Chaozhou Chinese Olive

Chaozhou Chinese Olive

　　Chinese olive, also known as "you gan zi," is a deciduous small tree. Its fruit is fleshy, spherical, and turns reddish-yellow or light yellow when ripe. It can be eaten raw or preserved with sugar or salt. Ideally, the fruit should be large and round, with a smooth skin, translucent flesh, and a pale yellow or reddish-yellow color. The greener the olive, the more bitter and astringent it is, often leaving a residue when chewed. Though slightly bitter upon first bite, it stimulates saliva production and tastes sweet and refreshing. Chinese olives are most abundant in summer. Their leaves are commonly used to stuff pillows for their breathability and cooling properties.

　　　　The roots, stems, leaves, and fruits of the Chinese olive all have medicinal value. In China, it has been used as a traditional herbal medicine for 2,000 years. In ancient times, the fruit was often used to treat indigestion, stomach pain, colds, toothaches, sore throats, hernia pain, dysentery, and coughs. In recent years, it has been found to also have significant therapeutic effects on hepatitis B and high blood pressure. Research has also shown that Chinese olive juice has anti-cancer and anti-aging properties—it can block the synthesis of the potent carcinogen N-nitrosamines in animals and humans, and enhance the activity of SOD (superoxide dismutase) in human red blood cells, thereby contributing to anti-aging effects. Additionally, the bark of the Chinese olive tree contains up to 22% tannin with a purity of over 70%, making it an important raw material in the chemical industry.