No, you cannot eat olives directly off the tree because they contain a bitter compound called oleuropein, which makes them intensely bitter and unpalatable. Freshly picked olives straight from the branch taste very bitter and need to be cured before they become edible. Curing involves processes like soaking in brine or saltwater for several weeks, which removes the bitterness and makes the olives suitable for eating. Some people do eat fully ripe olives fresh in certain regions, but generally, curing is required to make olives enjoyable and safe to eat.
In summary, olives are not recommended to be eaten raw off the tree due to their bitterness and require curing to be edible.
