels, prevent atherosclerosis, and also ensure normal functioning of the cardiovascular system.
In addition to the listed useful components, olive fruits are rich in antioxidant complexes, pectin substances, fiber, proteins and ash compounds. By the way, olive drupes contain more than 100 bioactive substances! They can rightfully be considered a plant product, which is a standard for the balance of its constituent substances.
Are olives healthy, and what kind of medicinal attributes are they characterized by? Questions that often arise when we stand in front of shelves with canned green olives, wondering which jar to put in the basket.
The gifts of olive trees have impressive resistance to various processing technologies. Those. The benefits of canned olives are no less than fresh ones. Fresh green olives (drupes) are bitter and tart and therefore unsuitable for food!
Before canning, olives are treated with special solutions, as a result of which they lose their astringency and bitterness, and become very refined taste. From fresh, mature drupes, magical olive oil is obtained, which is the most consumed vegetable oil in the world.
- Unsaturated fatty acids play the role of builder doctors in the body, restoring damaged cell membranes, prolonging the life of cells and normalizing their vital functions. This means that olives and olive oil should be consumed as a preventive measure for diseases of any organs, mucous membranes, blood vessels and skin.
- For diseases of the stomach, liver and duodenum, nutritionists recommend eating canned olives daily - at least 6-7 pieces per day!
- Olive pits are also medicine! Eating up to 10 olives with pits can get rid of sand and stones in the bile ducts and gallbladder. They are also useful for kidney stones. Incredible, but this is a medically proven fact!
- The complex of active substances in these beautiful berries has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the cardiovascular system, improves the functioning of the heart muscle, and strengthens blood vessels.
- For women and men, the product can become not only an aphrodisiac, but also significantly improve the health of the organs genitourinary system, becoming an activator of reproductive function.
- Are canned olives good for cleansing the body? Yes! Their use helps our organs cleanse themselves of waste, toxins and salts. Indeed, in canned fruits, as well as in fresh ones, high content unsaturated acids and antioxidants that improve metabolism and nourish beneficial intestinal microflora. This promotes normal bowel function.
- The vitamin-mineral complex in drupes is so balanced that they regular use V various dishes significantly improves the condition of bones and joints, prevents malfunctions in the mechanisms of the musculoskeletal system, heals, in combination with other methods, osteochondrosis, arthritis and arthrosis, gout.
Harm of canned olives
When talking about the benefits of olives, one cannot remain silent about their harm. Canned foods may be harmful if consumed too heavily pure form. Green olives are not as harmful in significant quantities as black olives.
There is no harm in eating up to 10-15 olives with pits. Caution should be observed only in case of cholecystitis in the acute stage (due to the choleretic effect). But it is better to limit olive oil to people who are obese or trying to lose weight. excess weight- due to the high calorie content of this oil.
Calorie content of olives
If drupes contain up to 56% fatty acids, then how many calories are in olives? The oil is pressed from oilseed varieties, and the canning varieties, which contain significantly less oil, are preserved. Therefore, the calorie content of canned olives does not exceed 113 calories per 100 g, compared to olive oil, whose calorie content is very high - 884 calories.
It should also be taken into account that green color olive fruit means that they have not yet reached ripeness. Ripe fruits are brownish-purple in color and it is from ripe drupes that the oil is extracted. We usually call canned ripe olives olives, the calorie content of which is higher than that of green olives - 166 calories per 100 g.
Use of olives in cooking
These are magnificent appearance The fruits will decorate almost any dish! Introduce festive table Without these beautiful berries, it means forgetting something important! The design of dishes with their help is so multifaceted that you can’t go wrong using them even for sweet desserts and cocktails.
A large number of appetizers and salads contain green or black drupes, especially dishes from Mediterranean cuisines. Greek salad, no matter what version of its execution you choose, it definitely includes an olive drupe! This is a salad for gourmets all over the world!
The use of olive fruits depends on their size. Small berries are used in appetizers, salads, sauces, solyankas, soups and meat dishes. Medium-sized drupes are used in pizzas, salads and for decorating dishes, and large specimens are stuffed.
Large canned pitted olives can be stuffed with almonds, capers, lemon, salmon or anchovies.
Olives are good with meat and game; they are often included in the recipe for sauces for meat. Unripe green drupes are served with cold and hot fish dishes.
Their taste and aroma harmonize perfectly with wines and cocktails based on them. It’s not for nothing that professional bartenders often complement their alcoholic creations with olives or black olives. Olives highlight the taste and aroma of rose and white wines, and the noble astringency of red wines is enriched by green olives.
This product is often served and how independent dish, so that everyone present at the table can supplement the food on the plate with them. These popular green fruits never get boring and always fit on any table!
Above we described the use of the product in cooking, so choose correctly - so that the variety and size of the fruit fully corresponds to the planned dishes.
Buy drupes in metal cans only from manufacturers you know. If there are no such items in the store’s assortment, then the best choice– product in glass jar. You will be able to see the product that is inside.
A few words about the differences between olives and black olives. The only difference is in the ripeness of the fruit! Olives are (ideally!) ripe olives. But they are black not only because they are ripe! As a rule, manufacturers make them black by soaking them in special solutions and treating them with oxygen. To stabilize the resulting juicy blue-black color, a stabilizer is added to the brine - iron gluconate or E579. That's the whole secret!
If you want to try natural ripe olives labeled with the word “olives”, then look for a product that does not have E579 on the label! Only in our area - the countries of the post-Soviet space - are ripe olives called olives. Throughout the world they do not have such a name.
European olive is a genus of evergreen shrubs or trees, also called European Olive or Olive tree, from which the fruit harvest is harvested. That's where we got the name from!
