Why Should You Use Olive Wood Products in Your Kitchen?

Olive wood has a long history of use in homes and kitchens around the world. It is prized for its rich color and beautiful grain, but olive wood is far more than just a pretty object. It is also ideal to be made into cutting boards, bowls, plates, and other eating utensils. But why should you use olive wood products in your kitchen?

Many first-time olive wood consumers buy it for its rich blend of caramel tones rippled with dark brown grain, but it is more than it looks. Olive wood is an incredibly dense hardwood that makes it less susceptible to stains, odors, and bacteria. It can be used as cutting boards, dishes, and other common food utensils.

Still not convinced? Keep reading to discover the history of olive wood and learn why it works so well in your kitchen. We’ll share some of our favorite olive wood items and advise you on what to get for your friends.

What is Olive Wood?

Olive wood is wood harvested from the olive tree. Yes, the very same olive tree from which we get those tiny, savory green and black fruits. The olive tree is a subtropical evergreen tree that grows across the Mediterranean, from Southern Europe to the Middle East and even Northern Africa.

Before they are harvested for wood, olive trees grow to a rather meager 25 feet tall and are known for their exaggeratedly twisted and gnarled looking branches. In fact, before an olive tree reaches its full size, you could easily confuse it for an overgrown bush, which isn’t helped by their incredibly long lives.

Most olive trees will live to around 500 years old, but it is not unheard of for some trees to exceed that limit by up to two or three times. The oldest living olive tree is reported to have existed for around 1,500 years, making it one of the oldest living things in the world.

During that long life, olive wood has plenty of time to grow denser and create sultry ripples of knotted growth rings. However, if properly conditioned, olive wood can easily dry out and crack into smaller pieces. Nonetheless, it is a uniquely durable wood renowned for its longevity and useability.

Most olive wood harvests are small compared to more common woods, such as oak or pine, making it rarer and therefore more expensive but the price is well worth it. Let’s take a look at what makes olive wood more advantageous than other materials in the kitchen.

Advantages of Using Olive Wood Products in the Kitchen

Olive wood is valued not just for its beauty and rarity but also for its usefulness in the kitchen. For thousands of years, people across the Mediterranean have used olive wood to create dishes, utensils, and cutting boards entirely because of these advantages:

For all the best olive wood kitchen products, check out our unique collection of European-made bowls, ladles, cutting boards, pizza trays, and more. Our products adhere to the most stringent manufacturing standards and are crafted to delight!

What is so Great About Olive Wood Products?

Olive wood is special because it is not exactly common. Olive trees don’t grow very large and their exaggeratedly twisted branches make it difficult to harvest large sections of wood. Therefore, olive wood is far less common than other typical woods you’d find in a home kitchen. Yet, this scarcity also adds to their value.

It may seem silly to use wooden products that are seemingly rarer, but olive wood is uniquely suited for long-term use in the kitchen. It doesn’t break down over time in the same way that oak or pine does and, if you treat your olive wood products correctly, you will never have to buy a replacement!

Is it Healthy to Use Olive Wood Products?

Many home cooks are hesitant to use wooden products in their kitchens because wood has a tricky habit of absorbing liquid. Standard wooden cutting boards are more prone to cross-contamination since the wood absorbs bacteria-laced juices and water. However, you don’t have to worry about bacterial contamination with olive wood products.

Olive wood has an average specific gravity of 0.70 compared to even the densest species of pine’s 0.50 specific gravity. This means your olive wood cutting boards, pizza trays, bowls, and more are far sturdier and less likely to absorb bacteria.

Some studies have even shown that olive wood contains natural antibacterial properties. Although the exact mechanism is still unknown, researchers were able to show that after 12 hours of exposure, olive wood cutting boards showed no bacterial growth, even if scratched with a knife.

The only reason why olive wood might be unhealthy for you is if it triggers an allergic reaction. Allergies to olive wood are rare but the wood can occasionally irritate other allergies, as olive wood is known for being highly fragrant. At worst, you may suffer a case of the sneezes or a scratchy throat if you prove to be allergic to olive wood.

Why Should You Use Olive Wood Products?

Other than to maximize durability, long life, and cleanliness, you should use olive wood products in your kitchen because it is simply drop-dead gorgeous. Even if you never host a single event, you will love the detailed ripples of color and exotic textures of our olive wood pieces. When your friends come over, you can even show off by hosting a dinner party built around your olive wood products.

Check out these two show-stopping pieces of olive wood kitchenware:

Our olive wood could be the delight of your next event. Check out our other high-quality olive wood serving plates and start planning your next dinner party today!

Why Should You Gift Olive Products to Your Loved Ones?

As the holidays approach, give the gift of high-quality olive wood kitchenware to your friends and family. They will appreciate your attention to detail and benefit from owning top-of-the-line wooden kitchenware. Remember, if it is good enough for your kitchen, it is good enough to share.

Explain to your friends that our olive wood products are made from only the best 100% pure olive wood sourced straight from the Mediterranean. Every piece is crafted in Europe according to EU standards and finished in food-safe oils and conditioners.

Not sure what to get your loved ones? Take our advice and explore these amazing products:

Still can’t make up your mind? Check out the rest of our collection to find a variety of olive wood cooking spoons, cutlery, honey dippers, salad forks, lemon juicers, platers, bowls, and more. Don’t get stuck wondering what to get your loved ones before the holidays. Head on over to our new collection of kitchen products and find out what they need.

Olive wood has been used around the Mediterranean for thousands of years and for good reasons. It’s durable, tough, long-lasting, easy to clean, and outstandingly beautiful. If you haven’t already invested in top-quality olive wood kitchen equipment, head on over to our newest collection of European-made olive wood kitchenware and see what we have to offer today.