Olive is the most ancient agricultural product in Syria, the birthplace of the olive tree.  However, olives have been an essential part of the Mediterranean cuisines for over 4,500 years, not only because they taste really nice, but also because of a huge number of health benefits:  eliminates excess cholesterol in blood, controls blood pressure, acts as an antioxidant, prevents blood clots, eliminates cancer and Alzheimer… and many others.

Processing methods vary with the olive variety, region where they are cultivated, and the desired taste, texture and color. Some olives are picked unripe, while others are allowed to fully ripen on the tree. The color of an olive is not necessarily related to its state of maturity.