Olives and olives, benefits and harms, how they grow, how they differ. How are olives different from black olives, and which fruits are healthier? What is the difference between olives and olives?

Loved all over the world. But in our country they have two names. In this regard, the question arises: “Do they grow on the same tree or not? It’s not difficult to answer these questions. Let’s reveal all the secrets of the olive tree and its fruits, as well as the benefits of eating them.

Olives or olives

It is mistakenly believed that olives are black fruits and olives are green. In fact, there is only one name in the world - olives. So what is the difference between black olives and olives? Only in the level of fruit ripeness. If harvested before they are fully ripe, they will be green to yellow in color. Black olives are harvested when the fruits have reached full ripeness. There is another type, which is called combined olives. They range in color from pink to brown. They are collected during the ripening period. But why are canned olives green and olives black? Initially, when harvesting, the fruits are sorted. Black olives that have reached full ripeness are used to produce oil. Green olives canned. But since we see two types of product on the shelves, a reasonable question arises: “What is the difference between black olives and black olives?” It all depends on the technological process of conservation. As a result of processing, green olives turn black. This is due to oxidation, which gives the fruit its color, makes it softer and changes its taste. This is the difference between olives and olives.

Beneficial features

The fruits, when raw, have a slightly bitter taste. Therefore, in order for them to acquire the appearance in which we are accustomed to seeing them on our tables, it is necessary to salt them. They are soaked in a saline solution for 5 months, and then aired for a day in the fresh air. Next comes the conservation process. It lasts longer when cooking black olives. Sometimes the fruits are stuffed or spices are added. What is healthier - olives or black olives? There is practically no difference here. The fruits of the olive tree contain proteins, antioxidants, unsaturated fats, phosphorus, iron, potassium and a group of vitamins.

Has a beneficial effect on the entire body. Unlike animal fats, it does not increase cholesterol levels, but strengthens the heart and blood vessels. It reduces the risk of cancer, heart attack and diabetes. Therefore, the cost of high-quality cold-pressed oil is very high. It is used as a salad dressing. In this case, all the benefits of this product are preserved. One spoon drunk on an empty stomach reduces the effect of alcohol. To produce one liter of this valuable product, 5 kilograms of olives are required. The fruits of the olive tree owe their popularity to the presence of a large number of beneficial properties and rich taste. Even in ancient times they were used in cosmetology. Soap was made from them by mixing with ashes and talc. Today, many cosmetic preparations contain olive extract, which provides all the beneficial properties accumulated by nature. It is no longer possible to imagine modern cooking without this product, which is added to salads, first courses and sauces. These are such healthy and very tasty olives.

What is the difference between olives and black olives? What are the benefits of olives and olives?

It is believed that the olive is a tree that is responsible for the mystical connection between earth and sky, and that says it all. Olive was idolized and revered at all times. This mighty, beautiful tree is still considered a symbol of nobility, maturity and wisdom. The ancient Greeks placed wreaths woven from olive branches to the winners of the Olympic Games. It is believed that olives began their journey around the world from Greece. Thanks to the guests of Greece, who took and planted this tree at home, it appeared in America, Africa and other continents.

In religion, the olive is recognized as a symbol of rebirth, since the dove brought a branch of the olive aboard Noah's Ark, announcing the end of the flood.

Difference between olives and black olives

If we evaluate the olive from a practical point of view, this beautiful tree gives people magnificent fruits called olives. What kind of tree do olives grow on?
Olives grow on the same tree - the olive. These fruits differ quite a bit: the only difference is in the degree of ripeness and oil content. Of course, we are talking about olive oil. There are oil varieties of olives, which contain up to 80% oil, and pickling varieties.

Olive is a very tenacious tree, and can grow from a small root that remains after uprooting an old tree. Olive is a long-lived tree. There are legends that there are still olive trees under which Christ prayed.

Where do olives come from?

