Green olives provide healthy fats, vitamin E, and antioxidants, but they are high in sodium.
Nutrition
Five green olives (about 20 g) have around 20 to 30 calories, 2 g of fat and 300 to 400 mg of sodium. Olives contain monounsaturated fat (oleic acid), vitamin E and polyphenols.
Benefits
- Heart-healthy fats.
- Antioxidants like oleuropein.
- Small amounts of iron and calcium.
Sodium
Olives are cured in brine, so sodium is high. The recommended limit is 2,300 mg a day.
Tips
Eat a small serving (5 to 10), rinse to reduce salt and choose low-sodium types.
Compared with black olives
Green olives are picked unripe and have a firmer, more bitter flavor. Black olives ripen on the tree.
Pairing
Salads, tapenade and cheese boards.
Nutrition data
Ten green olives (about 40 grams) have around 45 to 60 calories, 5 grams of fat, mostly monounsaturated oleic acid, and 1 gram of fiber. They contain vitamin E, copper, calcium and iron. Fresh olives are inedible because of the bitter compound oleuropein, so they are cured in brine, lye or salt to make them edible.
Benefits
- Heart health: oleic acid is the main fat in the Mediterranean diet, linked to lower cardiovascular risk in the PREDIMED trial, which tested olive oil rich diets.
- Antioxidants: hydroxytyrosol and oleuropein, which are strong polyphenols studied for anti-inflammatory effects.
- Vitamin E protects cell membranes from oxidative damage.
- Low carbohydrate food that suits keto and low-carb diets.
- Healthy fat that adds satiety to salads and snacks.
Sodium
Curing makes olives very salty. Ten green olives can have 600 to 1,000 milligrams of sodium, up to 40% of the 2,300 milligram daily limit. People with high blood pressure should limit portions or choose reduced sodium types, or rinse them before eating.
Compared with black olives
Green olives are picked unripe, black olives are fully ripe, or in the US canned ripe olives are darkened with oxidation. Green olives have a firmer texture and sharper flavor. Ripe olives are slightly lower in sodium and contain more oil. Both have similar benefits, but olives cured traditionally keep more polyphenols than lye treated canned olives.
Varieties
Popular green varieties are Manzanilla, Castelvetrano, Cerignola and Picholine. Spain is the world’s top producer of olives, followed by Italy and Greece.
Tips
- Choose olives packed in brine or oil without added preservatives.
- Store opened jars in the fridge in their brine, where they last several weeks.
- Chop into salads, pasta and tapenade, or serve with cheese.
- Pitted olives lose some flavor, so whole is better.
Pairing
They pair with feta, almonds, citrus, rosemary, garlic and cured meats. Stuffed varieties include pimento, garlic and blue cheese.
Curing and sodium details
Green olives are picked unripe and cured in brine, lye or salt, which removes the bitter compound oleuropein. A serving of 5 large green olives has about 25 calories, 2.5 g of fat and around 300 to 400 mg of sodium. Olives are about 15 percent oil by weight, mostly monounsaturated oleic acid. They provide vitamin E and polyphenols such as hydroxytyrosol, studied for antioxidant effects. People on low-sodium diets can rinse olives or buy reduced-sodium varieties. Pimento-stuffed olives add small amounts of vitamin A. Store opened jars in brine in the fridge for up to 2 months.
Based on data from the USDA FoodData Central and the International Olive Council
