Olives are a tasty Mediterranean treat, but are they actually fruits or vegetables? Just because they’re a pizza favorite doesn’t necessarily make them a veggie…or does it?
Many fruits are often mistaken for vegetables, and olives are no exception. If you’re curious about whether an olive is a fruit or a vegetable, the answer is that olives are indeed fruits.
Olives start out as green fruits and change color as they ripen. The youngest, light green olives are typically the most bitter—we’ll explore why some are bitter and whether they can be eaten straight from the tree. As they mature, olives turn darker shades, from purple to brown and finally to black. The darker olives are usually softer and more detached from the pit.
Olives grow on olive trees, originating from the flowers. This is why they are classified as fruit. Fruits develop from the ovary of a plant’s flower, and olives contain seeds, which further confirms their status as fruit.
Olives are fruits and offer numerous health benefits. Rich in antioxidants, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals, they have been a cornerstone of the Mediterranean diet for thousands of years and are enjoyed globally. Olives can be eaten as snacks, used in dips and sauces, pressed into oil, or incorporated into various dishes like Dominican spaghetti.
While olives may be a surprising fruit, they aren’t alone. Other fruits often mistaken for vegetables include tomatoes, cucumbers, green beans, pumpkins, and eggplants. In botanical terms, these are all fruits, but they are commonly treated as vegetables in culinary context
Can You Eat Olives Fresh Off the Tree?
While olives are delicious and versatile, eating them straight from the tree is not advisable. If you try them raw, you’ll find them extremely bitter due to the presence of oleuropein and phenolic compounds, which are naturally occurring and likely evolved to deter insects and predators.
To make olives palatable, they undergo a curing process after harvest. This can involve brine, dry salt, water, or lye treatments. Unlike many other fruits, olives are typically consumed only after this treatment process.
