Olive

Olive (Olea europaea) is a species of small tree in the family Oleaceae, native to the Mediterranean Basin from Portugal to the Levant, the Arabian Peninsula, and southern Asia as far east as China, as well as the Canary Islands and Réunion.

Description

The olive's fruit, also called the olive, is of major agricultural importance in the Mediterranean region as the source of olive oil. The tree and its fruit give their name to the plant family, which also includes species such as lilacs, jasmine, Forsythia, and the true ash trees (Fraxinus).

History

The olive tree, Olea europaea, is an evergreen tree or shrub native to Mediterranean Europe, Asia, and Africa. It is short and squat, and rarely exceeds 8–15 m (26–49 ft) in height. The silvery green leaves are oblong, measuring 4–10 cm (1.6–3.9 in) long and 1–3 cm (0.39–1.18 in) wide. The trunk is typically gnarled and twisted.

Cultivation

The olive is one of the "trinity" or "triad" of basic ingredients in Mediterranean cuisine, the other two being wheat for bread, pasta, and couscous, and the grape for wine. Olive trees have been grown around the Mediterranean since the 8th millennium BC.

Uses

Olives are harvested in the green to purple stage. Olive oil is produced by grinding olives and extracting the oil by mechanical or chemical means. Green olives are picked when ripe and soaked in lye to remove any bitter taste. After curing, they are packed in brine or vinegar.

Health benefits

Olive oil is touted for its health benefits in many diet books and recipes. Olive oil is a liquid fat obtained from olives, a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin, produced by pressing whole olives and extracting the oil. Olive oil is commonly used in cooking, for frying foods or as a salad dressing.

See also

• Olive oil
• Mediterranean cuisine
• Olive cultivation in the Eastern Mediterranean

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