What Causes Olive Cravings? Top 4 Reasons Revealed

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What Causes Olive Cravings? Top 4 Reasons Revealed

Ever Wondered, “Why Do I Crave Olives?” Let’s Uncover the Mystery

Have you ever caught yourself yearning for a tangy, briny olive and wondered why? Olives come in a tantalizing array of varieties, from the classic green to the rich, dark Kalamata, and they’re available in all sorts of forms—whole, sliced, or chopped. Whether you pick them up by the jar or enjoy them in a gourmet dish, olives have a unique appeal that can be hard to resist.

But what drives our craving for these small, flavorful fruits? We often hear about cravings for sugary snacks as a way to cope with stress or for dairy when we’re low on protein. Olives, on the other hand, seem to be a more enigmatic desire. What could be behind this specific craving?

In this article, we’ll delve into the top four reasons people crave olives, exploring everything from their unique taste to their nutritional benefits. We’ll also address some frequently asked questions at the end of the post, such as:

  • Is it harmful to eat a lot of olives?
  • What are the effects of eating olives every day?

So, if you’ve been wondering why olives are so irresistible, join us as we unravel the secrets behind this savory craving and provide insights into how olives fit into a healthy diet.


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1 – Olives Are High In Healthy Fats

healthy fats to eat picture with avocados, fish, nuts, olive oll
Foods that contain healthy fats that fill you up and taste delicious! Including olives!

What food would you pick if you were starving and needed something to eat?

You’d probably choose a steak or maybe some beans, right? Perhaps a pancake or a pizza slice!

But olives?

You probably don’t think of olives as hunger killers, but they are actually high in healthy fats and can help keep hunger at bay.

It’s strange … I know … because olives are technically a fruit. And you don’t think of fruits as containing fats!

But olives and avocados are definitely fruits that contain healthy unsaturated fats that don’t raise cholesterol. Olives and avocados also help prevent hunger!

(A fruit is something with a seed inside, which often grows on trees or bushes. Olive pits, along with the fact olives grow on trees, make olives a fruit! Same with avocados!)

Have you ever found yourself endlessly snacking on olives and crackers?

And it seems like you can’t stop.

I hope you see that the crackers provide your body with immediate calories and energy (carbs).

Olives, on the other hand, provide your body with a bunch of nutrients, salt, and healthy fats that keep your body feeling good for a longer time!

For specific nutrition facts about olives, including carbohydrates, grams of salt, etc., see this Healthline post here.

2 – Olives Are Salty

What Causes Olive Cravings? Top 4 Reasons Revealed

Olives contain a lot of salt, so if your body is deficient in salt reserves, this could easily explain why you’re craving them.

While it’s true that, on average, the Western diet is too high in salty foods, it’s possible that you are low on salt for many different reasons.

Now, why would your body have a salt deficiency? Well, there are many different reasons:

  • You could be dehydrated and not drink enough water.
  • You’re exercising more than usual, so your muscles cramp and hurt when you walk or move around.
  • You have been vomiting or diarrhea recently, so you’re low on salt. You may be low on iron, too!

It’s not always easy to pinpoint why your body might be low in sodium, but if it seems like the olives make you feel better, this could be what’s going on!

Salty foods also help us feel satisfied after eating because they signal the release of digestive enzymes responsible for breaking down food (this process starts as soon as we taste something with salt, like pickles).

So not only do olives help ensure that your body gets nutrients from each meal… but they also ensure that your stomach feels full!

It doesn’t seem too weird now why people crave olives, right?

Of course, salty foods, if eaten in excess, can lead to high blood pressure and other undesirable health outcomes, like excessive thirst from salt cravings.

However, chips and other salty fried foods generally contain much more sodium than your batch of green olives.

If you are low on salt, you may want to try an iodine supplement.

3 – Olives Provide A Burst of Flavor To Any Dish

What Causes Olive Cravings? Top 4 Reasons Revealed

Olives are just like any other fruit or vegetable in that they give your dish a burst of flavor.

But not all olive flavors are suitable for every recipe!

Many people don’t understand why olives taste the way they do and why they are different.

For example, Olive A might be fantastic when paired with meatloaf, but it would make terrible guacamole using a recipe that calls for Olive B instead!

While you can mix and match olives depending on what type of food you’re making… even if an olive doesn’t go well as part of one meal … it could work great in another meal (or by itself!)!

Why olives taste the way they do, really depends on why each olive is different from another.

For example, Olive A might be a green olive and was picked while it was still on the tree, while Olives B through Z were all purple when they were off the tree (and then dyed one color or another).

When you compare this to apples, for example… There are so many different types! If you’ve ever eaten fresh fruit in an apple orchard, you know how much variety exists between individual types of fruit.