In the spring, during flowering, this wonderful tree is decorated with white graceful flowers, and later in their place you can see poisonous green fruits. As olives ripen, they turn grassy green, purple, and then only black. In addition, the black color of olives can have different shades: purple, brown or reddish. Olives can also be brown or red, depending on the variety.

Local gourmets can easily afford to travel to another village to purchase a particularly favorite variety of olives. And there are many varieties of olives; their differences, simply put, are in oiliness, meatiness, taste and color. Green olives are more resilient, but they do not contain much oil. As they ripen, they become softer and their oil content increases. That's why they got the name olives.
From one tree you can collect from 15 to 50 kg of fruits, and to obtain one liter of oil you need 5 kg of olives.

Olives are eaten only canned because they are very bitter when raw. Cooking black olives is a rather labor-intensive and time-consuming process, just like making oil. This is the reason for the considerable cost of the resulting products.

Olive oil

You also need to know about the varieties of olive oil. When people talk about the benefits of olive oil, this only applies to extra virgin and second pressing oils. The second grade oil is obtained after heating the cake, and the cheapest third grade is a mixture of the first grade and refined oil. It is advisable to use only the highest quality oil for preparing salads.

Consuming olive oil has a beneficial effect on the entire body. Thanks to the oil, the blood is cleansed, blood vessels are strengthened, immunity is increased, the digestion process is normalized, and the aging process of cells is stopped. Consuming olive oil helps prevent heart attack, diabetes and even cancer.

What are the benefits of olives and black olives?

Olives and black olives are very rich in vitamins and minerals. They contain pectins, proteins, vitamins C, E, B, sugars, P-active catechins, as well as macro and microelements: phosphorus, iron and potassium salts. Due to the high content of unsaturated fatty acids, olives are very desirable products on our table. However, do not forget that canned olives contain a large amount of table salt.

Let's try to figure out how the beneficial substances contained in olives work.

Pectins are active assistants that remove various toxins from the body, including heavy metal salts. Therefore, pectins are necessary for people living in poor environmental conditions. Thanks to pectins, the intestinal microflora improves.

Proteins, as you know, are the building materials for the whole body.

The complex of vitamins contained in olives is a classic example of proportionality and benefit. Vitamin B calms the nervous system, gives vitality, helps skin and hair maintain a fresh and youthful appearance for a long time. Vitamins C and E are antioxidants; they help prevent various body problems, including cancer.

Olives grow on a tree called the European olive. In the article we will understand what the difference is between olives and black olives, what their benefits and harms are for the body, we will tell you where they grow and how they grow.

The name “olives” is used exclusively in Russia; in other countries they are called “olives.”

Olive is one of the most popular and beloved trees in its homeland. According to legend, it symbolizes the magical connection between earth and sky, so it has been revered since ancient times. In Ancient Greece, winners of the Olympic Games were awarded olive wreaths. It was from Greece that olives began to spread throughout the world. Gradually, olive trees conquered America and Africa, and the fruits began to be exported to all continents.

Today, a beautiful tree with leaves as if made of silver represents wisdom and nobility. The olive tree also holds a special place in religion, being a symbol of rebirth. An olive branch was brought to Noah's ark by a dove, which announced the end of the flood and the opportunity to return to land.

Both the fruits of the olive tree and the oil from them are eaten. There are pickling and oil varieties of olives, the percentage of oil in which reaches 80%.

What is the difference between olives and black olives?

In Russia, the term “olives” is used to designate the green fruits of the olive tree; the black fruits of the same tree are called “olives.” Some gourmets believe that these are the fruits of different trees, others that their difference is due to different degrees of ripeness. Both olives and olives grow on the same tree - the European olive, and differ only in the degree of ripening.

Only green olives are suitable for preservation. Ripe black fruits are used for processing. Oil is made from them. The black or green color of canned fruits is determined by the technology used in production. The technological processing and production stages generally do not differ among different manufacturers, but there may be some subtleties between them.

