This 60-calorie snack may help turn back time especially for Gen X and millennial women

Forget pricey creams and supplements, a powerful anti-aging tool is probably sitting in a jar in your pantry. The simple 60-calorie snack, rich in antioxidants, healthy fats, fiber and minerals, has been a health and beauty staple since the time of the ancient Greeks.And for Gen X and millennial women, there’s an extra perk: it could help alleviate symptoms linked to the menopause transition.They might be small, but olives are nutritional powerhouses.Grown on trees native to the Mediterranean, Asia, and Africa, the color of these tiny stone fruits changes depending on when they are picked.

Green olives are usually harvested before they’re fully ripe, while black olives are left to fully mature on the tree, according to BBC Good Food.That extended ripening time is what gives black olives the edge in the nutrient department.Think black olives are just a tasty topping? Nope.

These bite-sized flavor bombs are loaded with age-fighting nutrients that do more than just spice up your charcuterie board.Loaded with antioxidants like polyphenols, black olives help neutralize harmful free radicals in the body.When these unstable molecules run rampant, they cause oxidative stress, a process that damages cells, accelerates aging, and increases the risk of serious health problems like heart disease and stroke.Black olives also deliver a hefty dose of vitamin E, which helps support cell function and protects the skin from sun damage — a major contributor to premature aging.Your skin gets an extra boost from oleuropein, a compound found in black olives that can stimulate cell regeneration and promote collagen production.

This helps reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, giving your skin a youthful glow.But olives don’t just protect your skin from the effects of aging.Those same polyphenols help combat oxidative stress in the brain — a factor linked to cognitive decline and neurodegenerative diseases.

Black olives also contain oleic acid, a healthy fat that...