Olives are not only rich in healthy fats but also in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory phytonutrients, making them a powerful superfood in support of heart and metabolic health Olives are one of the oldest cultivated trees worldwide, with the oldest known tree thought to be at least 2,000 — and possibly more than 3,000 — years old. The tree, known as the “olive tree of Vouves” and located on the island of Crete, still produces olives and acts as a symbol of everything olives stand for — longevity, prosperity and peace, for starters. Valued for their oil for at least 6,000 to 8,000 years, humans have been embracing olives for food, medicine, cosmetics and other uses for centuries, including using their oil to light the original Olympic torch. Pliny the Elder reportedly described olives as one of the most important plants in existence, and as noted by National Geographic, “To destroy an enemy’s …