Green fruits are manually collected from trees and placed in special baskets. To collect ripe fruits, small nets are placed under each tree. The berries are poured into them and then separated by size. This stage is called calibration. After this, to remove the specific bitter taste, the olives are soaked in large vats in a solution based on caustic soda.

The fruits that we buy black are placed in special containers into which oxygen is supplied and the oxidation process takes place. Olives oxidize for seven to ten days, after which they become black and soft, and acquire the familiar piquant taste.

In the technology for preserving green olives, there is no oxidation step. After processing, the olives are preserved in brine. Here producers can show their imagination by adding spices and other ingredients to the brine, creating a signature taste.

Video information

The product is stored in large plastic tanks, which are interconnected and placed underground. The capacity of one such barrel is about 10 tons. When the time comes for the next stages (pitting, packaging), the olives are pumped out of the barrels using special pumps.

Benefits and harm to the body

It is impossible to imagine the diet of Mediterranean people without olives and olive oil, which are considered the healthiest. According to the legends of the Mediterranean peoples, the olive tree does not die, so those who love its fruits are characterized by excellent health and energy.

1. Olives contain more than a hundred different substances. The properties of some of them have not even been studied yet.
2. Berries are a wonderful preventative against diseases of blood vessels, liver, stomach, and heart.
3. Even olive pits are eaten, which are perfectly digested during the digestion process.
4. A set of three types of phenolic substances brings particular benefits to the body: lignans, simple phenols, and secoiridoids.
5. Olives are a storehouse of useful substances, such as oleocanthal - an anti-inflammatory and analgesic agent.

Where do olives grow and how do they grow?

What is the olive tree so beloved by gourmets? The trunk of an olive tree can expand significantly in width, but its height rarely reaches more than 1 meter. If the tree is not properly cared for, it will very quickly turn into a bush and die due to lack of light at the base.

Olive is a perennial plant that can reproduce and renew itself. The roots of the tree go 80 cm deep. The olive tree can survive in dry conditions and can withstand up to 10° frost.

Today, the European olive grows throughout the Mediterranean. It is so popular that it has spread to the countries of North and South America, Asia Minor, India, Australia, Northeast Africa and East Asia.

Spain is recognized as the leader in the supply of olives, where up to 80% of all table olives are supplied by the Andalusia region. The share of its supplies on the world market reaches 50%, so most of the olives and olives presented on Russian shelves are brought from Spain. Olives do not grow in Russia, but finding them in stores is not difficult.

Popular varieties

In total there are more than 400 varieties of Greek olives. Typically, olive varieties are named after the location in which they are grown. Depending on the purpose of use, olives are divided into three groups:

• Canteens, eaten as a whole and intended for canning. Varieties Chalkidiki, Konservolia, Amfisa, Kalamon (Kalamata), Frumbolia.
• Oilseeds used in the production of oil. This is a well-known variety of Koroneiki and others.
• Combined or canned oilseeds. These include the Manaki variety.

Olives are an unusual product; they are tasty and healthy. Few plants can compare with olives in terms of the amount of vitamins, microelements, and fiber. Once you love their taste, you will forever be a fan.

How big is the difference between black olives and olives? What to look for when choosing in a store? Let's look at the main differences.

Color

The main, and perhaps the main difference, is the different color of the fruits. In olives it is black, in olives it is green. Therefore, many people mistakenly believe that these are different fruits. But it turns out that these are the fruits of one tree, the olive tree. Since time immemorial, the olive has been revered as a tree responsible for the connection between heaven and earth, as a symbol of wisdom and immortality. When the olive tree blooms, it produces white flowers, which are subsequently replaced by green fruits.

An olive is a ripened olive.

This is a fairly common misconception. But olives get their dark color not during the ripening process, but after treatment with special chemicals. The only olive variety whose ripened fruits are black is the Chalkidiki variety.

