The Tanach (Jewish Bible) has a lot to say about olives.
The oil from the olive plays an important role in worship by keeping light in the tabernacle “’Command the children of Israel that they bring to you pure oil of pressed olives for the light, to make the lamps burn continually.’” Leviticus 24:2 The Jewish King David also said “But I am like an olive tree, thriving in the house of God. I will always trust in God’s unfailing love.” Psalm 52:8. Although olives were a source of fuel for the physical temple, the Jewish teacher Paul said, “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” 1 Corinthians 3:16. The same olives that provided fuel for the temple can be a good sure of fuel for the human body too.
Black olives are a great source of vitamin E along with monounsaturated fats which are associated with lower rates of colon cancer when consumed together. In addition, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that olives were associated with lower rates of type 2 diabetes if eaten as a substitute for other more harmful sources of fats like mayonnaise and butter. The antioxidants found in olives are also said to help prevent damaged coursed by diabetes in those who already have it (“Olives Nutrition Facts: Fights Cancer, Heart Disease & Diabetes”, n.d).
There are even more benefits. Olives also act as anti-inflammatory agents and research suggests the unique properties of olives can help to reduce the body’s response to histamine by blocking the histamine receptors. Inflammation has been linked to a variety of conditions like arthritis and olives are believed to be a helpful addition to the diet for anyone suffering to keep inflammation under control. The polyphenols in olives have been associated with a better memory. (“Benefits”, n.d) . A study showed that mice that consumed extra-virgin olive oil had decreases in the development of neurofibrillary tangles and amyloid-beta plaques and in the brain which are typical characteristic Alzheimer's (Temple University Health System, 2017).
Of course, it would be wise not to eat too many olives and practice moderation, because it is possible to end up with negative results when even good things are done in excess. However, as long as you practice wise habits based on what is best for your body with the approval of a medical professional-as this article is not meant to provide personalized medical advice- and do not have any allergies or other health concerns that would prevent you from being able to eat olives, you might want to consider olives as a Biblical addition to your diet.
References:
Author Unknown n.d “Benefits” Viglia Olives received fromhttps://www.vigliaolives.com/benefits
Author Unknown n.d “Olives Nutrition Facts: Fights Cancer, Heart Disease & Diabetes” Dr. Axe received form https://draxe.com/olives-nutrition/
Temple University Health System. (2017). “ Extra-virgin olive oil preserves memory, protects brain against Alzheimer's.” ScienceDaily. Retrieved from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/06/170621103123.ht
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