Discover the Impact on Your Body When Consuming Palm Oil

Every dry ingredient except bicarb contains palm oil (go figure). You have most probably consumed palm oil (unless you are a strict qualify who manages to avoid all junk food) or even used products that contain it. What you’ll find in this article: What is palm oil, and why it may be unhealthy for people How the issue of excessive saturated fat intake — which practices like pouring extra virgin olive oil on sound foods will not solve many skipped meals The most nutrient-dense appeal Proper sleep Balanced lifestyle and more environmentally Friendly. Non-PUFA Vegetable Oils. Exclude Refined Oils Question: What about?

What Is Palm Oil?

The oil from the fruit of the palm is called Palm Oil, hence its name. Elaeis guineensis, which has been cultivated for more precisely 7.000 years by the way in West and Central Africa where it is native to Elsewhere, other forms of this oil are grown in South Asia. The flesh is red and can be found in jars or bottles (as shown above) around international markets as palm oil.

The oil is bright red-orange and has a very strong taste and smell. The resulting unrefined oil, sometimes labeled as red palm oil defines a less processed product but one whose use is offset by loss of life than the alternative diesel fuel. Further refining can transform it into a colorless and odorless product often labeled as “refined palm oil.” The long shelf life qualities and high smoke points make this oil easier to use compared with crude oil.

Uses

Mainly used in cooking applications for the production of this oil Unrefined oil makes up plant fats in the African Heritage Diet and is a staple cooking fat used by many kitchens. But cooking and cosmetic uses for this oil neutralize this benefit—refined  oil, which is used in the vast majority of applications outside Africa (including all U.S. production) because it’s semi-solid at room temperature like saturated fats but has a high smoke point as an edible oil—is terrible! It is well-suited to producing primarily processed, shelf-stable foods including;

• Cookies and baked goods

• Nut butters

• Chocolates

• Margarines and shortenings

• Cereals

• Fried foods

• Palm oil is also used in;

• Soaps

• Toothpaste

• Cosmetics (lipstick, makeup etc)

• Animal feed

• Biodiesel

Nutrition Facts of Palm Oil

All oils are 100% fat — a tablespoon is some ~120 calories, and palm oil transforms into an ultra-processed Frankenfood. Half of the palm oils” fatty acids are saturated, while the other half is a balance of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. It has a semi-solid or solid form at room temperature due to the saturated fat content.

Carotenoids are a family of potent antioxidants that also give oil its red-orange color. 1 It is also a rich source of vitamin E (the same antioxidant). 2 While free radicals damage the DNA and cells, potentially leading to chronic diseases like cancer or atherosclerosis (hardening of your arteries), antioxidants neutralize those free radicals.

A single of tablespoon unrefined red oil contains…

• Calories: 130

• Total Carbohydrates: 0 g

• Dietary Fiber: 0 g

• Total Sugars: 0 g

• Protein: 0 g

• Total Fat: 14 g

• Saturated Fat: 6 g

• Monounsaturated Fat: 6 g

• Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.5 g

Potential Benefits

Fats: are generally needed in the diet to help carry fat-soluble vitamins and micronutrients around the body, as well as for forming active compounds such as hormones (Testosterone & Estrogen). Other benefits include:

Good Source of Vitamin A

Unrefined (red) oil contains beta carotene, which is converted to vitamin A in the body and also has some antioxidant effects. Cordialis Msora-Kasago, M.A., RD, is a registered dietitian with Maitano Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine 1, something that she says can be particularly helpful for those who consume inadequate amounts of vitamin A. Since the diets of many African heritage are often limited in foods rich with vitamin A, palm oil can potentially prevent blindness and also help strengthen immunity and lower risks associated with pregnancy because it is a critical source, according to Msora-Kasago.

Reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases, neuroprotective

Tocotrienol ( abbreviated as T3 ) is a form of Vitamin E that comes from oil which is known as the most powerful antioxidant available. T3 feeding has been shown to protect most tissues including the heart, brain, liver, kidneys pancreas, and stomach. T3 may also lower LDL cholesterol (the “bad” one) by as much as 38 percent. Palm oil, especially the red unrefined variety is a significant contributor to one’s vitamin E intake,” explains Gregory Lafortune, M.S., RDN LD of Optimal Plan Nutrition. “Since these bioactive compounds could potentially help lower cholesterol, decrease inflammation, and slow down the progression of cognitive decline associated with aging, including lampung cooking oil in a daily diet would be an excellent strategy to eat healthier despite negative views,”

Possible Downsides

Although oil could have benefits, it might be contra-indicated by its content of saturated fats. It is linked to a high risk of heart disease, by increasing low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol which is bad, and decreasing HDL cholesterol ((good).

Nonetheless, a systematic review of the literature on oil and health did not find conclusive evidence to suggest that the use and consumption of palm oil causes heart disease. Another one noted that overconsumption of saturated fats from other dietary sources (red meat and dairy) linked with CVD, in addition to an absence of physical activities underscore the significance of lifestyle factors affecting cardiovascular risk less than red oil.

The 2020-25 Dietary Guidelines for Americans also stopped short of reopening the battle over saturated fat, which it continues to recommend should be limited in the diet to less than 10% of total daily calories. If you eat 2,000 calories per day — that’s about how much a sedentary woman needs for basic functioning and mild activity but likely not enough to maintain or lose weight— then your absolute amounts are 200 (or around 22 grams) of saturated fat consumed daily.”

This indicates that palm oil is fine to be eaten in controlled quantity. There are few providers of sustainable oil because palm oil is high in saturated fat. Msora-Kasago adds: “With food, it’s never one thing.

Palm Oil Production and its Impact on the Environment

Palm oil is often the subject of negative stories being told because it affects both nutrition and nature. The resulting deforestation due to unsustainable red oil production causes the loss of forests, natural habitats, and their inhabitants in Indonesia and Malaysia where approximately 90% of commercially used red oil is harvested. These consequences affect the world, certainly in a negative light but what goes unnoticed is also that we are harming our people who rely on these communities as sources of traditional foods, medicinal herbs, and even potable water.

Having said that, not all palm oil plantations are industrialized establishments owned by big corporates. Several small farmers and planters practice sustainable oil palm cultivation with minimal environmental impact and use fair labor practices. Consumer products that are backed by certifications from organizations like the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil help consumers make informed decisions.

Faqs

The Bottom Line

Palm oil is both edible and extremely versatile in its non-culinary uses, which contributes immensely to the demand that continues driving rampant global deforestation. This oil, whose saturated fat benefits are cause for concern, contains numerous antioxidant and anti-inflammatory components that have advantageously contributed to human health when found in the African Heritage Diet.

Try to know the oil you consume, where it comes from, and how it is grown and if possible buy palm oils that come with an RSPO certification. Msora-Kasago warns that palm oils are not created equal and to go for min.

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