Why You Should Be Saving The Juice In Olive Jars

Olives in olive jars come floating in olive juice. This juice (also called olive brine) is a mixture of water, vinegar, and salt (via Shelf Cooking). While you would usually use the last olive and toss the leftover juice down the drain, there are many ways in which you can put the olive juice to good use. In fact, it has many health benefits too. According to LiveStrong, olive juice contains monounsaturated fats that can help fight inflammatory diseases, lower cholesterol, improve heart health, and reduce the risk of Type-II diabetes. Along with its anti-inflammatory properties, olive juice is also high in vitamin E, which means that you can massage it onto your scalp for hair growth.

Apart from its health benefits, The Kitchn says that leftover olive juice contains heaps of flavor, much like any bottle of infused oil. Because the juice is only a mix of vinegar, water, and salt, you can use it pretty in much the same way as you would use plain vinegar or oil to finish off a dish. Safe to say, you should start adding olive juice to your everyday diet.

Olive juice has a salty, savory, and umami flavor, so it makes for an excellent marinade for meats (via Food 52). You can use it to season pork chops, marinate steaks, and make salad dressings. Olive juice can be used in place of water in pizza and pasta sauces, and as a swap for broths to add a similar depth of flavor to your dishes (via Shelf Cooking). Mediterranean cuisine frequently makes use of olives and olive juice, so a good place to start looking for leftover olive juice inspiration is in Mediterranean dishes — think hummus, olive breads, and yogurt-based dips. 

Another reason why you should definitely save the olive juice is to make dirty martinis. Create the classic drink by adding 1/2 ounce olive juice to 2 1/2 ounces of gin or vodka and 1/2 ounce vermouth (via Liquor.com). If you'd like a non-alcoholic martini with all the olive flavor, use the olive juice with carbonated water for a paleo faux martini (via The Spruce Eats). 

If you'd like to leave some of the olive juice for later, transfer it from the jar into an airtight container and it should be good to use for a week in the fridge, and for two months in the freezer.