Dear Lesley: olives vs. olive oil

You are not alone. Olive ‘em too. 😉The spicey variety stuffed with pepper flakes are my favorite.

Olives have good nutritional value such as being low calorie and high in healthy fats, vitamin E, and antioxidants. Although olives are nutritionally beneficial, you should eat them in moderation. Olives can be high in sodium, and you do not want to eat large amounts of sodium. Overconsumption of sodium can lead to high blood pressure.

Major differences between whole olives and olive oil are observed in the processing. Some olives are preserved via natural fermentation providing favorable bacteria while olive oil does not. Whole olives also contain some fiber and olive oil does not. Though pickled olives are high in sodium, olive oil is essentially sodium free. As far as cooking with olive oil daily, it is not problematic if the oil you are using is not processed excessively or refined.

You can continue to enjoy olives as a healthy snack, especially when choosing them over higher calorie prepackaged processed foods. The important thing is that you are aware of the portion size and do not eat more than the recommended amount. On the days you eat olives as snacks, separate the appropriate portion size into a container at the beginning of the day and snack on only that serving of olives throughout the entire day. That way you avoid consuming more that the recommended portion and it will hopefully help you cut back.