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A University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) publication on home olive pickling, revised by a UC Davis Extension specialist, explains that all types of olives come from one tree, Olea europaea, and that table olives differ mainly in how ripe the fruit is at harvest and the curing method. Freshly picked olives contain a very bitter compound, oleuropein, so every style goes through curing in brine, dry salt, water or lye before it is eaten. In USDA FoodData Central, 100 grams of the pickled green-olive entry lists about 1,556 milligrams of sodium, 68% of the FDA Daily Value. Below: ripeness stages, curing styles, olive varieties named by UC ANR, and USDA tables with FDC IDs and FDA percent Daily Value.
Peptide Labs does not sell foods. This article is general nutrition information, not medical advice.
Key Takeaways
- UC ANR describes three harvest stages for olives: green-ripe, turning color and naturally black ripe, as the fruit moves from yellow-green to rose, red-brown and finally dark red to purplish black.
- Curing removes the bitter compound oleuropein; the UC ANR publication covers water curing, brine curing, dry salt curing, lye curing, and lye curing followed by fermentation.
- The dark color of California black ripe style olives develops when green-ripe fruit is exposed to air during lye curing and natural phenolic compounds react with oxygen, UC ANR explains.
- Per 100 grams in USDA data, the pickled green-olive entry lists about 1,556 milligrams of sodium, 68% of the FDA Daily Value, and both canned ripe olive entries about 735 milligrams, 32%.
- One large canned ripe olive lists about 5 calories and 32 milligrams of sodium in USDA data.
Types of olives by ripeness at harvest
Olives are harvested at different stages of ripeness, the UC ANR publication explains: green-ripe, turning color and naturally black ripe. Mature green-ripe olives have reached their full size, release a creamy white juice when squeezed, and are usually picked when evenly colored from yellow-green to a straw color. As the fruit ripens further, the guide says, its color turns from yellow-green to rose and then red-brown; these turning-color olives are still firm.
Naturally black ripe olives are left to ripen fully on the tree until they reach a dark red to purple or black color. According to UC ANR, they release a reddish black liquid when squeezed, their flesh is nearly completely pigmented, and they bruise easily. The oil content of olives increases during ripening, and the publication says naturally black ripe olives are mainly pressed for oil; our olive oil guide covers that side of the crop.
Curing styles: how bitter fruit becomes a table olive
UC ANR explains that the most common curing processes use brine, dry salt, water or lye, and that each of them leaches the water-soluble oleuropein out of the olive flesh. Lye curing is the most rapid and efficient way to remove bitterness, the publication says, although many people find olives from lye curing less flavorful. Brined olives undergo a natural fermentation, like that of traditional dill pickles and sauerkraut, in which acids made by lactic acid bacteria naturally present on the fruit give a distinctive flavor and aroma; UC ANR notes that brined olives tend to be saltier than olives from lye curing.
The table groups the styles described in UC ANR Publication 8267 by curing method, with notes that summarize the publication.
| Olive style (UC ANR 8267) | Fruit used | Curing method | Notes in the UC ANR publication |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kalamata-style | naturally black ripe, cut | water curing | finished in a vinegar-salt brine; still slightly bitter |
| Mediterranean-style cracked | green-ripe, cracked | water curing | seasonings may be added to the finish brine |
| Greek-style, in brine | mature, fully colored | brine curing | strong brine over several months; may shrivel slightly |
| Sicilian-style, in brine | green-ripe | brine curing | seasoned brine; fermented |
| Dry salt style | fully ripe, dark red to black | dry salt curing | soft, moist, shriveled; salty and slightly bitter |
| Green, lye method | green-ripe | lye curing | firm texture and a smooth, mild taste; no fermentation step |
| Dark ripe style | green-ripe | lye curing with air exposure | brown-black color from phenolic compounds reacting with oxygen |
| Spanish-style | green to straw-colored | lye curing, then fermentation in brine | the popular cocktail olive |
Two points stand out in the UC ANR descriptions. First, the same green-ripe fruit can become very different table olives: green from the lye method, dark ripe style, Mediterranean-style cracked, Sicilian-style or Spanish-style. Second, saltiness tracks the method: the publication describes brined olives as saltier than olives from lye curing, and olives from dry salt curing as salty and slightly bitter. The Spanish-style green olive, which UC ANR calls the popular cocktail olive, goes through lye curing and then fermentation in brine, usually with a starter culture of lactic acid bacteria. Our guide to fermented foods puts brined olives next to other fermented items.
Most of California’s crop goes into canned black ripe style or California black ripe style olives, UC ANR reports, with the rest crushed for oil or processed into specialty styles.
Olive varieties named by UC ANR
UC ANR names five commercially important olive varieties grown in California, with Manzanillo the most common, plus several grown on a smaller scale in orchards and home gardens, and pairs varieties with the styles they suit.
| Olive variety (UC ANR 8267) | Notes in the UC ANR publication |
|---|---|
| Manzanillo | the most common California variety; used for lye curing and Spanish-style olives |
| Mission | oil-rich; used for dry salt curing and California black ripe style olives |
| Sevillano | very large fruit; often used for Sicilian-style fermented olives; most susceptible to chill injury |
| Ascolano | very large fruit; softens during freezing |
| Barouni | very large fruit; softens during freezing |
| Kalamata | grown on a smaller scale; used for Kalamata-style olives (water curing) |
| Picholine | grown on a smaller scale; a smaller, higher-oil variety suited to freezing |
| Hojiblanca | grown on a smaller scale in California orchards and home gardens |
Smaller olive varieties with higher oil content, such as Mission, Kalamata and Picholine, freeze well after curing, the guide says, while the very large Sevillano, Ascolano and Barouni soften. The sibling page on types of avocados covers another oil-rich fruit sorted into groups and named varieties by an extension service.
