10 reasons why you MUST eat BLACK OLIVES

Anciently cultivated tree from Mediterranean is Olive Tree. Black olives are allowed to ripen on the tree before they are harvested. The Olives are inedible raw and have to be cured before they can be eaten. That’s the reason olives are packed in oil or salted water or vinegar before they are consumed. There are many other ways of curing olives; however; canned black olives are mostly cured in a saltwater brine.

Nutritional Information of Black Olives:

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 10 small serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories from Fat 29 Calories 36
% Daily Values*
Total Fat 3.24g		5%
	Saturated Fat 0.429g	2%
	Polyunsaturated Fat 0.277g
	Monounsaturated Fat 2.395g
Cholesterol 0mg		0%
Sodium 299mg		12%
Potassium 3mg
Total Carbohydrate 2.06g		1%
	Dietary Fiber 1g	4%
	Sugars 0g
Protein 0.3g
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.Nutrition Values are based on USDA Nutrient Database SR18

For more nutritional information visit nutritiondata.self.com

Health Benefits:

Weight Loss

Monounsaturated fats, the kind found in olives, when replacing saturated fats, may encourage weight loss. Olive oil consumption has been shown to breakdown fats inside fat cells, get rid of belly fat and reduce insulin insensitivity.

People who have the highest olive consumption eat fewer calories overall and are rarely overweight. Blood tests show they have higher levels of serotonin, a so-called satiety hormone that makes us feel full.

Cardiovascular Benefits

The antioxidant nutrients in black olives impede the oxidation of cholesterol, thereby helping to prevent heart disease. Olives do contain fat, but it’s the healthy monounsaturated kind, which has been found to shrink the risk of atherosclerosis and increase good cholesterol.

Cancer Prevention

Black olives are a great source of vitamin E, which has the brilliant ability to neutralize free radicals in body fat. Especially when working with the stable monounsaturated fats found in olives, vitamin E can make cellular processes safer. If the DNA of a cell is damaged, it may well mutate and become cancerous. Studies have shown that a diet supplemented with olive oil leads to a lower risk of colon cancer, almost as low a risk as a diet rich in fish oil.

Skin and Hair Health

Black olives are rich in fatty acids and antioxidants that nourish, hydrate and protect. Vitamin E in Olives protect skin from ultraviolet radiation, thus guarding against skin cancer and premature aging. You can gain a healthy, glowing complexion by applying a few drops of olive oil . Moisturize hair with olive oil before any bath, and even condition by mixing it with an egg yolk and leaving it before rinsing and washing.

Bone and Connective Tissue

The anti-inflammatory abilities of the monounsaturated fats, vitamin E and polyphenols in black olives may also help dull the asperity of asthma, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis. Olive oil also contains a chemical called oleocanthal, which acts as a painkiller. Research has found that oleocanthal inhibits inflammation by the same means that drugs like Ibuprofen do.

Digestive Tract Health

Frequent consumption of both vitamin E and the monounsaturated fats in black olives is associated with lower rates of colon cancer. These nutrients help prevent colon cancer by neutralizing free radicals. Olive oil’s protective function also has a beneficial effect on ulcers and gastritis.  A cup of black olives also contains 17% of the daily allowance of fiber, which promotes digestive tract health by helping to move food through the system at a healthier pace. This keeps any one part of the digestive tract from having to work too hard and supports the ideal balance of chemicals and populations of microorganisms required for a healthy digestive system.

Good Source of Iron

Black olives are very high in iron. The ability of red blood cells to carry oxygen throughout the body is due to the presence of iron in the blood. If we suffer from a lack of iron, our tissues don’t get enough oxygen, and we may feel cold or weak. Iron also plays a vital role in the production of energy. It is a necessary part of a number of enzymes, including iron catalase, iron peroxidase, and the cytochrome enzymes. It also helps produce carnitine, a nonessential amino acid important for the utilization of fat. To top it all off, the proper function of the immune system is dependent on sufficient iron.

Eye Health

One cup of black olives contains ten percent of the daily recommended allowance of vitamin A which, when converted into the retinal form, is crucial for healthy eyes. It enables the eye to better distinguish between light and dark, thereby improving night vision. Furthermore, Vitamin A is believed effective against cataracts, macular degeneration, glaucoma and other age-related ocular diseases.

Increases Blood Levels

Olives have shown the ability to increase blood levels of glutathione (one of the body’s premier antioxidant nutrients). Consumption of olive pulp is associated with significantly increased glutathione levels in the blood and improvement in antioxidant capacity.

Some Easy and Yummy Black Olives Appetizer Recipes:

Fried Ripe Black Spanish Olives

Marinated Black Olives

Spicy Spanish Olives

Source: weightloss.answers.com, undergroundhealth