Updated on November 11th, 2022
The first question that comes to most people’s minds is what olives taste like. The taste of olives varies widely, depending on the type. While they are generally bitter and salty, they also have a tangy, grassy flavor. The fact is that they are not edible, and they are bitter because of oleuropein, a phenolic compound protecting the fruit. It also wards off seed-crunching mammals and invasive microorganisms. Some people even try to swallow whole olives as a snack. But how do you know if olive is truly bitter?
First of all, you can’t simply eat olives if they are spoiled. Olives can have various flavors. For instance, Spanish or Italian varieties are bitter, while French or Greek types are sour. You should try to slurp up a few olives before making up your mind. After you’ve swallowed a few olives, count to ten while tasting them.
What are Olives?
Olives are small, round, tree-borne fruits, and they can be eaten whole as a snack and are green, black, or purple in color. Olive trees are native to the Mediterranean region, but they are now grown worldwide.
Olives have been cultivated for centuries by people all over Europe, including Italy (where most olive oil is produced), Greece, and Spain, to name a few countries where olives are abundant. There’s also evidence that they were cultivated by ancient Egyptians around 4000 BC. Is it possible that this popular Mediterranean food item and another important staple, bread, have something in common?
Many historians believe that early European cultures used olives to preserve bread in the absence of refrigeration.
What do Olives Taste Like?
The taste of olives varies greatly, but they generally have a salty, bitter, or tangy flavor. The taste of olives depends on the harvesting season and the length of time they are hung. The longer the olives are hung, the more bitter they will be. The earlier they are picked, the sweeter they will be. However, you can always go for the more palatable varieties and avoid those with a slimy texture.
The rind of olives can be made from wood or plastic; some are made from hard olives, and others are hollow. Regardless of the type, they all have distinctive tastes. And the flavor of olives can vary from one variety to the next, according to their size, shape, and fermentation or curing process.
The Kalamata Olive is the most popular type of olive in America because it has a more robust flavor than other varieties, but this does not mean that everyone enjoys them!
Manzanilla olives are sweeter and are typically eaten straight from the tree. Picholine olives are a little more bitter and are usually eaten with salt because they’re already salty.
Why do so Many People Dislike Olives?
Olives have an unpleasant flavor because they contain a high amount of oleuropein, a bitter phenolic compound. Olives can be made less bitter by soaking them for a long time or even boiling the water before adding them to your dish. The longer you soak and cook these ingredients, the less natural flavor they have than boiling them without first soaking them.
This method also aids in the removal of other compounds found in olive oil, such as tyrosol. If you want to improve the flavor of your olives without adding bitterness, try adding salt and lemon juice. Salt will help balance out any bitter flavors while also adding a savory element to them. Another great ingredient to include is lemon, which helps to brighten the flavor of olives.
Green or Black Olives: Which Tastes Better?
There are several types of olives, but the most common ones are green and black. Canned black-ripe olives, harvested before they are ripe, are the most common. Although the berries of olives are bitter when fresh, they are milder when preserved. If they are preserved, they are usually cured in brine or salt. These berries are then used as ingredients in recipes.
First, the flavor of olive is heavily influenced by where it is grown and when it is harvested. Green olives have a firmer texture than black olives because they are picked before they ripen.
Black olives are typically left on the tree to ripen for six months, giving them a softer texture and sweeter flavor. According to several taste tests, most people prefer black olives. Furthermore, due to their high monounsaturated fat content, black olives have been identified as a healthier option for lowering cholesterol. While green olives contain more polyunsaturated fatty acids, they may not provide any health benefits.
What Gives Olives their Saltiness?
As you may know, olives can be bitter, so they are brined in solutions to remove the bitterness. The brining process can take weeks, and the end result is a salty olive with a slightly bitter and sour flavor. Many people can’t resist taking a bite of the fruit because the flavor combination is so appealing.
However, this is not the case for everyone. Some people dislike salty foods and would not eat them. Soak the olives in fresh cold water for several hours to reduce the saltiness, depending on how salty you want the olives to be. Remember that the olive’s bitter and sour flavor will be reduced throughout the de-salting process.
Are Olives Good for Children?
In moderation, yes. Olives are high in gut-friendly fiber and healthy fats, supporting your baby’s blood, cardiovascular, cell health, hormones, and nervous system. Olives also contain vitamin E, which helps the brain, skin, and vision, vitamins A and C, which help the immune system, and iron, which helps the body move oxygen. They also contain beneficial plant compounds that support a healthy cardiovascular system while providing antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer benefits. Different varieties of olives, like all fruits and vegetables, provide different nutrients,s and serving olives of various colors introduces a broader variety of flavors and nutrients.
Olives can be introduced when your baby is ready to start solids, which is usually around 6 months old. However, it’s best to wait until your child’s first birthday to serve them regularly. Olives are high in sodium, a nutrient that our bodies require in small amounts, but that can be harmful if consumed in large amounts.
How are Olives Made Eatable?
