Here’s the truth about health benefits of olives and tips for buying the healthiest olives.

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AsThe Domestic DietitianBrynn McDowell, RD, points out, thesetiny fruits (yup, theyre fruits!

)are a staple in theMediterranean dietfor a good reason.

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Of course, olives alone arent responsible for all these perks.

Are olives healthy?

Lets investigate olive nutrition facts

1.

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Olives are packed with heart-healthy fats.

Monounsaturated fatty acids have been linked todecreased inflammationand areduced risk of heart disease, she explains.

Theyre also a good source of essential minerals.

Young woman mixing ice coffee

(One tablespoon of olives has0.53 mg of ironabout 3 percent of your RDA.)

Theyre full of antioxidants.

Antioxidants help fight harmful free radicals in the body, explains McDowell.

Cropped shot of young woman shopping in the dairy section of a supermarket. She is reading the nutrition label on a container of fresh organic healthy natural yoghurt

Black vs. purple vs. green olives: Is one healthier than the other?

And what about processing?

And because of this, no two types will beexactlythe same, nutritionally speaking.

Two cups with coffee and green tea on a beige background.

(Thisdoesnt have any major bearing on their nutrient profiles, however.)

As for those mass-produced black olives that you see in the grocery store?

Theyre actuallygreen olives processed with oxygen and iron so they darken.

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Is there anythingunhealthyabout olives?

Olives clearly have a few things going for them.

But theyre not all created equal, which makes answering the questionAre olives healthy?

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And that means you could be on the fast track to asodium hangoverwithout even realizing it.

Any tips on how to cook with olives?

McDowells a Mediterranean diet expert, so olives are a constant in her kitchen.

Olives make a great topping on fish, chicken, or pork dishes, she says.

If that hasnt convinced you, a) youre wrong and b) shes got more suggestions.

They also punch up the flavor of pasta and go great in many salads as well.

In other words, theyrewaymore than just a bar snack or pizza topping.

Theres a lot of low-quality olive oil out thereheres how to know youre getting the good stuff.

And did you know olive oil makes a great addition to your beauty routine?

(At least,Shania Twain thinks so.)

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