Olives are at the top of the list for both nutritious and delicious foods.
• You might be surprised to learn that olives are actually a fruit, not a vegetables.
• According to research and fossil remains, olive trees have been around for 20 to 40 million years.
• Olives were first harvested in the Mediterranean region 7,000 years ago.
• Olive trees are anywhere from 66 to 125 cm tall.
• Olive trees take four years to bloom, and you won't start getting fruit from them for 15 years after planting.
• Olive trees are unique in that their leaves never fall and stay green all year.
• Olive trees usually live for around 300 to 600 years.
• Today, there are over 800 million olive trees planted around the world.
• Did you know that one of the world's oldest olive trees is on the island of Crete? This 4,000-year-old tree is still producing fruit!
• In the Northern Hemisphere, green olives start being harvested at the end of September and continue until mid-November. Black olives, on the other hand, are harvested from mid-November until the end of January.
• You can't just eat this fruit straight off the olive branch. The olives need to be brined first.
• Every year, people all over the world drink 2.25 million liters of olive oil.
• On average, you get 338 milliliters of olive oil from 7 boxes of olives.
• Most of the olives that are harvested are used to make olive oil, and the rest are used as table olives.
• The olive branch is a symbol of peace or success.
• Olives are full of minerals and vitamins A, E, K, and B.
• Olives are great for your skin. They've got oleic acid, which makes your skin softer and healthier. Plus, they'll reduce wrinkles by 20%. Olives are also a great source of vitamin E, making them an excellent antioxidant for skin health.