**The Daily Dish**Tuesday Oct. 25

[Shalbrihil]

Enjoying Olives

If you love olives, you'll be happy to know that they're approved for all Phases of The South Beach Diet™! Olives are rich in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, making them a good choice when you're looking to add flavor to salads and whole-wheat pasta dishes or seeking a salty snack.

Olives come in many varieties from numerous regions of the world. The color spectrum of olives varies depending on how long they are left on the tree to mature, or ripen, as well as the curing method used. Green olives are picked early in the season, whereas black olives are fully ripe. All olives, no matter the color, contain the same good fats.

As with other snacks, it's easy to overindulge on olives if you're not paying attention. Though The South Beach Diet™ does not require you to count calories, even healthy foods can impact weight loss if you mindlessly overeat them. Therefore, it may be helpful to count out one serving of olives, generally 10 to 15 depending on their size, before diving in.