Olives

Are actually considered a fruit horticulturally, but due to their high oil content are more like a nut. They are similar to avocados in this way.

They are mostly cultivated in the Mediterranean countries of Italy and Spain, but there are more Australian producers these days who cultivate amazing olive products.

Olive oil is one of the best oils for cooking and can be used for any kind of cooking or baking or as a salad dressing. Ensuring you get cold pressed extra virgin is important to ensure you are getting the highest quality oil with no chemical extraction processes.

Olives can’t be eaten off the tree but need to be pickled – cooked in vinegar.

Olives are a great source of essential fatty acids. They contain Vitamins E and A and many B Vitamins. The minerals they contain include zinc, copper, iron, calcium, magnesium and phosphorus. They have some great antioxidants which include luteolin, quercetin and rutin which can help in anti-ageing.

It does seem that people either love them or hate them! I know I love them and use extra virgin olive oil in most of my food preparation and not too many salads go without some olives tossed through it.