What is the difference between green and black olives?
Olives are an indispensable part of Mediterranean cuisine, whether served as an appetizer or a rich addition to salads or pizza. While it may not matter much to some whether the olives on their table are black or green, there is a big difference not only in taste and texture, according to the German Federal Center for Nutrition. Dark olives are a fruit that has been allowed to ripen longer on the tree, turning from green to almost black. With this color change comes the rich flavor of the olives. However, harvesting and processing dark olives is more complicated, because you can’t just shake them off the tree, they have to be picked by hand so that the skin doesn’t burst and that’s why they become more expensive. The best way to preserve dark olives is to store them in extra virgin olive oil, as the oil enhances their unique flavor, according to experts from the German Federal Center for Nutrition. However, experts advise checking carefully when buying black olives, as they may not be ...