Green, black, ripe, raw, whole or as an oil, the health benefits of olives in all their forms are extensive.
According to the International Olive Council, “The olive fruit is a drupe. It has a bitter component (oleuropein), a low sugar content (2.6–6 percent) compared with other drupes (12 percent or more) and a high oil content (12–30 percent) depending on the time of year and variety.”
The unique make-up of the olive has made it a staple on the dining tables in most Mediterranean and Arab homes. According to a study conducted by the olive council, Egypt represents 14 percent of world olive production. The olive market in Egypt is considered a mass market, with an average of 13.7 percent of world consumption from 2005 to 2011. And according to the council, Egypt’s consumption was 300,000 tons during the 2011–2012 olive cycle.
Hadeel El Deeb recalls olives being a center of life since she was a baby. “There was always a bowl of green olives accompanying breakfast, as well as a salad of any sort with olives served with lunch and dinner. It was a tradition in our home from our ancestors.”
She recalls stories of her grandfather who she never met: “He would drink a cup of olive oil as soon as he woke up, before eating or drinking anything else. He was known to have been a very strong man who aged well. He was thin, but he was tough.”
The origin of olive trees is linked to the Mediterranean thousands of years ago. The International Olive Council says, “Taking the area that extends from the southern Caucasus to the Iranian plateau and the Mediterranean coasts of Syria and Palestine (Acerbo) to be the original home of the olive tree, its cultivation developed considerably in these last two regions, spreading from there to the island of Cyprus and on towards Anatolia or from the island of Crete towards Egypt.”
Olive trees can be found in three areas in Egypt: North Sinai, the Alexandria-Cairo Road and Siwa. As olives are abundant in Egypt and its neighboring countries, the benefits which people associate with them are based in tradition, although not restricted to it. The fruit has made its way into medicinal research.
Olives have been linked to healthy skin, bones, heart and digestion, and contain nutrients which may prevent cancer and alleviate nerve problems.
Iman El Shal, a dermatologist, says olive oil has been found to be rich in nutrients that aid in curing several skin ailments. According to El Shal, doctors working with patients in intensive care units have found that being confined to bed or constantly fed fluids through an IV make patients prone to skin fissures and intense dryness. She says doctors have found that using olive oil on their skin cures these problems instantly.
Shal, however, believes that the extensive use of olives in this part of the world is not due only to their abundance but because their benefits are mentioned in Islamic scriptures.
Mamdouh Salem, a poet, says olives play a central role in his lifestyle. He says even though he does not like their taste, he feels it is imperative to eat them for his health. He first learned of their health benefits from what is called “The Prophet’s medicine,” a form of treatment derived from the sayings of Prophet Mohamed on health and healing. He then had an accident which left his wrist bent. According to Salem, even after he removed his cast after a year, his hand had not healed.
Salem, who is originally from Qena, went to a local doctor who uses alternative medicine. This doctor heated olive oil and soaked Salem’s hand in it. He was told to do this regularly, and two months later his hand was back to normal.
“Since then,” Salem says, “olives have been essential in my life."
According to the World’s Healthiest Foods index, olives have a high phytonutrient content, which benefits the heart. Olives also have a high fat content — 80 to 85 percent — but as a mono-saturated fatty acid, this is beneficial to health and helps deter cardiovascular disease. Olives are high in Vitamin E, which acts as an antioxidant, and their nutrients have been proven to be effective in treating allergies and inflammation because they block histamine receptors. Olives also act as strong calcium depositors in bones, so olive consumption could decrease the risk of osteoporosis.
In addition, Deeb believes that olives deter stomach problems by acting as a metabolic aid.
The olive tree resists decay, and its branches carry a large amount of the fruit. The oldest tree dates back to 2,000 years and the fruit has made its way into hundreds of generations of homes along the Mediterranean.
