Palm Oil

Contradictory judgments about the effect of palm oil, whether it is harmful or beneficial to health, we will try to research the benefits of palm oil and its harmful and nutritional value in this article

Palm oil has a wide debate about the usefulness of human health or the damage it causes. In this article, we will discuss the characteristics of this oil and examine its benefits and damages.

What is Palm Oil?

Palm oil is derived from the fruits of palm trees. It has an orange-red color in its non-refined natural form.

Today, central palm oil is manufactured in Southeast Asia, where Malaysia and Indonesia produce more than 80% of the world's oil consumed.

Palm oil is a solid oil at room temperature as coconut oil, but its melting point is 35 degrees Celsius, which is higher than the melting point of 24-degree coconut oil.

Palm oil is one of the most popular oils in the world because it is the least expensive for the consumer. It differs from palm kernel oil, making the first of the same fruit while the second is the solid seed.

How to use Palm Oil?

First, palm oil has a earthy taste, with some resembling carrots or pumpkin, and it tastes very much like West African spices, especially curries and hot dishes.

In addition, palm oil is used in the manufacture of foods with soft texture such as peanut butter and fat chocolate, to protect the rest of the oils from separation from the rest of the compounds.

Palm oil can also be found in other non-food manufactured products, such as toothpaste and cosmetics, and even with fuel as an alternative source of energy.

Benefits of palm oil

Palm oil is associated with many health benefits to the human body, both in the health of the brain and heart and even improve the level of vitamin A in the body:

1-Palm oil and brain health

Palm oil contains tocotrienols, a form of vitamin E that has anti-oxidant properties that may support brain health.

Thus, palm oil may help prevent the brain from developing dementia and from risks such as stroke and brain cancer.

2- Heart health

Despite the controversy over the impact of palm oil on the heart, you may be surprised that it is attributed to the promotion of heart health, which works to reduce the harmful cholesterol and increase the level of good blood.

In a study comparing palm and olive oil, eating two tablespoons of each type per day resulted in an equal reduction in the level of LDL cholesterol of 15 percent, which explains the treatment of palm oil as the tropical alternative to olive oil.

3. Palm oil enhances the level of vitamin A

As mentioned previously, red palm oil contains the beta-carotene, which the body converts to vitamin A and absorbs.

Palm oil is an easy source for vitamin A absorption. A study of cystic fibrosis patients who have difficulty digesting fat-soluble vitamins has found vitamin A levels to rise as a result of oil consumption.

It is important to note that carotenoids are present in red palm oil only and are lost by oil when processed during manufacturing.

Palm oil damages

In fact, no damage from natural palm oil, which is not exposed to heat, has been established during studies.

However, the process of heat treatment to withdraw its color and improve its texture and use in the manufacture of food, lead to a change in the composition and therefore a source of danger, especially on heart health.

A repeat of the frying of palm oil is also beneficial for heart health. A study found that mice who ate food containing palm oil were repeated frying by developing large plaques in the artery, which are associated with heart disease.