7 Olive Oil Facts That Might Surprise You
Did you know that olives are a fruit, making olive oil a fruit juice?
It’s true. While you won’t find a jar of olives situated next to the canned peaches on a grocery store shelf, olives are indeed considered a fruit.The rich and savory flavor profile of olives can make you assume they belong in the vegetable family, but olives qualify as a fruit because (1) olives grow from a flower on an olive tree and (2) olives consist of a fleshy exterior and contain a hard seed inside.
Even though olive oil facts like this one help to set the record straight, olives are still a misunderstood food item.
Olive Oil Facts You Need to Know
Olives have distinct characteristics and olive oil has unique properties. If you want to understand olive oil, you need to learn about olives as well.
So to clear up some common misconceptions, here are seven olive oil facts you probably didn’t know about these two popular food products found in kitchens all over the world.
#1 - California is home to olive groves.
Although olives originated in the Mediterranean Basin and continue to thrive in areas such as Italy, Spain, and Greece, you can find olive groves in the United States.
In fact, all of the Vines & Groves organic cold-pressed olive oils come from olives grown in our family-owned groves in California’s Central Valley. In the 1700s, Spanish missionaries brought olive trees to America where they have thrived ever since.
In our Vines & Groves groves, we grow three different Mediterranean varietals - Arbosana (Spain), Arbequina (Spain), and Koroneiki (Greece). We choose to produce olives that are the best type to extract oil from, not necessarily the tastiest kind to eat.
#2 - Olives are nutrient powerhouses.
Olives are packed with:
- powerful antioxidants (such as oleanolic acid, tyrosol, hydroxytyrosol, oleuropein, and quercetin)
- monounsaturated fatty acids (a healthy fat)
- copper, calcium, and potassium (essential minerals)
- vitamin E
- fiber
- iron
Those nutrition facts are noteworthy!