National Olive Day

National Olive Day celebrates one of the world’s oldest fruits on June 1st each year.

A favorite snack around the world, olives are versatile and nutritious. They can be eaten alone as a snack, as part of an appetizer table, or included in recipes. Of course, if olives are pressed into extra virgin olive oil, they will become more versatile.

National Olive Day is the perfect time to appreciate and enjoy all that has to do with this tiny fruit that offers a huge boost in flavor and nutrition.

Why National Olive Day?

Olives are considered the richest gift of heaven on earth. From the olive fruit to the olive leaf, all sources are celebrated as a rich food and for medicinal and cosmetic purposes. It used to be a trend when sunflower oil was replaced by olive oil. The benefits of olive oil for the skin are amazing.

Revered as a sacred tree and a sign of virginity in ancient times, the tree was considered a symbol of peace and a symbol of power. Even our flag had olive branches that eventually became proof that the olive is tied to American History and it's not just a tree or fruit.

Although the world has seen many civilizations and the extinction of giants like the Dinosaurs, the olive still finds traces of it 20 to 40 million years ago. If we can still reap the benefits and find the surviving trees of the sixth century BC, it will certainly be a gift to humanity. The health benefits of olives must have been passed down to us by our ancestors.

National Olive Day is to discover more about olives and its health benefits.

History of National Olive Day

Olives have a rich and profound history, and they have been prized in many cultures through time. These tiny fruits are thought to have originated in Asia Minor and then spread through Palestine, Iran and Syria to the Mediterranean region, where they found a home at least 6000 years ago.

The olive tree is one of the oldest cultivated trees in the world and its fruit, as well as the oil extracted from it, have been loved and revered for several millennia. Olive is not only a healthy oil for cooking and eating, many people also like to include it as an ingredient in their skin care and beauty regimen because of its healthful properties.

Scattered across Spain, Greece, Italy, and Turkey, olive groves yield olives that are often eaten on their own or pressed into extra virgin olive oil. Olives are a huge industry worldwide and the demand for table olives continues to grow globally. Today, more than 500 different varieties of olives are grown, with all sorts of different flavors and even unique colors.

National Olive Day was established in 2015 by Divina, an affiliate of the US-based Mediterranean specialty foods company FOODmatch. It was decided that Olive Day should be set on the first of June as a last day until the end of May, which is a month in which some people celebrate the Mediterranean Diet.

How to celebrate National Olive Day

• Add olives to your meals:

Find out how to add Olives in your diet plan. Because Olives are rich in Vitamins and Minerals! Share your Eating Plan using hashtags #NationalOliveDay and #OliveDay on social media.

• Get different colored olives:

Since olives come in many different colors, buy as many colors as you can and share it on twitter using #DierenceOlives.

• Read History:

You won't believe that the Olive trees we see now date back to the time of Jesus; some are even thought to date back to the sixth century BC. We have provided several lists of plants in the Interesting Facts Section. Explore more and share some of the oldest tree locations in the comments.

• Try a Recipe:

Try a new recipe or decorate your favorite pizza with Olives! Share your recipes using similar hashtags.

• Health benefits of olives:

This day is mainly devoted to this. It is to use olives in one or more ways. Use as food or use to improve skin.

List the important and tried health benefits of Olives so others will benefit too. Please share only tried and tested ways using the hashtag # #HealthBenefitsOfOlives.

On the downside, some olives have a high concentration of sodium and fat. Don't forget to consult your doctor or nutritionist if you are taking olives for the first time!

• Interesting facts about National Olive Day:

To celebrate this day, let's take a look at some interesting facts about the Olive tree,

Olive trees discovered for the first time in the Mediterranean basin show that Olives are not native to the Americas including the North and the South. It was Spanish missionaries who planted olives in California in the 18th century sometime between 1769 and 1795.

The word “Oil” that we often use originally just meant “Olive Oil”!

The fossil remains of the olive tree are estimated to have originated 20 to 40 million years ago. However, olive trees were cultivated in the Mediterranean regions about 7000 years ago.

Edible oil must have been used for about 6000 years because Olive Pits and other images related to Olives were found in ancient tombs.

An olive tree in Abrantes, Portugal is believed to be the oldest tree still alive today. Radiocarbon dating estimates the tree to be at least 3350 years old. Counted to have been cultivated during the Atlantic Bronze Age, this tree is the oldest to date.

Even some of the trees in the Garden of Gethsemane in Jerusalem are thought to be related to Jesus' day. However, that is an unfounded claim as it is not possible to conduct carbon dating on much older trees.

Olives are the World's Most Grown Fruit with the European Union leading in Production. The Mediterranean region produces 95% of the total.

Why National Olive Day is loved

• They have more nutritional value than you think

Olives have quite a few nutritional benefits, some of which you may not be aware of. One cup of black olives can provide about 40% of the recommended daily value of copper, about 25% of iron, and about 15% of vitamin E. Additionally, olives provides plenty of antioxidants and healthy fats including oleic acid. Now, that doesn't mean you'll want to eat a jar of olives in one go. But if you're looking for a healthy reason to enjoy a dry martini, stick a few extra olives on the skewers.

• Eating unripe olives won't make you sick

Olives are considered a fruit. And olives are one of those rare fruits that won't leave you sick after eating them before they're ripe. As olives grow on the olive tree, they turn from green to purple and then from dark brown to black. Olives taste a little bitter at first. Olives are soaked in water, brine or lye to remove the bitterness.

• The lifespan of olive can be several hundred years old.

Olive trees are incredibly hearty. The average lifespan of an olive tree is about 500 years, and the oldest olive trees are thought to be several thousand years old. One of the most famous olive trees, located in Vouves, Greece, is over 2,000 years old and can still bear fruit. It also owns an Olive Tree Museum.