What is the Difference Between Green and Black Olives?

If you love olives, you must have wondered at one point in time, “what is the difference between green and black olives?” Many people think that olives differ in the same manner as a green apple does from a red but that is actually not true.

It depends on how they are harvested

When experts are asked how the two types of olives differ, they will tell you that it depends on how they are harvested. The color the olive takes all depends on their ripeness at the time they are picked along with the curing process they go through afterward. Green olives are those olives that are picked before they ripen and put through the curing process. Black olives are picked when they are ripe. So basically, olives go from green, not ripe, to black, ripe.

It is important to note that raw olives are inedible, they have a strong bitter flavor that is hard for us to take. So once they are picked, they are cured. The process calls for the olives to be put in either salt, water, or brine. The process makes them less bitter and eatable.

How do they differ in taste?

Well, this is a fairly simple question and you can probably answer it yourself by eating a green and then a black olive. Since green olives are not ripe, they are a little denser and also have a more bitter taste than black olives do. However, this may not always be the case because the taste is heavily dependent on the curing process.

Nutrition-wise which is more beneficial?

Olives in general as you might have heard pack a lot of nutritional value. They contain a high amount of mineral like iron and copper along with good monounsaturated fat. Besides this, it also contains vitamin E, flavonoids, and polyphenols, both of which are antioxidants with anti-inflammatory benefits. The nutritional benefits do not depend on the color of the olive so no matter which type you eat, you will get pretty much the same amount of nutritional value.

So you can throw away any myths you might have heard about one olive being better than the other. As long as you are having an olive, you will reap its benefits. Now all you have to do is decide whether you want a green one, which is generally more bitter or the mild, black one.