Kalamata olives are generally saltier than their green cousins, so their flavor is much more intense. Both Kalamata and Ligurian olives work great in a Summer Bolognese alongside torn basil leaves and salty parmesan.
Generally speaking though, black olives tend to have a milder flavor as compared to Kalamata olives, being less robust than other olives with only slightly salty flavor.
In addition to injecting a unique, salty Mediterranean flavor into your favorite dishes, Kalamata olives provide a number of important health benefits.
These olives are cured using a closely guarded family secret. The process behind these olives took years to develop to this superior standard, as there is no salt used in any part of the curing process.
The curing process to which olives are subjected increases their salt content, so if you follow a low-salt diet you may need to moderate the amounts you eat.
Flavor: Green olives tend to have more sodium and are therefore saltier than black olives. Green olives also tend to have a tangier, more bitter flavor than black olives. Ripeness: Green olives are harvested before they're fully ripe.
Thus, the percentage of fat in black olives is 29.8 while that of green olives is 16.7. Therefore, the caloric value of the green ones (167 Kcal per 100 grams) is much lower than that of the black ones (299 kcal). Therefore, either of the two is healthy and we can choose between them according to taste.
Though olives are perfectly fine to consume straight from the jar, we recommend that you rinse them under cool water before serving. This removes most of the brine and sodium that coat the olive and can take away from the actual flavor. If you are watching your sodium intake rinsing is a must.
Green olives tend to have more sodium, calories, fat, and vitamin E than black olives. Black olives tend to be higher in iron than green olives.
If you're looking to reduce your saturated fat intake, black olives are a slightly better choice. If you're trying to boost your vitamin E intake, green olives are a healthier option than their black counterparts.
Fresh olives aren't salty, but they are very bitter. Thus they almost always cured and fermented to remove the bitter compounds. Salt is the most common curing medium, hence olives that you buy in the shops are usually salty.
One is the Liguria, a black olive that is salt-brine cured with a vibrant flavor, and sometimes packed with their stems. Another Italian black olive is the Ponentine, salt-brine cured and then packed in vinegar; it has a mild flavor. The Gaeta is also a ripe olive; it is dry-salt cured and then rubbed with oil.
Kalamata olives also contain iron, calcium and copper minerals that help with heart health, bone strength and reduced risk of anaemia. Kalamata olives are a good source of vitamins A and E that help maintain healthy eyesight and heart health respectively.
Plus, both olives are a great source of vitamin A, iron and antioxidants. They're also low carb, which makes them a great addition to salads. The bad news? They're high in sodium and Kalamata olives are about two times higher in calories in fat compared to black olives.
Changing The Olive Brine
If mould is growing, tip the brine out, rinse the olives really well and make fresh brine. Changing the brine weekly will leach out the bitterness faster. Taste your olives after a month or so. If they are still too bitter, keep soaking them until you are happy.
Olives picked off the tree contain a very bitter compound called oleuropein. Harvested olives must be “cured” to remove the bitterness in order to make them palatable. The most common curing processes use brine, dry salt, water, or lye treatments.
The acidic nature of vinegar along with the sweetness of sugar evens out the excess salty flavour.
LOWEST SODIUM - One serving of Gaea Pitted Kalamata Olives contains only 130mg of sodium, much lower than traditional pickled and preserved olives and other varieties of snacks.
Oil-cured olives, like most olives, have a strong salty flavor, though they often have other flavors added to them.
Combine 1 part salt to 10 parts water and pour over the olives in a bowl or pot. Weigh them down with a plate and let sit for 1 week. Drain the olives and repeat the brining process for another week. Do this two more times so they brine for about a month or so.
For example, olives that are being processed as Green olives will be picked when they have reached full size but are still green. Olives that are left on the tree longer will grow darker or more purple in color, such as the Kalamata.
Whether you like to eat olives straight out of the jar or olive oil with a squeeze of lemon is your preferred salad dressing, this savory fruit can help boost your liver's health. Mainly, olives are rich in vitamin E and antioxidants — two things your liver loves.
Olives and olive oil share many healthy properties. Both contain heart-healthy fat and other nutrients like vitamins E and K, as well as some key minerals. They both may help to lower “bad” LDL cholesterol and raise “good” HDL cholesterol. And olives have the additional benefit of fiber.