Everything you wanted to know about palm oil but were afraid to ask

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Recently, the media have often talked about the dangers of palm oil. This product is overgrown with so many myths that we decided to figure out if palm oil is really that bad. In this we were helped by Ekaterina Kunitsa, a researcher at the department of technology of fats and fermentation products of the Kharkov Polytechnic Institute.

What is palm oil scientifically?

Palm oil is a vegetable oil that is extracted from the fruit of the oil palm. Fruits 3-4 cm in size grow on the tree in clusters, and in appearance they look like dates.

From the fruit, you can get two types of oil, different in their composition: from the pulp of the fruit - palm, and from its kernel - palm kernel. Both types of oil are used in the food industry.

Why is it solid and not liquid like other vegetable oils?

This is due to the peculiarities of the composition: in palm oil there is an increased content of saturated fatty acids, which give it such a consistency.

Why have companies started using palm oil for food?

There is nothing wrong with that. In fact, replacing animal fats (in particular dairy) in dairy products with specialized fats based on palm oil does no harm.

Palm oil even has some benefits. Compared to milk fat, it contains 87 times less cholesterol. This is especially important for people with cardiovascular disease.

Why is it so cheap?

Because the yield of oil palm is much higher than sunflower - more than 8 times.

In what products is palm oil appropriate?

It is appropriate for use in all foods that contain fat.

Why is it so criticized in the media?

These are, let's say, manifestations of business interests, since palm oil itself cannot do any harm. Absolutely any product can be both a medicine and a poison at the same time - it all depends on the quantity. Therefore, the use of palm oil in nutrition, replacing animal fats with it is a reasonable alternative. But the consumer should know that the product contains vegetable fat, this should be reflected in the labeling. Otherwise, it is a consumer deception.

Is palm oil good for you?

Palm oil is a natural fat containing useful substances: provitamin A, vitamin E (in the form of tocopherol and tocotrienol), coenzyme Q₁₀.

Tocotrienols (a type of vitamin E) found in palm oil are found in only a handful of foods: rice bran and wheat germ.

How much palm oil can you consume?

Everything within the framework of a balanced diet. Palm oil is a fat, and your diet needs to be balanced between proteins, fats and carbohydrates.

In Russia there is a GOST for palm oil. Palm oil used for food production must comply with the requirements of this regulation.

How does palm oil affect the taste of a product?

Palm oil, like most vegetable oils, is purified and refined. Refined palm oil does not have a distinct taste, color, or odor.

As you can see, the media hype around palm oil is nothing more than a myth.

Palm oil does not affect the taste of food and does not pose a hazard, so its use as an ingredient in food is quite appropriate. And due to its lower cholesterol content, it is healthier for people with cardiovascular diseases than animal fats.