Olives are a fruit which have long been cultivated
throughout the Mideast. They among the fruits promised to the Jews in Canaan.
According to Homer, olives were brought to Greece by Cecrops, founder of Athens
and quickly became its source of wealth.
By 571 B.C. olives had reached Italy and in the 1st
century A.D. historian Pliny recorded dozens of varieties grown as far north as
Gaul (France) and as far west as Spain. Olives are now also grown in
California, Australia and China.
Olives and olive oils are high in monounsaturated fats which
have been shown to benefit blood cholesterol levels. In fact, olives are rich
in disease fighting phytochemicals, Vitamin E, and the monounsaturated fats which
are all know to clear cholesterol from arteries.
The antioxidant phytochemicals hydroxytyrosol and oleuropein
may work together according to laboratory studies to help protect against
breast cancer, high blood pressure, infectious causing bacteria and heart
disease.
The major drawback of olives is that some varieties are high
in sodium.
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