I am a big fan of the Mediterranean diet, and not just because I love hummus. The med diet has been found to fight chronic diseases, like cancer and heart disease, as well as stave off the effects of Alzheimer's.

Lucky for me, I love olives, central to this region's cuisine. Olives are technically fruits, making the oil technically olive juice, which is an oddly unappetizing thought to me so I will stick to calling it oil. This little fruit is healthy, just like the juice oil that comes from it. Due to their natural bitterness, olives, whether they are picked green and unripe or fully ripened and black, need to be fermented or cured to enhance their taste. Yep, olives are processed, but minimally. Soaked in salted brine, oil, or water mellows the olive, creating tasty and nutritious treats.

To see if olives are high in calories, just read more.

Olives are high in healthy monounsaturated fats, as well as vitamin E and other antioxidants. When eating a rainbow it can be difficult to incorporate dark foods into your diet. So when eating olives, go with the black ones; they're higher in antioxidants. It is said that these little flavor nuggets can help stave off wrinkling. I will eat to that! High in fiber, olives are also high in copper an important mineral for your blood, bones, and immune system. A half-cup of olives contains about 78 calories, not too bad. Do rinse your olives, especially if they are salt cured to decrease your sodium intake.

How do you feel about olives? Are they only for martinis in your world or do you try to figure out ways to add them to every meal? If so, Yum has olive recipes for you to try. Tell me how you feel about olives in the comment section below.

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