Why Do I Crave Olives? Top 4 Reasons

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why do I crave olives

Why do I crave olives? This is a question that many people ask themselves, and why not?

There are so many different varieties of olives to choose from, and they can come in such large quantities. You can buy them whole by the jar or chopped or sliced in smaller amounts.

But why crave them? We can easily understand why we might crave sugar for distraction when we’re stressed. Or why we crave milk when we lack protein. But olives? Why?

Let’s cover the top 4 reasons people crave olives. Then at the bottom of the post we’ll answer some frequently asked questions like:

  • Is it bad to eat a lot of olives?
  • What happens if you eat olives every day?

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!

If you were starving and needed something to eat, what food would you pick?

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 olives are actually high in healthy fats and can help keep your 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, along with avocados, are definitely fruits that contain  healthy unsaturated fats which don’t raise cholesterol. Olives and avocados also both help to 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?

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

The olives on the other hand are providing your body with a bunch of nutrients, salt and great healthy fats which keep your body feeling good for a longer time!

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

2 – Olives Are Salty

Olives contain lots 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 totally possible for many different reasons that you are low on salt.

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

  • You could be dehydrated and are not drinking enough water.
  • You’re exercising more than usual which is why you feel like your muscles are cramping up and they hurt when you walk or move around.
  • You have been vomiting or got diarrhea recently which is why 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 then this could well be what’s going on!

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

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

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

Now 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.

But generally speaking chips and other salty fried foods contain much more sodium than do 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

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

But not all olive flavors are good with every recipe!

Many people don’t understand why olives taste the way they do and why there is such a difference between different types of olives.

For example: Olive A might be fantastic when paired with some 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 very well work great in another meal (or by itself!) !

As to why olives taste the way they do, that really has to do with why each olive is different from another.

For example: Olive A might be a green olive and was picked when it was still on the tree while Olives B through Z were all purple when they were off of 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 then you know how much variety exists between individual types of fruit.

This same idea can apply to olives as well and why 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 and that can explain why you crave them!

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

Now onto some meal ideas which would taste better if olives were added…

  • Salads are great to add green olives into
  • Now why not turn that pizza or pasta recipe into something more exciting by adding olives too! 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

All of these recipe ideas are great examples of what to eat if  you find yourself craving olives… So why not give them a try?

4 – You Can Snack On Olives Without Feeling Guilty

Unlike chips or crackers which are 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?

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

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

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

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

Not only does adding olive oil into recipes help keep us full and satiated, but it actually provides us with healthy fats at the same time as sharp flavor too!

That doesn’t mean we should completely avoid saturated fat, though, 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 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?

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! 

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.

@jared_levenson

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