Olives are more oily and contain up to 80% oil. The famous olive oil is produced from these fruits; it owes its name to it. Black olives exist only in Russia. For a European, such a classification does not exist; in Europe, olives are black olives, and nothing more.

Treatment

Olives are divided into two groups. From the first, enriched with fats, olive oil is obtained. The second group, less oily, is used for canning. They are not eaten fresh, regardless of the degree of ripening. This is due to the fact that they are incredibly hard and bitter. The canning process continues for almost six months. To do this, olives are soaked in a saline solution. Unfortunately, manufacturers artificially speed up this process by using stabilizers and various oxides. Brine recipes differ in composition, depending on the manufacturer.

Olives undergo longer canning. In its process, the product is oxidized with the help of oxygen, as a result they lose their original hardness and acquire a dark color. Therefore, olives and olives differ from each other only after chemical treatment.

The next difference is the filling. Manufacturing companies offer many types of stuffed olives. The filling can be very varied, to suit every taste. Olives, unlike olives, are not stuffed. It turned out that this only worsens their taste.

Taste

Olives taste sharper, with sourness. Olives are softer and oilier.

The nutritional value

Avicenna also wrote that olives help against all diseases. Olive fruits are well absorbed by the body, even with the pit. They are rich in substances that have a beneficial effect on all organs and systems of the human body. The difference between olives and green olives can be traced only in the quantitative content of monounsaturated fatty acids. The oilier the fruits, the more there are. Otherwise there is no significant difference between them.


Pods are rich in vitamins B, E and K, folic acid and a whole complex of microelements (calcium, magnesium, zinc, phosphorus, iron and others).

Medicinal properties

• Improvement of blood vessels. The presence of monounsaturated fatty acids promotes the removal of bad cholesterol and prevents vascular atherosclerosis.
• B vitamins strengthen the nervous system.
• Eating olives is recommended to prevent the formation of stones in the bile ducts.
• Regulation of lipid and water-fat metabolism. For this purpose, olives are useful in dietary nutrition to combat excess weight.
• Antioxidants in fruits prevent the occurrence of malignant tumors.
• The calcium contained in the fruits will compensate for its deficiency in the body and strengthen the skeletal system.
• Pectins, contained in large quantities, neutralize toxic substances. They remove toxins and heavy metal salts from the body. Therefore, a jar of olives is indispensable on the holiday table when drinking alcohol, this will reduce its harmful effects on the body. They are recommended to be included in the diet under unfavorable environmental conditions and when working in hazardous industries.

The consumption of olives is contraindicated only in cases of cholecystitis. It is not for nothing that the olive is called sacred; it is truly unique. This tree generously shares its fruits with people, providing them with health and longevity.

Many people are confused by two names - olives and olives. What is the fundamental difference between them, how do olives differ from olives? In fact, both olives and olives are the fruits of the olive tree, which grows in countries with mild climates. The differences lie only in the degree of ripeness of the fruits. The division into olives and olives is typical only for our country; in the rest of the world, olive fruits are simply called olives.

Differences between olives and black olives

The fruits of the olive tree are drupes with fleshy pulp and a small pit. They are called olives. What then do we call olives? This term has developed only in our country. The fact is that unripe, elastic fruits are characterized by a green or light yellow color; we call them olives. As they ripen and during the process of canning (processing), the fruits acquire a black tint. They also become softer and more buttery. This is where the word “olive” comes from. That is, olives are the same olives, only ripened or overripe fruits.

Olives are sold only with pits, without pits, or in halves. Their taste is spoiled if any ingredient (minced meat) is used inside them. The situation with olives is completely different. They are stuffed with anchovy and other additives, as a result of which the taste of the olives only improves. Therefore, you can find a wide variety of stuffed olives on sale, especially in Mediterranean countries.

How are olives grown?

