Health & Well-Being A-Z

Olive

Olive tree
Description

Olive (Olea europaea) is a tree with edible fruit, leaves, and seeds. The fruit and leaves are sometimes used as medicine.

Olive leaf might lower blood pressure. Olive fruit might also be able to kill microbes, such as bacteria and fungus.

People use olive for osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support its uses.

Don't confuse olive with olive oil, the oil from olive fruit. These are not the same.

Is It Effective?

Effective

There is interest in using olive for a number of purposes, but there isn't enough reliable information to say whether it might be helpful.

Is it Safe?

Safety

When taken by mouth: Olive fruits are commonly consumed as food. But there isn't enough reliable information to know if it is safe to use the fruit in larger amounts as medicine. Olive leaf extract is possibly safe when used appropriately.

Special Precautions & Warnings:

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Olive fruits are commonly consumed as food. There isn't enough reliable information to know if olive is safe to use as medicine when pregnant or breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and stick to food amounts.


Drug interactions

It is not known if Olive interacts with any medicines. Before taking Olive, talk with your healthcare professional if you take any medications.

Herb interactions

There are no known interactions with herbs and supplements.

Food interactions

There are no known interactions with foods.

Dosage

Olive fruit is commonly consumed in foods. As medicine, olive leaf extracts and olive fruit extracts have been used. Speak with a healthcare provider to find out what type of product and dose might be best for a specific condition.

Other names

Common Olive, Feuille d'Olivier, Green Olive, Jaitun, Manzanilla Olive Fruit, Oleae Folium, Olive Fruit, Olive Fruit Pulp, Olive Leaf, Olive Pulp, Olives, Olivo, Pulpe d'Olive.

Disclaimer

Information on this website is for informational use only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. While evidence-based, it is not guaranteed to be error-free and is not intended to meet any particular user’s needs or requirements or to cover all possible uses, safety concerns, interactions, outcomes, or adverse effects. Always check with your doctor or other medical professional before making healthcare decisions (including taking any medication) and do not delay or disregard seeking medical advice or treatment based on any information displayed on this website.

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