Olive (olive) is an evergreen unpretentious tree that was grown by the ancestors of the present Greeks, Italians and Spaniards as early as 5 millennium BC. e. In ancient Greece, olive tree berry oil was called "liquid gold" for its amazing properties, even then people knew how useful olives are. Olive inflorescences are strewn with small whitish flowers, and the ripe fruit has an almost black color and an oily flesh. Here in Russia, black fruits are called olives, and green fruits are called olives, faithfully believing that these are two different varieties of olive. In fact, these are berries of the same olive or olive, only at different stages of ripening. To date, almost 60 species of olive are known to mankind.
Ways to cook olive fruits.
Spain ranks first in the world market for the sale of olives, the most delicious and largest olives grow here, the useful properties of which people have not tire of praising for several thousand years. Olive trees grow well in Central Asia, the Caucasus, where the climate allows it. The only negative of these wonderful fruits is that they have an extremely astringent taste, they cannot be eaten raw. For many years, people tried to find a way to eat olive berries, soaked them in various solutions for up to a year! Modern technology has allowed the preparation of olives, the beneficial properties of which are not destroyed during processing. Like three thousand years ago, olives are still pickled in various vinegars and honey to this day. First, the berries stay for some time in a soda solution, then they are washed and poured with vinegar or oil solution with spices. Bones are removed from not very tasty olives and stuffed with paprika, seafood, lemons. There are a lot of recipes for olives, everywhere there are peculiarities and subtleties, depending on the growth and history of this country.
Olive oil.
In addition to a huge selection of pickled, salted olives, olive tree gives the most valuable product - oil. The oil obtained from olive berries is used not only in cooking, flavored with different spices and called "miro", it is used in Christian rites. The most ripe fruits are used to make olive oil , they are crushed and squeezed. First-pressed oil is the most expensive, unlike second-and third-pressed oils. The residues of the cake are dried and made of them briquetted environmentally friendly fuel.
Are olives useful?
The pulp of olives, in addition to taste, contains many vitamins and minerals. There are trace elements, proteins, sugar, vitamins C and B, carotene, pectins, and unsaturated fats. It is thanks to these elements of olives, the beneficial properties of which cannot be denied, that have a beneficial effect on the general condition of the human body, improve digestion, and remove stones from the kidneys. The composition of olive oil contains fatty acids that reduce glycemia, prevent vascular and heart diseases, and rejuvenate the body. And the vitamin complex contained in olive oil is beneficial for the digestive system and improves skin condition. By the way, olives and olive oil have practically no contraindications, which means that their use benefits everyone, and even pregnant women. Unsaturated oil fats lower cholesterol, which causes blood clots in the blood vessels and leads to heart disease. Containing a very low level of acidity, olives are perfectly digested, and their consumption is the prevention of diseases of the stomach. Fats found in olive oil inhibit the formation of tumor cells of the intestines, gallstones. The high content of vitamin E in the oil helps in the fight against skin aging, protects and improves the condition of the hair. Scientists have found that regular consumption of olive oil reduces the risk of malignant neoplasms in the chest by 45%. Since ancient times, olives, the beneficial properties and miraculous qualities of which are widely known, helped in the healing of mental illnesses and contributed to the improvement of male potency. Olive oil and olives are useful for people of all ages: the elderly to strengthen bones, children to form the nervous system, and pregnant women - like a storehouse of vitamins and minerals.