Although olives come in a variety surprising to many, the classic canned olive is a standard, black olive prepared and packed in brine. These numbers, from the USDA, are for a single medium, pitted olive from a can.
Serving Size and Calories
According to the USDA, one medium, pitted, canned olive weighs an average of 4 g and delivers 5.25 calories. Of those calories, 4 come from fat, 0.15 from protein and the remainder from carbohydrates.
Fat Profile
One 4 g pitted olive consists of .045 g of fat. None of these fats are the unhealthy saturated fats. Rather, they are the heart-healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. According to Dr. Mehmet Oz, author of "You: The Owner's Manual," the important information about fat is the proportion of healthy to unhealthy fats in any given food. By that metric, olives have a healthy fat profile.
Carbohydrate Profile
One medium, pitted olive delivers 0.3 g of carbohydrate, divided evenly between dietary fiber and complex carbohydrates. According to Oz, both of these are healthy carbohydrate choices. Dietary fiber helps clean your system, contributing to digestive and circulatory health. Complex carbohydrates break down slowly, delivering their energy slowly and sustainably over time.
Protein Profile
Olives do not deliver any significant portion of your daily protein allowance.
Vitamins and Minerals
Canned olives offer little in the way of vitamin and mineral content. A single olive brings only 1 percent of your USDA recommended iron intake and no significant contribution of anything else. They also carry about 26 mg of sodium each, 1 percent of your daily allowance in every olive.
References
- "You: The Owner's Manual"; Mehmet Oz, et al; 2005
- "National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference," U.S. Department of Agriculture; 2009
Member Comments