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| Olive | |
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| 19th century illustration | |
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| Olea europaea | |
The olive (Olea europaea) is the fruit of the olive tree. It is an important food crop in countries around the Mediterranean Sea, and places with a Mediterranean climate.
It is a healthy food but rather fatty. It has olive oil, one of the fattiest cooking oils in use, even more than palm, canola and other vegetable oils. Olive oil is the juice made by crushing olives. It is considered to be healthier alternative to sunflower oil.
In Roman literature, the olive branch is used as a symbol of peace: "extending the olive branch". In Christianity, too, it is seen as a symbol of peace, because according to the Bible, a dove brought an olive branch to Noah to show that the flood was over. Many writers and illustrators use olive branches around text to give it greater artistic credit (a similar effect is achieved with wheat).
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