Green vs black olives: what's the difference
An olive's colour depends on ripeness, not variety: the same cultivar can become a green or a black olive. The rest of the difference comes from processing — lye, brine or oxidation by air.
| 🫒 Spanish-style green olives | 🫒 Californian-style black olives | |
|---|---|---|
| Stage of harvest | Before colouring, once the fruit has reached normal size | Natural: fully ripe or shortly before; Californian: green or turning colour |
| When they are picked | By hand, in early autumn | By hand, in late autumn |
| Oleuropein (bitterness) | Highest in young fruit | Falls as the fruit ripens |
| Typical processing | Lye, rinsing, lactic fermentation in brine | Natural: 6–10 % salt brine for 6–9 months; Californian: lye and oxidation by air |
| Taste | Firm, salty and tangy | Natural: slightly bitter; Californian: mild, no bitterness |
Which to choose
For a firm, crunchy, salty-tangy olive with an aperitif or for stuffing, go for Spanish-style green olives. A rich flavour with gentle bitterness comes from natural black olives such as Kalamata or Greek olives in brine. Evenly black, soft olives in a can with E579 are Californian: green fruit darkened by oxidation, neutral in taste and good on pizza, but poorer in phenols.
Sources
Themes
🥛Types of milkFrom cow to reindeer: composition, benefits, value🧀Cheeses of the worldParmesan, feta, bryndza, sulguni and more🥣Fermented milk productsKefir, yogurt, kumis, matsoni, skyr🌍Dairy traditionsRegions, peoples and their dairy products🐄Dairy animalsWhich animals are milked and how their milk differs🚚The journey of milkFrom pasture to shop — step by step❤️Milk and healthCalcium, lactose, allergy, benefits and risks👷JobsWho works with milk🗺️Map of traditionsWorld regions, peoples and their products on a map⚖️ComparisonsKefir or yogurt, sour cream or cream, and more🍳RecipesCottage cheese, yogurt, ghee, paneer, butter — at home📜History of milkFrom domestication to Tetra Pak🫒OlivesVarieties, oil, table olives, regions and traditions