Olives Are Delicious, But Are They Good For You? Here’s What Registered Dietitians Have To Say

Emily Laurence
·6 min read
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There are some produce staples, like cucumbers and kale, that you can eat to your heart’s content knowing that you’re filling up on lots of beneficial nutrients. But there are others, like potatoes and pickles, that many believe it’s best to minimize consumption of. (By the way, both potatoes and pickles are still considered “healthy” and packed with many nutrients.)

Olives are another one of these foods—particularly green olives, which are saltier than black olives. Are olives good for you in more ways than adding flavor to your dirty martini? According to registered dietitians, the answer is a resounding yes. Just like all other produce items—olives are actually a fruit, FYI—they’re packed with nutrients that benefit the entire body. Surprised? Keep reading to see the health benefits of olives, including how black olives compare to green olives.

Related: Are Cucumbers a Vegetable or a Fruit? 

Are black olives good for you?

Black Olive Nutrition Facts (for ½ cup)

  • Protein: .84 g

  • Total fats: 11 g

  • Carbohydrates: 6 g

  • Fiber: 1.6 g

  • Calcium: 88 mg

  • Magnesium: 4 mg

  • Iron: 6 mg

  • Phosphorus: 3 mg

  • Potassium: 8 mg

  • Sodium: 735 mg

  • Choline: 10 mg

  • Vitamin A: 330 IU

  • Carotene, beta: 198 µg

  • Lutein + zeaxanthin: 510 µg

  • Vitamin E: 1.65 mg

Are green olives good for you?

Green Olive Nutrition Facts (for a ½ cup)

  • Protein: 1 g

  • Total fats: 15.3 g

  • Carbohydrates: 3.84 g

  • Fiber: 3 g

  • Calcium: 52 mg

  • Iron: .49 mg

  • Magnesium: 11 mg

  • Phosphorus: 42 mg

  • Sodium: 1,560 mg

  • Choline: 14 mg

  • Carotene, beta: 231µg

  • Lutein + zeaxanthin: 510 µg

  • Vitamin E: 3.81 mg

  • Are Olives Good for You?

As you can see from the nutrition facts, both black olives and green olives contain nutrients such as vitamin E, iron, calcium, fiber and healthy fats. “One individual olive will only provide minimal amounts of each of these, so a larger portion is necessary to get a reasonable amount of nutrients,” says registered dietitian Melissa Rifkin, RD. (Great news if you love olives!)

But perhaps looking at the sodium content in both types of olives gave you pause. A half cup of black olives has 725 milligrams of sodium and a half cup of green olives has 1,560 milligrams of sodium. If you are watching your sodium intake, it is something to keep in mind. According to the American Heart Association, sodium intake should be limited to 2,300 milligrams a day. This means you can still enjoy a moderate portion of either type of olives, although black olives may be a better choice for you in terms of which one to go for.

Despite the difference in sodium content, Rifkin says that black olives aren’t any healthier than green olives; both have many overlapping benefits as well as slight differences that make them beneficial in their own unique ways. Deciding which type of olives to eat depends on your health goals and, of course, what you like the taste of more. The health benefits of both types of olives are highlighted below.

10 health benefits of olives

1. They’re good for your heart, when enjoyed in moderation

Registered dietitian Sammi Haber Brondo, RD, says that one health benefit of both types of olives is that they contain unsaturated fats. This directly benefits heart health and is linked to lowering cholesterol and the risk for cardiovascular disease. Due to the sodium content in olives—particularly green olives—it’s still important to eat this fruit in moderation as too much sodium negatively impacts heart health, negating all the helpful benefits from the healthy fats.

2. Eating olives supports brain health

The unsaturated fats in olives don't just support heart health; they’re good for the brain too. Scientific studies have shown that regularly consuming unsaturated fats help reduce inflammation in the brain, which protects cognitive function as well as supports mental health.

3. They help protect against chronic inflammation

Both RDs point out that olives contain vitamin E. Vitamin E is an antioxidant that helps prevent chronic inflammation, the root of all disease. “Antioxidants protect cells from damage, and in turn can protect against inflammation. However, specific anti-inflammatory nutrients, like omega-3 fatty acids, will likely have a bigger impact on inflammation levels in the body,” Rifkin says, name-checking another nutrient that olives have that helps protect against chronic diseases caused by inflammation.

4. They’re good for your skin

Another benefit of vitamin E is that it’s good for the skin. This is because it can help fight damage from the sun’s UV rays as well as protect from inflammation from other environmental factors. So consider olives a beauty food!

Related: 25 Foods That Are Good For Your Skin

5. Eating olives supports gut health

“Olives provide some fiber, which can be good for gut health and regularity,” Rifkin says. “They are also considered to be a fermented food, which means they contain probiotics that can benefit the gut as well.” The reason why olives are considered fermented is because they are placed directly in brine, which ups the amount of good bacteria in them.

6. They support eye health

If you squint, olives look a little bit like eyeballs—ironic since Rifkin says that they contain nutrients that support vision. The biggies: vitamin E, beta carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin. Some of these nutrients olives only contain small amounts of, but every little bit helps!

Related: 7 Foods You Should Eat To Keep Your Eyes Healthy

7. Eating olives supports bone health

Both black and green olives contain calcium, an important nutrient for bone health as well as heart health. Green olives are slightly higher in calcium than black olives, so if one of your health goals is to up your calcium, go for the green!

8. They help provide the body with energy

One serving of black olives has six grams of carbohydrates while a serving of green olives has about four grams. Contrary to what some may think, carbohydrates are crucial for health, helping to provide the body with energy. Additionally, a serving of green olives has a gram of protein—not much, but it also contributes to providing energy. This means that olives are great to incorporate into an afternoon snack along with other protein-rich foods, such as hummus or nuts.

9. Olives contain iron

Rifkin says that another benefit of olives is that they have iron. Not getting enough iron can lead to feeling fatigued, so this is yet another way that snacking on olives can provide the body with energy.

10. Eating olives may reduce the risk of breast cancer

While there isn’t one food that can shield the body from cancer, scientific studies do show that eating olives regularly may decrease the risk of breast cancer. This is because olives contain a compound called oleocanthal, which can kill cancer cells.

As you can see, there are many ways eating olives regularly can benefit overall health. After all, they are a staple food in the Mediterranean diet, often deemed by health experts as the healthiest way to eat. Whether you go for black or green, olives are a great savory fruit to incorporate into your diet.

Next up, see 109 more foods that are part of the Mediterranean diet.

Sources

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