Is Palm Oil Bad For You?

What is Palm Oil?

Palm oil is derived from the fruit of the oil palm tree. There are two main types:

1. Crude Palm Oil/ Red Palm Oil: Extracted from the fleshy fruit.
2. Palm Kernel Oil: Squeezed from the seed or kernel of the oil palm fruit.

Palm oil can be categorized based on the refining process it undergoes.

• Unrefined Palm Oil (Crude or Red Palm Oil): Reddish in color, distinct in flavor, used in traditional cooking in West Africa, retains many nutrients.
• Refined Palm Oil: Undergoes multiple processing steps, has a neutral color and flavor, widely used in food manufacturing and for frying due to its high smoke point (450°F or 232°C) and stability under high heat.

Common Uses of Palm Oil

Palm oil is found in about 50% of packaged supermarket products, including:

• Foods: 67% is used in pizzas, doughnuts, chocolate, margarine, bread, cooking oils, and food for farmed animals.
• Consumer Products: 27% is used in soaps, detergents, cosmetics, deodorant, shampoo, toothpaste, and lipstick.
• Biofuel: 5% is used as biofuels for transport, electricity, or heat.

Where Palm Oil is Grown

• Thrives in tropical regions with high rainfall, adequate sunlight, and humidity.
• Major producers: Indonesia and Malaysia, with other growers in Africa, South America, and Southeast Asia.

Why Palm Oil is Widely Used?

• Versatile Properties: Semi-solid at room temperature, resistant to oxidation, stable at high temperatures, and odorless/colorless.
• Uses: Extends shelf-life, provides crispy texture in fried foods, doesn't alter the look or smell of products.

 

Nutritional Content of Palm Oil (per tablespoon, 14 grams)

• Calories: 120
• Fat: 14 grams (7g saturated, 5g monounsaturated, 1g polyunsaturated)
• Vitamin E: 14% of the Daily Value (DV)

Health Impacts of Palm Oil

Benefits

• Antioxidants: Contains carotenoids, including beta-carotene, which can be converted into vitamin A.
• Vitamin E: Supports immune health, cell communication, and reduces risks of heart disease, certain cancers, and age-related issues.

Risks

• Saturated Fat: Nearly half the calories from palm oil come from saturated fat, which can be detrimental in high amounts.
• Type 2 Diabetes: Excessive saturated fat intake can lead to liver and visceral fat accumulation, worsening type 2 diabetes.
• Cancer Risk: Potential for acrylamide formation when heated above its smoke point, which may increase cancer risk.

Alternatives to Refined Palm Oil

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• Mustard Oil: High smoke point, good for sautéing and frying.
• Olive Oil: Due to high smoke point virgin oilive oil is good for any types of cooking like sauteing, frying etc and can be reused 4 times.
• Avocado Oil: High smoke point, suitable for various cooking methods.
• Clarified Butter( Ghee) Due to high smoke point Ghee is good for any types of cooking like sauteing, frying etc.

How Do You Know If a Product Contains Palm Oil?

To avoid palm oil, check labels for:

• Palm oil, Palm kernel oil, Palmolein
• Glyceryl stearate, Sodium lauryl sulfate, Sodium palm kernelate, Stearic acid ...If these words are found in the ingredients then it means palm oil is added to it.

This article is also available on our youtube channel foodclinic_in. Just click below on the given link.

Dr. Suman Setia (BAMS DNHE PGDHHM)