Olive sodium and nutrients in USDA data
USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy has three olive entries: ripe canned olives in small to extra-large sizes, ripe canned olives in jumbo to super colossal sizes, and pickled, canned or bottled green olive products. The percent Daily Value (%DV) compares each amount with the FDA Daily Values for adults and children 4 and older: 2,300 milligrams of sodium, 78 grams of total fat, 28 grams of fiber and 18 milligrams of iron. The first table uses USDA portions for single olives and a tablespoon.
| Olive entry (USDA FDC ID) | Serving | Calories | Sodium | Total fat | Fiber | Iron |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olives, ripe, canned (small-extra large) (169094) | 1 tbsp, 8.4 g | 10 | 62 mg (3%) | 0.9 g (1%) | 0.1 g (0%) | 0.53 mg (3%) |
| Olives, ripe, canned (small-extra large) (169094) | 1 large olive, 4.4 g | 5 | 32 mg (1%) | 0.5 g (1%) | 0.1 g (0%) | 0.28 mg (2%) |
| Olives, ripe, canned (jumbo-super colossal) (169095) | 1 super colossal olive, 15 g | 12 | 110 mg (5%) | 1.0 g (1%) | 0.4 g (1%) | 0.50 mg (3%) |
| Olives, ripe, canned (jumbo-super colossal) (169095) | 1 jumbo olive, 8.3 g | 7 | 61 mg (3%) | 0.6 g (1%) | 0.2 g (1%) | 0.28 mg (2%) |
| Olives, pickled, canned or bottled, green (169096) | 1 olive, 2.7 g | 4 | 42 mg (2%) | 0.4 g (1%) | 0.1 g (0%) | 0.01 mg (0%) |
In USDA data, one large canned ripe olive lists about 32 milligrams of sodium, one jumbo olive about 61 milligrams and one super colossal olive about 110 milligrams, 5% of the FDA Daily Value. A single pickled green olive of 2.7 grams lists about 42 milligrams of sodium in USDA data, more than the large ripe olive despite its lower weight.
The per-100-gram table below ranks the three USDA entries by sodium.
| Olive entry (USDA FDC ID) | Calories | Water | Sodium | Total fat | Fiber | Iron |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olives, pickled, canned or bottled, green (169096) | 145 | 75.3 g | 1,556 mg (68%) | 15.3 g (20%) | 3.3 g (12%) | 0.49 mg (3%) |
| Olives, ripe, canned (small-extra large) (169094) | 116 | 80.0 g | 735 mg (32%) | 10.9 g (14%) | 1.6 g (6%) | 6.28 mg (35%) |
| Olives, ripe, canned (jumbo-super colossal) (169095) | 81 | 84.3 g | 735 mg (32%) | 6.9 g (9%) | 2.5 g (9%) | 3.32 mg (18%) |
Per 100 grams in USDA data, the pickled green-olive entry lists about 1,556 milligrams of sodium, 68% of the FDA Daily Value, roughly twice the 735 milligrams listed for each canned ripe olive entry. The small to extra-large ripe entry lists 6.28 milligrams of iron per 100 grams in USDA data, 35% of the FDA Daily Value, against 0.49 milligrams for the green entry. Our list of low sodium foods shows where olives sit among salty foods, our page on salt substitutes covers lower-sodium seasoning, and our lists of high fat foods and foods high in iron compare these USDA figures with other foods.
Home curing, canning and label notes
- Home canning: UC ANR states that olives are low-acid foods, that a pressure canner must be used if they are canned at home, that a boiling water bath canner or steam canner must never be used, and that olives canned improperly at home have caused botulism.
- Daily Values: the FDA Daily Values in the tables (21 CFR 101.9) are label reference values, not personal targets.
- Packaged olives: brine, size and style change sodium from product to product, so the Nutrition Facts label on the jar or can is the figure for that product.
- Values vary: USDA SR Legacy figures are averages, and the entries name no olive variety.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the main types of olives?
UC ANR groups table olives by ripeness at harvest, green-ripe, turning color or naturally black ripe, and by curing method: water, brine, dry salt, lye, and lye followed by fermentation.
Why are fresh olives bitter?
UC ANR explains that olives picked off the tree contain a very bitter compound, oleuropein, which curing in brine, dry salt, water or lye leaches out of the flesh.
How are California black ripe style olives made?
According to UC ANR, they start as green-ripe fruit, and the brown-black color develops when the fruit is exposed to air during lye curing.
Which olive varieties are grown in California?
UC ANR names Manzanillo, Mission, Sevillano, Ascolano and Barouni as the five commercially important varieties, with Kalamata, Hojiblanca and Picholine grown on a smaller scale.
How much sodium is in an olive?
In USDA data, one large canned ripe olive lists about 32 milligrams of sodium, and one pickled green olive about 42 milligrams.
What is a Spanish-style green olive?
UC ANR describes it as the popular cocktail olive: green to straw-colored fruit that goes through lye curing and then fermentation in brine.
Questions about a label? Contact us or read our Buyer’s Guide. Food comes first; follow the label and ask a healthcare provider before starting a supplement, especially if you take medicines, are pregnant or have a health condition. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Last reviewed October 2026.
Related guides: Types of Avocados: West Indian, Guatemalan and Mexican Races, Olives: Nutrition, Benefits, Green vs Black and How They Are Made, Olive Oil Benefits: Research, Nutrition and Types of Olive Oil, Pickled Vegetables: 11 Types Ranked by Sodium in USDA Data.