Botanical Description Olive is an evergreen tree that can reach heights of 30 ft. The gray-colored trunk is heavily grooved and the leaves are small and "leathery." Olive flowers are greenish-white clusters and the well-known fruit is green and only turns black when ripe.
Parts Used Leaves and oil. The pickled fruit is also eaten as a food.
Historical Uses
Constituents Leaves: Iridoid monoterpenes (6-9% oleoropine, oleoroside, oleoside, etc.), triterpenes (oleanolic acid, maslinic acid, etc.), flavonoids, chalcones, oleasterol, leine. Oil: Mono-unsaturated fatty acids (56-83% oleic acid, 8-20% palmitic acid, 4-20% linoleic acid, etc.), 0.125-0.25% steroidal compounds, tocopherols. Mono-unsaturated fats reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol that normally deposits in the arteries. They also do not deplete the high-density lipoproteins (HDL) which deposit cholesterol in the liver to be broken down. Fruits: Many of the same as the oil, but also some protein and many vitamins and minerals: vitamin E, many B vitamins, beta-carotene, zinc, copper, iron, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorous. Olives are also high in sodium.
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Olea europaea