The olive tree, which produces beneficial fruits, is a unique plant in its own way, whose homeland is the sunny Mediterranean coast. The beneficial properties of the olive, apparently, were noted and used by primitive people. According to archaeological excavations, olive trees began to be grown on the island of Crete three thousand years BC. During the era of the dominance of the Minoan kingdom and the Phoenicians, the olive gradually spread along the entire Mediterranean coast.

An important feature of olive trees is their endurance and resilience, which amazed our ancestors. Such trees, under favorable conditions, can live for two millennia, so they were popularly imagined as trees that never die. It is not for nothing that in Ancient Greece the olive was revered as a sacred tree, which was given to people by the goddess Athena herself. Only the righteous were allowed to reap a rich olive harvest. Those who, for some reason, cut down an olive tree were sent to hard labor.

To this day, the Mediterranean region plays a vital role in olive cultivation - 98% of the land allocated for the cultivation of olive trees is located in the Mediterranean. There are also more than five hundred million olive trees here. The fruits of the olive tree are usually harvested between November and March. Most of the collected fruits are intended for making oil, so they are immediately sent to the press. The remaining olives are subjected to certain processing. The main producers of olives today are Greece, Italy and Spain, but olives are grown in both Africa and America.

How are olives processed?

Fresh, harvested olives are not suitable for eating - they have too bitter a taste. Therefore they are processed. Different countries use their own processing technologies. But most often, the collected fruits are poured into huge containers and filled with salty solution. They are kept in this state for about a month, after which the olives are placed in barrels. There they are kept for several more months, after which they are packed into jars, adding a special brine.

It is in this canned form that we buy olives. However, often manufacturers do not adhere to this time-tested technology, but treat the fruits with stabilizers and oxides. Thus, the fruit processing process is significantly reduced in time. Canned olives taste similar to salted green tomatoes; they contain quite a lot of salt, which must be taken into account.

Useful properties of olives

In principle, green olives are healthier than ripened fruits, but only if they were processed according to classic recipes with long-term aging in a salty solution. And with the use of modern processing technologies, the benefits of olives and black olives are approximately the same. They are rich in vitamins A, C, E and B, fiber, proteins, and beneficial minerals. Olive fruits contain all the substances necessary for the full development of the body. Moreover, valuable components and elements are present both in the pulp of olives and in the seeds, which, when eaten, are painlessly and easily processed in our stomach.

A lot can be said about the benefits of olives. Their consumption helps prevent a variety of diseases - from cancer to heart or stomach problems. Pectins contained in the fruit help remove toxins from the body. Olives contribute to the overall strengthening of the body, stimulate digestion, and reduce blood cholesterol levels. In addition, the fruits of the olive tree normalize the functioning of the nervous system, strengthen bone tissue, and slow down the aging process in the body.

Olives in cooking

The taste of olives can be different, the taste depends on their variety and processing method. Indeed, in the process of canning, a variety of brines, vinegar, and spices can be used. Olive fruits can have a salty, pungent or tart taste. Olives are traditionally an excellent addition to drinks - wine, sherry and dry martinis. They can simply be eaten as a separate dish, or serve as an addition to various dishes. In particular, olives are great for cold appetizers, salads, casseroles, meat and seafood dishes. They are used to prepare the filling for pizza and rolls. In many countries, olives are marinated with spices, herbs and citrus fruits. It turns out to be a very spicy, nutritious dish.

Of course, stuffed olives are considered a special delicacy. The choice of minced meat for them is amazing in variety - olives can be stuffed with anchovies, tuna, shrimp, salmon, cheese, citrus fruits, onions, nuts and other ingredients. This is a great appetizer that goes with wine and other drinks. Olive fruits are also used to make sauces. For example, the famous Sicilian puttanesca sauce. Olives and black olives are added to soups. In particular, in hodgepodge, as well as in fish and seafood soups. Among other things, olives can also be used to prepare various baked goods - bread and snack dough. They add a wonderful aroma to any baked product.