How to store olives
If you bought a product by weight and do not have the brine in which they were salted, then transfer them from the packaging into a glass jar and pour lemon juice in an amount equal to approximately 10% of the weight of the drupes. Pour the same amount of olive oil. Rotate the container 90 degrees and shake its contents several times to distribute the marinade. Drupes can be stored in this form for up to 14 days.
If there is uneaten food left in a tin or glass jar, then their shelf life without loss of usefulness is 3 days. If you want to prolong their edibility, then do cold marinade, the recipe for which we gave above.
Olives, the benefits and taste of which are undeniably high, deserve to take a significant place in your menu! We hope that you will begin to include them in your diet in both simple and delicious dishes!
Dried olives are one of the most ancient ways of preparing this product. The basis of the drying process is that the olives are dehydrated by natural drying at temperatures up to 40 degrees Celsius. Drying should not be quick and is best done under the sun. It should be understood that the biochemistry of dried olives will be somewhat different than that of olives prepared by other methods. What does it mean? If you don’t go into details, but simply state the facts, then exactly preserved in dried olives greatest number useful substances and vitamins. If olives prepared in another way (salting or preservation) contain either salt or alkali, then dried olives, figuratively speaking, absorbed only the sun and sea breeze. Finished dried olives can subsequently be further processed. For example, they can be salted, treated with seasonings, or marinade added. On the shelves of markets and stores, dried olives can most often be found either in vacuum packaging or in bulk.
Buy DRIED OLIVES (click to select dried olives)
If you want to purchase dried olives while in other countries, then on store shelves, you should look for them by approximately the following names:
- cured olives - English
- θεραπευτεί ελιές - In Greek
- aceitunas curadas - In Spanish
- olive stagionati - In Italian
- ausgehärtet Oliven - In German
- azeitonas curadas - In Portuguese
- olives guéri - In French
In principle, these are the main languages of European countries, which you can see on jars or bags of dried olives, but if suddenly you are taken to more exotic places, then here are a few more phrases for “dried olives”:
- kuracis olivoj - Esperanto (for people of the world) - extremely rarely used
- kovettunut oliiveja - In Finnish
- herdet oliven - In Norwegian
We think that's enough. In principle, you can always check with the seller or with the onlooker of the buyer who unfortunately found himself next to a Russian (somewhere in a Laotian village) whether these are the same dried olives or whether you misunderstood something.
As was already briefly written at the very beginning of the note, drying is a complex and lengthy process. biochemical process, associated with the activation of enzymes under the influence of sunlight. In this case, there is a natural decrease in moisture in the pulp of the olive berry with the simultaneous formation of complex structured protein-lipid complexes, which gives dried olives their own special and unique taste.
It is important to note that the drying process should not be confused with the conventional drying method. Among other differences, dried olives are more resistant to loss of oils during further processing. Some experts tend to compare the process of drying olives with their ripening (while a dried olive will never ripen). The taste of dried olives is more harmonious and rich compared to dried ones.
It is surprising that despite such an ancient origin of the method of drying foods, the mechanism is still not fully understood. Scientific studies have been carried out during which it seems to have become clear that drying occurs under the influence of the ultraviolet spectrum of sunlight. However, this statement has not been absolutely confirmed by anyone, nor has it been refuted.
Currently, on an industrial scale, the process of drying olives for many producers takes place in artificial rooms and in the dark. Unfortunately, this method cannot be called full-fledged drying. It is rather drying using some technological techniques. However, this is kept silent in every possible way, and finished product bears the proud name of dried olives.
Some farmers prepare fully dried olives in large batches. To try the real product, gourmets will have to go to the places where olives are grown and processed and there, talking with peasants and small farmers, they will understand whether they prepare dried olives or simply dry them. It seems to us that the best chance of trying dried olives is to fly to Greece or Crete - countries least exposed to “high technology” compared to Italy or France, for example. Although in remote corners of Spain you can still see people growing their own grain and olives, harvesting them themselves and processing them themselves.
In conclusion, I would like to remind you that dried olives, although not dried, still have a somewhat “dried” appearance. The moisture is still gone from them. Therefore, to give dried olives their pristine elasticity, they are often soaked in olive oil, marinade or water.
Random recipe
Drying olives with orange zest and garlic
The recipe is quite simple, just like the dried olives themselves. In addition to classical methods There is another way to dry olives - a folk one. Its essence is that some olives are not collected from the tree at all. They hang there, ripen, and then begin to literally dry out. As they wither, they will fall off. The main thing is not to miss this moment. Usually some kind of material or mesh is placed in advance.
Let's move on to the recipe itself. Take dried olives. We wash them and dry them thoroughly. Take an orange and cut off the peel (you can then eat the orange itself or squeeze a little juice out of it). Cut the crust into cubes and mix with olives. Add a finely chopped clove or two garlic. Salt it all and season it generously with olive oil. Special gourmets can add some fennel flowers. This dish does not need to be consumed immediately. It is necessary to let it brew for several hours.
Required Products:
- Dried olives
- Orange
- Garlic
- Fennel
- Olive oil
News section "Dried olives"
Dried olives - health prevention
Dried olives retain up to twenty percent fat. However, this is not animal fat, which is deposited on the walls of blood vessels, but monounsaturated fat - on the contrary, it helps prevent cardiovascular diseases. A complex of microelements and vitamins contained in olives and olive oil They even call it liquid gold. In addition, many Mediterranean residents tend to consume several seeds a week, for, as they say, better digestion. However, we would not advise you to do the same. Fresh seeds may be good, but old ones often begin to form some harmful substances.
