Is palm oil harmful or beneficial to one's health?
Going Palm Oil: A Healthy Choice or a Heartbreaker?
Whet your appetite with a spoonful of juicy insights!
The oil palm tree's fruit delivers a rich, harmonious blend of fatty goodness - palm oil! Its high-fat content has sparked concerns about its potential to raise cholesterol levels and ramp up the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). But fret not, folks! The science suggests otherwise. Here's the lowdown on whether palm oil is beneficial or a weight on your health, while we sprinkle in some nifty nutritional and environmental facts for good measure.
Palm Oil: A Double-Edged Sword?
In 2020, a thorough analysis set the record straight: consuming palm oil in moderation as part of a balanced diet doesn't come with any identified health dangers. It's the manner in which we embrace this oil, alongside other dietary choices, that counts.
You may have heard whispers about palm oil's saturated fat content stirring unwanted health storms. Indeed, a 13.6-gram (g) tablespoon of palm oil carries 13.6 g of fat, 6.7 g of which hail from saturated fat. Saturated fats are infamous for boosting cholesterol levels, a contributor to heart disease. But here's the kicker: the research shining a light on palm oil's influence on blood cholesterol levels hints at some intriguing advantages.
News broke in 2021 when a comprehensive review disclosed that palmitic acid, a saturated fatty acid found in both plant and animal sources, exerts less impact on blood cholesterol levels and low-density lipoprotein (LDL or "bad cholesterol") when sourced from palm oil and other vegetable origins than when sourced from animal sources.
To take it a step further, the review unmasked that a magnetic compound in palm oil, known as tocotrienols, slashes blood cholesterol levels by a whopping 7% to 38% [1]!
An earlier investigation, for its part, dug deep and found no substantiating proof to connect palm oil consumption with CVD. The researchers, however, acknowledged that charting the true link between the two variables calls for more in-depth exploration.
Can Palm Oil Make Us Healthier?
According to a 2021 investigation, palm oil exists in two main forms: red palm oil and "refined, bleached, deodorized" (RBD) palm oil, sometimes referred to as "white" palm oil.
Red palm oil boasts a higher concentration of antioxidants and micronutrients, such as:
- Carotenoids, integral components aiding in vitamin A synthesis
- Tocopherols and tocotrienols, families of vitamin E
- Plant sterols, champions in lowering bad cholesterol
- Phospholipids, vital players in cell structure and function
- Squalene, a friend to the skin [1]
The refining process associated with RBD palm oil nudges down the levels of carotenoids, vitamin E, and sterols, mitigating its health benefits.
A Helping of Palm Oil Nutrition Information
Per tablespoon, palm oil serves up:
- 120 calories
- 503 kilojoules (KJ) of energy
- 13.6g of fat, broken down as follows:
- 6.7g saturated fat
- 5.03g monounsaturated fat
- 1.26g polyunsaturated fat
- 2.16 milligrams (mg) vitamin E
- 1.09 micrograms (μg) vitamin K
What's Brewing in the Greenhouse?
Palm oil's not a seed oil; it's the fruit of the oil palm tree. As the World Wildlife Foundation (WWF) elaborates, the palm oil industry spearheads large-scale deforestation, endangering habitats of critically endangered species, and adding to global climate change. Therefore, make a difference by embracing the sustainability-focused choices offered in palm oil and its products.
The WWF implores consumers to look out for products brandishing the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certification. This global certification signals that palm oil growers and manufacturers have followed environmentally friendly practices, such as:
- Implementing firm rules to scrub deforestation and human rights infractions from their supply chains
- Ensuring transparency in their sourcing and utilization of palm oil
- Adopting certified palm oil across their global operations
Palm Oil: Seeds, Kernels, or Other Fruit?
Palm oil is no seed oil; it's the fruit of the oil palm tree, not the same as palm kernel oil, the produce of the kernel or "stone" enclosed by the fruit.
Conclusion
Palm oil, particularly red palm oil, could offer some health advantages, like lowering cholesterol levels thanks to its abundance of cholesterol-lowering plant sterols. However, moderate consumption within a balanced diet and considering environmental sustainability are your best bets. Additionally, chat with a doc to ensure that palm oil fits snugly into your health routine and doesn't clash with other medications or supplements.
[1] Linus Pauling Institute. (2022). Palm oil. Oregon State University. https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/other-nutrients/Palm-oil
Moderate consumption of palm oil, as part of a balanced diet, doesn't present any identified health risks according to a 2020 analysis.Saturated fats in palm oil have less impact on blood cholesterol levels and low-density lipoprotein (LDL or "bad cholesterol") when sourced from palm oil and other vegetable origins compared to animal sources.Tocotrienols in palm oil can lower blood cholesterol levels by 7% to 38%.No substantiating proof was found to connect palm oil consumption with chronic diseases such as CVD, but more in-depth exploration is required.Red palm oil contains higher concentrations of antioxidants, vitamins, and other nutrients compared to RBD palm oil.The refining process associated with RBD palm oil diminishes its health benefits.Palm oil provides 120 calories, 503 kilojoules (KJ) of energy, and various fatty acids per tablespoon.The palm oil industry contributes to deforestation, endangering habitats of critically endangered species, and adding to global climate change.By looking for products with the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certification, consumers can support sustainability-focused practices in the palm oil industry.Palm oil is not the same as palm kernel oil, which is derived from the kernel or "stone" enclosed by the palm fruit.Palm oil might offer health benefits such as lowering cholesterol levels, but it's essential to consume it in moderation and within a balanced diet.Consult a medical professional to ensure that palm oil fits well into your health routine and doesn't interfere with other medications or supplements.In addition to its health benefits, choosing sustainable palm oil promotes environmental conservation.Sustainable palm oil consumption can be an excellent way to contribute to health-and-wellness, fitness-and-exercise, and environmental-science.The health benefits of palm oil should be weighed against its potential impact on medical-conditions, chronic-diseases, and chronic-kidney-disease.The financial implications of choosing sustainable palm oil products can intersect with personal-finance, shopping, and business, making informed decisions an essential aspect of cooking, lifestyle, food-and-drink, home-and-garden, and other areas of life.Learning about sustainable palm oil can be part of education-and-self-development, such as reading books, attending online-education, and gaining skills-training through data-and-cloud-computing and technology, as well as career-development and online-learning resources.Social-media platforms offer opportunities to spread awareness about sustainable palm oil practices and their impact on health-and-wellness, fitness-and-exercise, lifestyle, environmental-science, and more, making it a significant tool for entertainment and entertainment-businesses.