Humans have been growing olives for thousands of years and have devised various methods to eliminate the bitterness. Water, brine, and lye are the most common.
Water
Oleuropein is a water-soluble substance. Oleuropein gradually leaches out of the olives and into the water when they are submerged in water. The surface area of the olives is increased by breaking them, so it happens faster. To keep the concentration gradient, you keep changing the water. This takes several weeks and does not entirely remove the oleuropein, so they retain some bitterness and must be consumed quickly because they will spoil.
Brine
Oleuropein can also be extracted using a salt solution, which could take several months. Olives can also ferment, with lactobacillus bacteria breaking down sugars in the fruit to produce lactic acid. These olives, which are usually green, have a more robust flavor. Increasing the salinity to more than 8% kills bacteria and lengthens the shelf life.
Lye
Because it’s used to unclog drains, lye (sodium hydroxide) may appear harsh, but if it helps, think of it as a traditional byproduct of wood ash that can be used to make soap. You must, however, exercise caution.
6 Reasons Why you Should Consume Olives
Cardiovascular advantages
Blood vessels are damaged, and fat builds up in arteries when free radicals oxidize cholesterol, potentially leading to a heart attack. The antioxidant nutrients in black olives help prevent cholesterol oxidation, which helps prevent heart disease. Olives do contain fat, but it’s the good kind, which has been shown to reduce the risk of atherosclerosis and raise good cholesterol.
Preventing cancer
Vitamin E, which is abundant in black olives, has a remarkable ability to neutralize free radicals in body fat. Vitamin E can make cellular processes safer, especially when working with the stable monounsaturated fats found in olives. When such processes as mitochondrial energy production aren’t well protected, the resulting free radicals can cause oxidation, damaging a cell’s mitochondria and preventing it from producing enough energy to meet its needs. A cell’s DNA can be damaged, causing it to mutate and become cancerous. According to studies, a diet supplemented with olive oil reduces the risk of colon cancer to almost the same level as a diet rich in fish oil.
Hair and skincare
Fatty acids and antioxidants in black olives nourish, hydrate, and protect the body. Vitamin E is the most important of these. Vitamin E has been shown to protect skin from ultraviolet radiation, preventing skin cancer and premature aging when applied topically or ingested. Washing your face in warm water, applying a few drops of olive oil to vulnerable spots, and letting it work its magic for 15 minutes before rinsing it off will give you a healthy, glowing complexion. You can even use olive oil to condition your hair by mixing it with an egg yolk and leaving it on for a few minutes before rinsing and washing it.
Connective tissue and bone
The anti-inflammatory properties of monounsaturated fats, vitamin E, and polyphenols found in black olives may aid in the relief of asthma, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis symptoms. High levels of free radicals cause most of the pain associated with one of these three bone diseases. Olive oil also contains the chemical oleocanthal, a pain reliever, and Oleocanthal inhibits inflammation in the same way that drugs like Ibuprofen do, according to research.
Healthy digestive tract
Colon cancer is linked to frequent consumption of both vitamin E and the monounsaturated fats found in black olives. By neutralizing free radicals, these nutrients help to prevent colon cancer. Olive oil’s antioxidant properties are also beneficial to ulcers and gastritis. Olive oil stimulates bile and pancreatic hormone secretion much more naturally than prescription drugs, reducing the risk of gallstone formation. A cup of black olives also contains 17 percent of the daily fiber allowance, promoting digestive tract health by assisting in the faster passage of food through the system. This prevents any part of the digestive tract from overworking itself and maintains the ideal balance of chemicals and microorganism populations required for a healthy digestive system.
Healthy eyesight
One cup of black olives contains 10% of the daily recommended allowance of vitamin A, essential for eye health when converted to the retinal form. It improves night vision by allowing the eye to distinguish between light and dark. Vitamin A is also thought to be effective in treating cataracts, macular degeneration, glaucoma, and other age-related ocular diseases.
Is it Safe to Consume Olives Every Day?
Because olives have a high calorie and fat content, they should be consumed in moderation.
However, they should not constitute the majority of your diet. If you decide to eat them, do so as a snack or as a side dish to a meal.
Olives’ main drawback is their high sodium content and lack of fiber.
Weight gain, high blood pressure, and other health problems can occur if olives account for more than 25% of one’s diet. According to nutritionists, it’s safe to eat up to 20 olives per day.
Conclusion
The taste of olives varies widely. Some people love the grassy taste, while others detest the saltiness. Some people are sensitive to the bitterness of olives, but they can be flavored with salt or vinegar to give a pleasantly bitter flavor. If you wonder what avocado tastes like, the flesh of the olives is rich and meaty fruit, with a slight hint of acidity.
Despite the differences between green and black olives, both types have an earthy, slightly fruity flavor. Typical Mediterranean olives are green or black, and the latter is slightly bitter. Besides that, they have the distinct flavor of a particular region. And some olives are even more pronounced than others. If you don’t like the latter’s taste, don’t be afraid to eat a few green ones.
