Healthier hair growth, balanced water levels, improved muscle control and boosted immune system are some of the benefits of olive juice.

Olive juice or Olive Brine is a mixture of water, vinegar, salt and olives. The typical ratio of live brine is:

• 2 cups olives
• 5 cups water
• 2 Tbsp vinegar (any kind)
• 2 Tbsp salt

As olives are naturally high in sodium, if you are following a heart-healthy diet or trying to cut back on sodium intake, you can use this salty liquid a little more sparingly.

In this article:

11 Benefits of Adding Olive Juice to Our Diet
Side Effects of Olive Juice
Recipes

11 Benefits of Adding Olive Juice to Our Diet

Improves Nerve Function

Being a sodium rich substance, it helps to promote the proper transmission of nerve impulses in the body. Thus, a swig or two of olive juice in addition to a healthy diet can be beneficial for your nerves function if you don’t like putting salt in your food or if your diet is low in sodium.

Healthier Hair Growth

Most olive varieties are generally rich in vitamin E, including green olives and black olives. This helps in increasing the blood circulation to your hair follicles, leading to a healthier hair growth. In this case, both olive oil as well as olive juice can serve the purpose.

Reduced Blood Pressure and Sugar Levels

A number of pickling methods finish the olives in a solution of vinegar and salt and vinegar has been shown to reduce blood sugar levels. Apart from that, olive juice is also high in oleic acid, which is a fatty acid that naturally occurs in plant-based fats. This can reduce high blood pressure as well as increase fat burning if you want to lose weight.

Boost the Immune System

It is the anti-inflammatory properties of olive juice that are beneficial for a strong immune system from natural sources. Also, vinegar can have the benefits of an antioxidant, which means that olive juice consumption equals antioxidant consumption, which at the end equals an immunity boost.

Cholesterol

Olive juice consists of high concentration of unsaturated fats that can help lower the injurious low-density lipoprotein levels in the body and increasing the healthy cholesterol. Olive juice can thus prevent cholesterol related problems like heart attacks and strokes.

Controls Free Radicals

Being rich in vitamin E, olives can neutralize free radicals in the body. Olive brine consists of vitamin E and drinking it can help to cut down on those free radicals. Therefore, it can help lower your risk of cancer, strokes, heart diseases and a number of other ailments.

Balances Water Levels

Olive juice is inherently a hydrating substance, mainly because of the sodium used in making it. Of course, you need water to hydrate yourself and nothing can replace it but drinking a little brine is beneficial for your overall health and function as well.

Increased Muscle Control

Normal muscle movement requires electrolytes and minerals to occur, one of which is sodium. Also, olive juice can provide the body with a boost of healthy fats needed to recover from a high intensity workout or an endurance exercise.

Heart Health

One of the biggest benefits of olive juice is that it can help maintain good cardiovascular health, being a natural source of plant based unsaturated fats with a good concentration of monosaturated fats that also lower the risk of developing cardiac problems.

Diabetes

According to the studies, a diet rich in plant-based fats can help lower the risk of developing diabetes. High levels of blood sugar and triglycerides, abdominal obesity and high blood pressure are some of the main risk factors of diabetes. All these factors can be reduced by having a diet rich in unsaturated fats. Those who are at a higher risk of developing diabetes can take a high carbohydrate, low fat diet with olive juice.

Relives Oxidative Stress

There was a significant amount of research done on the potential use of vinegar, an antioxidant component in olive juice. It was found that it can help lower the levels of inflammation in the body and also, lowers the risk of chronic disease.

Side Effects of Olive Juice

• Can result in diarrhea when consumed in large quantities.
• Can lead to allergic reactions in people, like nausea, breathlessness, sneezing and vomiting.
• Can lead to weight gain when consumed in high doses.
• Interactions with certain medications taken for diabetes and high blood pressure.

Recipe

Ingredients

• A cup of water
• 1 cup of olives
• A tablespoon of salt
• A teaspoon of vinegar

Step 1: Wash each olive of any brine or debris

Step 2: Pierce each olive using a toothpick.

Step 3: Take a small jar and fill about 2/3 of the way with the pierced olives.

Step 4: To create the brine solution, mix water, vinegar and salt in a small bowl.

Step 5: Add the brine to the jar to about 80%.

Step 6: Seal the jar and shake it.

Step 7: Refrigerate overnight.

Step 8: Shake when removing from the refrigerator.

Step 9: Take another container and strain out the olive juice from the jar into it.

Step 10: After you crush the olives, you can add them to cheesecloth or a fine filter.

Step 11: You can press out the remaining olive juice into the original mixture and eat the olives.

Step 12: Seal the jar until the next time you use it.

Conclusion

Thus, we now know that Olive juice serves a number of health benefits and should be consumed in small proportions by us to reap it benefits, but, it is highly recommend that you consume it only after consulting your doctor, especially if you are suffering from a chronic health disease or allergies.

References

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5877547/

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=46