THE 16 MOST COMMON VARIETIES OF OLIVES - NUTRITION - 2025

There are as many varieties of olives, as types of olive oil are known. However, the latter is not the only use that is given to this food. Olives, also known as olives, are the fruit of the olive plant.

This food can be eaten ground, which is in the form of oil, or fresh, which are called table olives. In this case, a maceration process is necessary to eliminate the bitter taste caused by a glycoside called oleuropein.

Depending on the geographical area where they are grown, different varieties of olives can occur. From those used for the table, that is, as an aperitif or to add as an ingredient to certain meals, or those used for the production of olive oil.

But before going into detail about the types of olives that exist, it is important to make clear that this food is also classified according to its type of coloration.

Classification of olives

They are classified into three types which depend on the coloration that varies according to the way in which they were collected and also on the presentation.

By its coloration

• Green olives, these are obtained from fruits of normal size, which are harvested at their optimum ripeness point.
• Color-changing olives, which are those that have been picked before they are fully ripe. Its color in this case is usually purple, pinkish or even brown.
• Black olives, which are those that come from fruits that are not ripe. This variety obtains its characteristic black color thanks to a special treatment.

For its presentation

Table olives also have another classification that depends on their presentation. These can be as varied as the types of olives that exist. Among the most common we have the whole ones, which are those that retain their original shape and their bone in the center.

But there are also pitted olives, which, as their name indicates, are those from which the central pit has been removed. Within this variety we find the stuffed, which are olives that after removing the pit, are filled with other ingredients such as anchovies, onions, peppers, among others.

The above varieties always retain their shape. But there are many others that are presented in other ways such as sliced ​​or hoops.

Varieties of olives

It must be taken into account that the main types of olives that are cultivated are for the production of oil. However, there are many others that are intended for consumption as an aperitif or in recipes in their different colors and presentations. These are the best known.

Gordal

This is a table olive that is large and has a very good flavor. Grown mainly in Andalusia, Spain, it is the fruit of a tree with long and thick branches, while its leaves are very elongated and straight. Its best aptitude is for dressings and its average weight is 12 grams.

Picual

This olive is used for the production of oil, which acquires a particular smell and taste such as the fruitiness of the olive and its bitterness. This variety is large, elongated and has a pointed end. The harvest of its trees are regular and abundant.

Sevillian chamomile

Like the Picual olive, this species also produces olives of good size although they are more rounded. This type of is used for both oil and dressing and is grown mainly in the provinces of Seville and Huelva, Spain.

Cacereña chamomile

This olive is also used both for table consumption and for oil production. This fruit produces a fairly dense oil, with a color that can be yellow or bright, while its flavor is not bitter, although it can be a bit spicy.

It is one of the most popular table varieties internationally thanks to the quality of its fruit. Also, because the bone is easily separated from the pulp. Its cultivation, like the previous ones, occurs in Andalusia, but also in Extremadura, and in countries such as Portugal, Argentina, Israel and the United States.

Arbequina

It differs from the other types by being small, rounded and quite symmetrical fruits. It is one of the most appreciated varieties for the production of oil, which is usually fruity with a sweet taste and aromas of apple and almond.

Cornicabra

This variety produces olives that can be used for the table or for oil. Its cultivation is mainly concentrated in the Tagus Valley, Spain and has a sharp and symmetrical shape.

The oil obtained from the fruit is usually of a color that ranges from greenish yellow to gold. It has fresh aromas and a special flavor that involves sweet and sour with spicy notes.

Hojiblanca

This species also has double aptitude, since it can serve both for table and for oil. It is widely cultivated in the provinces of Seville mainly, in addition to Córdoba, Malaga and Granada.

The tree's leaf is elongated, a bit ribbed and the fruit it produces is large and ovoid. The oil is deep green in color with aromas of ripe fruits, while its taste is sweet with slight hints of bitterness and itching.

Empeltre

With this olive oils with a mild and sweet flavor with fruit aromas are made. Its color can be straw yellow or old gold. Its fruit is elongated, asymmetrical and cultivated mainly in the community of Aragon, Spain.

Aloreña

This is a variety mainly from the Álora region, in the province of Málaga (Spain). It is the first type of olive in the country that has a protected Denomination of Origin. The fruit is of good size and very rounded. It is usually consumed with a typical dressing of the region.

Blanqueta

Originally from Alicante and Valencia, it owes its name to the clear color of the fruit. This species is intended for the production of oil. This is usually a leafy green hue and has a fruity aroma. Its flavor is varied but light intensity, with all bitter and spicy but also slightly sweet.

Farga

Grown in Castellón, Lerida, Valencia, Tarragona and Teruel, it is a variety that was widely used in the past, but due to the lateness of the production of its fruit, it has been left a bit relegated. Even so, the olives are medium in size, black in color and resistant to shedding. With this fruit an oil of excellent quality is obtained.

Lechin

Characteristic of Seville, Córdoba and Cádiz, with this species it produces a sweet oil with the aroma of fresh grass. It has a mild apple flavor with hints of bitterness. The leaf of this tree is short and almost flat, while its fruit is ellipsoidal in shape and weighs an average of 3 grams.

Verdial

This variety is so named because it retains its green color after maturing. It has several subtypes depending on the area where it is grown (mainly Andalusia and Extremadura).

However, oils with aromas of almonds and green olives are usually produced with it. It is a sweet and large fruit, which is usually eaten as a table olive.

Obregon

It is a type of purple olive, large and with a large pit. They are very meaty and have a bitter taste. It is a variety seasoned with herbs and spices, as well as garlic and peppers in some cases.

Weevil

Originally from Carrasqueña de Córdoba, it is a variety that produces a fruity and delicate oil before oxidation. Its flavor is fresh with light touches and aromas of apple and almond.

Alfafarenca

Very common from Bajo Aragón, its shape is elliptical with a slight tip and offers one of the most stable oils. This due to its high content of oleic acid and polyphenols. It is an aromatic oil with green fruity and a slightly bitter taste.

Olives, an essential ingredient in the Mediterranean diet

Today olives are one of the most appreciated foods, especially for their nutritional values. But the taste for them is not new. Its consumption dates back to antiquity and from past times it was consumed seasoned.

Whether they are black, green, pitted, whole or stuffed, olives are one of the foods that cannot be missing from the Mediterranean diet. Plus, they are the quintessential snack for most people.

Currently, Spain is the main producer of this fruit, followed by Greece, Turkey, Syria, Egypt, the United States, Argentina and Australia. It is important to note that each of these countries has special varieties that characterize their region.

They are fruits rich in quality fats and are one of the few foods that contain all the essential amino acids: minerals, vitamin C, carotenes (provitamin A), thiamine and fiber. Every 100 grams provides about 150 calories. Which explains why they are such a consumed and popular product.