Olive them seem to know the secret. Do you?
Bad puns aside, it isn’t funny how beneficial it may be for you to eat these powerhouse foods from the Mediterranean. That’s right: olives.
On a previous post, we detailed how beneficial probiotic food and beverages may be in your overall health since your gut bacteria determine a lot about who we are. Research is beginning to investigate the effects of gut bacteria on everything from our mental health to how much we weigh.
Among those key probiotic foods are olives.
Technically a fruit, olives are high in mono-saturated fats that are beneficial to your brain and heart health.Curing gets rid of bitterness and yields the delicious snack we love to use on our salads and pizzas.
Not all olives are the same and the nutritional profiles of Kalamata, Greek and Spanish olives vary slightly. How the olive is cured or brined and when it is picked can also make a nutritional difference.
What experts have agreed on is that olives contain good amounts of fiber, iron, vitamin E, and antioxidants like hydroxytyrosol. Hydroxytyrosol, like all antioxidants, could be a key ingredient to helping prevent cancer, osteoporosis, and reduce histamine in our bodies. The Mediterranean population, high in olives and olive oils, is known to have a low cancer rate and the diet was used as a guideline for helping people with cardiovascular disease.
Do remember to enjoy your olives in moderation. Since many of them are brined in high levels of sodium, they could potentially have a negative effect if eaten in high quantities. This is especially important for people with high blood pressure or other cardiovascular diseases.
These ginger-citrus moringa brined olives are a great way to make use of delicious ingredients and nutrient-packed moringa.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EG8EnDvn4k&feature=youtu.be]
INGREDIENTS
- 1 container of Mixed Olives in brine
- 1 Orange
- 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
- ½ bulb Garlic, minced
- 1 inch piece of Ginger, peeled and sliced
- 2 Bay Leaves
- ½ Tbsp Chili Flakes
- 2 Tbsp Pure Vegetable Moringa Powder
DIRECTIONS
- Reserve brine from the olives.
- In a small saucepan, heat oil and cook the minced garlic until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add half the brine to the saucepan along with 1 Tbsp Moringa Powder, bay leaves, ginger slices, garlic and chili flakes.
- Bring to a boil. Then reduce to a simmer for about 20-30 minutes or until spices are thoroughly infused into brine.
- While brine is cooking, put the olives into a container or mixing bowl.
- Cut the orange in half and then into thin slices. Mix with the olives.
- Let the brine mixture sit for about 1 hour to cool and allow the flavors to steep.
- Add the second tablespoon of Moringa Powder to the olives. Then pour the brine over the olives, mixing thoroughly.
- Leave out to marinade for a few hours. This is important in allowing the healthy bacteria to start multiplying.
Enjoy as a side dish, on salads, or when entertaining guests. Bring to room temperature before serving to allow oils to return to liquid and bring out more flavor.
As part of this probiotic recipe series, check out other delicious #moringainspired probiotic recipes.