This same idea can also apply to olives, and some people like certain flavors more than others because everyone’s preferences vary based on personal history, too!

The bottom line is that olives provide a perfect burst of flavor to your dish, which can explain why you crave them!

Flavor can also explain other odd cravings, like cinnamon cravings!

Let’s move on to some meal ideas that would taste better if olives were added.

  • Salads are great for adding green olives into
  • Now, why not turn that pizza or pasta recipe into something more exciting by adding olives? Just remember: Don’t add the entire jar of olives at once.
  • Eggs with toast, avocado and olives
  • Chicken and rice with olives mixed in

These recipe ideas are great examples of what to eat if you crave olives… So why not give them a try?

4 – You Can Snack On Olives Without Feeling Guilty

What Causes Olive Cravings? Top 4 Reasons Revealed

Unlike chips or crackers high in salt… olives aren’t as bad!

Not only is it okay to eat some olives without feeling guilty, but why not snack on them throughout the day?

Just remember that there’s such a thing as an overabundance of anything. Eating too many olives can cause you to retain water (and get bloated!).

Other reasons why snacking on olives might be better than other snacks include:

  • You’re getting lots of nutrients and fiber from eating these little green fruits
  • You won’t feel hungry again right away after snacking on something salty like this because they help fill your stomach up with healthy fats
  • They add a lot of variety, flavor, and sharpness to various meals.
  • Olives and their healthy fats are helpful for overall weight management

Olives taste great when added into any dish!

But Is It Bad To Eat A Lot Of Olives?

What Causes Olive Cravings? Top 4 Reasons Revealed

The truth of the matter is that there are pros and cons to everything.

People who eat olives tend to live longer than those who don’t.

But why? Why do they live longer when eating this fruit instead of something else like oranges or apples?

Well, olives (and olive oil) contain a lot of unsaturated fatty acids, which help reduce cholesterol and inflammation in the body and protect us from various diseases (such as heart disease).

Not only does adding olive oil to recipes help keep us full and satiated, but it also provides us with healthy fats and a sharp flavor!

That doesn’t mean we should avoid saturated fat since our bodies need some amount to survive!

Plus, there is nothing unique to olives. You can get the same nutrients in olives if you eat other foods. You don’t need to eat olives to be healthy.

The bottom line is that you can eat a lot of olives, and it won’t hurt you.

Of course, everyone is unique, too. If you are eating a lot of olives and your stomach is hurting, try one of the other foods with a similar nutrient label instead.

For example, instead of olives, you could try:

  • Pomegranate seeds
  • Walnuts or almonds
  • Avocado instead of olive oil
  • Soup is made from beans, vegetables, and olive oil rather than just using the olives themselves.
  • Pasta dishes with avocado mixed in to replace the taste of olives without sacrificing flavor, too!
  • Or why not bake that chicken drumstick but coat it in pomegranate seeds? You’ll get all of the healthy fats you need plus have something delicious on your plate at the same time. Great idea, right? 🙂

What Happens If You Eat Olives Every Day?

olive oil

The short answer… nothing bad will happen!

You can eat olives every day without experiencing any negative effects.

However, why not try to mix up your diet and add in different types of foods so you get a variety of nutrients which help keep you healthy?

There are lots of benefits from having more than one thing on hand at all times when cooking meals!

Now of course some people might not like olives and that’s why they avoid them.

But otherwise, why would you want to deprive yourself of something which is good for your body? Especially if you like the flavor or want to add variety to your dishes!

There is no reason why we should limit ourselves from eating more than one thing at a time, especially if it means having the nutrients our bodies need!

When your body gets the nutrients it needs, it functions better and even ages slower. Read here for more info about how nutrients can help prevent aging.

Just remember that moderation is key when adding anything into our diet as part of a daily routine. Don’t eat too many olives (or any other food) or else things like blood pressure can go wrong very quickly.

Eating an excess amount of anything isn’t great for us so just try to stick within reasonable boundaries and don’t overdo it! 🙂

Final Thoughts About “Why Do I Crave Olives?”

Have you ever wondered why do I crave olives?

These little salty snacks are high in healthy fats and low on calories, which is great for anyone trying to eat healthy.

Olives also add a lot of flavor without adding too many carbs or sugar. This means that if you’re craving something savory but don’t want it to be unhealthy, an olive may do the trick!

And since they’re so small, there’s no need to feel guilty about snacking on them. If this sounds like your kind of snack food – check out our blog post about how cravings work and what causes them here! 

What Causes Olive Cravings? Top 4 Reasons Revealed

@jared_levenson

About the author

Jared Levenson is a former binge eating wrestler turned Zen Buddhist Monk, Internal Family Systems counselor and nutrition wellness coach. He's helped hundreds of people through universal meal principles and internal family systems to make peace with food, stop binge eating, and find true health and wholeness.

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