Time to throw away your cream cheese, margarine, and butter… and make room for a healthful, naturally anti-inflammatory spread. Follow the cholesterol-fighting way of the Mediterranean diet and get yourself a can of Kalamata Olive Spread!    

   Kalamata Olive Spread is a smooth, savory condiment that combines the pungent aroma of pressed Kalamata red olives with capers, aged red wine vinegar, garlic, grape juice, herbs, and, in the more preferable brands, extra virgin olive oil (EVOO). This tapenade is ideal for spreading on bread, sandwiches, and bruschetta, or even for tossing with pasta. Unlike a teaspoon of butter (5g), which has 36 calories, purely from fat, 3 g saturated fat (the “bad” kind that can cause heart disease), 4 g total fat, and 11 mg cholesterol[i], Kalamata olive spread is naturally cholesterol- and saturated-fat-free, with only 15 calories from fat and 2 g total fat per serving. Plus, many will agree that it takes better and contributes a palatable, tangy zest to sandwiches and dips.    

   When you’re bored at home and looking for something to munch, grab a handful of your favorite vegetables (CitySlim recommends the low-calorie carrot and celery sticks) and dip into a serving of this tasty red spread. Watch out though, if you have high blood pressure, because the only downside to choosing olive spread over a salt-free butter, is, (have you guessed yet), the high sodium content. With ~150 mg of sodium per serving (or teaspoon), you definitely don’t want to get carried away. Just measure out the portion in advance and spread as much as you can, as far as you can, to cover whatever it is you’re eating. On the plus side, olive spread has so much flavor that only a hint of it is needed to make an impact on your snack or meal.   

   Look for the Peloponnese brand, available at most supermarkets. This product contains the powerful EVOO, a well established component of a healthful diet.[ii] Preliminary research now shows that EVOO may work in the same way as ibuprofen, the active ingredient in Motrin and Advil.[iii] A compound called oleocanthal in EVOO has been shown to inhibit cyclooxygenase enzymes in the synthesis of pro-inflammatory prostaglandins, just as ibuprofen does. [iv] For people with rheumatoid arthritis, other inflammatory conditions, muscle pain, or even a headache, EVOO shows much promise. Now, for about $5, you can potentially reduce inflammation, lower your risk for heart disease, and enjoy a delectable snack with your own can of Kalamata olive spread!

[i] Nutrition Data Website. http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts-C00001-01c2000.html

[ii] Wahle KW et al. Olive oil and modulation of cell signaling in disease prevention. Lipids 39:12, 2004.

[iii] Mahan LK and Escott-Stump E. Krause’s Food & Nutrition Therapy, 12e. Saunders, Elsevier, 2008, p. 1055.  

[iv] Beauchamp GK et al. Phytochemistry: ibuprofen-like activity in extra-virgin olive oil. Nature 437:7055, 2005.