Why has it taken so long you might ask? That’s an easy one. Food manufacturers and their shareholders love polyunsaturated oils. Partially hydrogenated or not, they are incredibly cheap to produce and make the bottom line very attractive to corporate shareholders.
Fortunately, there is a healthy fat that can be used in processed foods in place of those nasty polyunsaturated vegetable oils that meets the profit demands of food company shareholders and also satisfies the ever growing consumer clamor for a healthy, traditional fat.
That fat is palm oil.
Wary consumers such as myself have been delighted to see palm oil becoming a more frequent player on the ingredients list of all sorts of packaged foods in recent years. The different types of palm oil can be confusing, however. Are they all equally healthy, you might wonder?
Many Names for Palm Oil – Are You Confused?
The names I’ve seen used are palm oil, palm fruit oil, and palm kernel oil. There is also red palm oil which is a very strong tasting oil that can be purchased for home cooking in ethnic grocery stores. It is not used in processed foods, at least the ones I’ve examined.
I like to keep explanations simple as overly complicated things will rarely be remembered. This is especially true at that critical moment when you are about to decide in the store whether or not to buy a food based on what you see on the label.
The bottom line is that palm oil is a healthy fat regardless of the name used on the label. Palm oil, palm fruit oil, and palm kernel oil are all just fine and dandy.
The difference is the amount of saturated versus monounsaturated fat in the various types of palm oil. This variation is determined by the part of the palm fruit from which the oil is obtained.
Palm oil (Palm Fruit Oil) Benefits
Palm oil is derived from the fleshy part of the palm fruit. Hence, it is sometimes referred to as palm fruit oil.
It is approximately 50% saturated fat and 40% monounsaturated fat (oleic acid – the same type of fat in olive oil). The remaining 9-10% is polyunsaturated fat in the form of linoleic acid. This is a very low amount of these inflammatory type of fat, which is excellent.
Neither saturated nor monounsaturated fats are easily damaged by processing so this fat is a healthy shortening to include in a snack item.
The mild flavor and pale color of palm oil also works well for blending with a variety of foods.
Palm Kernel Oil Benefits
Palm kernel oil is derived from the hard and innermost, nutlike core of the palm fruit. It contains 82% saturated fat, much higher than regular palm oil.
The remainder is about 15% monounsaturated fat and only 2% polyunsaturated fats. Both of these amounts are significantly lower than palm oil.
Palm kernel oil is healthier than regular palm oil for 2 reasons.
Closer to Coconut Oil
First, the higher amount of saturated fat makes palm kernel oil a closer match to coconut oil than palm oil. This is a good thing as I try to limit the amount of monounsaturated fats in my diet as they can contribute to weight gain. In 1994, the journal The Lancet published a study which noted that fat tissue is primarily composed of monounsaturated fat. Could this be a contributing reason for middle age weight gain that is so common in Mediterranean countries (Eat Fat Lose Fat, p.70)? Being of middle age, this is definitely something that I watch out for!
Rich in Lauric Acid
Secondly, palm kernel oil is a rich source of lauric acid, that magical medium chain saturated fat that is highly antimicrobial. It is specially produced by the mammary gland for a breastfeeding baby to ingest and benefit from.
Coconut oil is also high in lauric acid which is one reason it is such a wonderfat being studied by scientists all over the world for it’s anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal properties. This characteristic is particularly valuable in the face of the worrisome problem of increasing antibiotic resistance.
Hence, if I can get a food that includes palm kernel oil versus a similar one that has palm oil, I will personally choose the palm kernel oil every single time. Note that food manufacturers remove some or all of the lauric acid from MCT oil. It is also called liquid coconut oil, but it does not confer the same benefits.
Is Palm Oil Sustainable?
There is a downside to all forms of palm oil and that is the issue of sustainability. Deforestation to make way for palm plantations is certainly an extremely troubling environmental concern as is the loss of habitat for the orangutans in some locations such as Borneo.
As a result, it is important to support companies that use a sustainable source of palm oil so that your food dollars do not contribute to these environmental problems.
Another alternative is to just make as many of your snacks at home as you can using traditional fats that you have sourced yourself from reliable, green manufacturers.
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
Related Information
Coconut Sugar: A Healthy and Sustainable Sweetener
Five Healthy Fats You Must Have in Your Kitchen
Walnut Oil: Healthy Sub for Flax Oil
Dr. Oz Gets it Really Wrong about Pumpkin Seed Oil
Selecting a Healthy Cooking Oil and Reusing it Safely
Caution When Using Chicken Fat for Cooking
Coconut Oil Stops Strep from Damaging Tooth Enamel
What about palm shortening?? I have a giant tub of it and use it as a shortening replacement and to fry some things.
Palm shortening is fine 🙂
Be sure to double check that the manufacturers haven’t slipped some cheap oils in there though … be sure it is ALL palm oil!
Wouldn’t palm shortening be hydrogenated?
Yes it is Marilyn the very worst oil for causing heart disease.
It is positively identified as causing people to die from cholesterol build up in the arteries, having been brought on by food manufacturers ushering in the era of people dropping by the millions of heart attacks.
Not only is it hydrogenated it’s partially hydrogenated the absolutely worst shortening. Turning palm oil into shortening it has to be partially hydrogenated as this makes it a solid. Unrefined cold pressed palm oil is a semi liquid at just bellow room temp.
Partially hydrogenated palm oil is found in thousands of baked goods, processed foods. To live healthily its best to avoid it at all cost. The worst offenders are biscuits pastries etc the long life kind found on super market shelves.
Animal shortening with minimum processing or additives like pure rendered beef lard is in fact much MUCH healthier in very limited amounts. Too much along with carbs salt sugar etc causes obesity too and all the chronic side affects involved including heart disease.
As oils go organic peanut, canola or sunflower unsaturated oils are better for healthy baking easily available where I live at least.
Be very wary of products that just say “vegetable fat” it could be partially hydrogenated palm shortening.
The sad thing is a lot of Asian producers are trying to promote palm oil with totally unreliable information about its green foot print and its health benefits. Of course paying for its promotion on the internet too.
All palm oil in processed products is partially hydrogenated. So when someone reads a label and they indeed do see palm oil mentioned can be misled into thinking its healthy. It never is.
I’m also curious about palm shortening.
Oh. I see you responded already. Thanks! Why does it go by a different name?
Perhaps because palm oil looks like Crisco shortening at room temperature?? Palm oil isn’t liquid when you buy it at the store .. it’s creamy and white in a tub and hence has a more shortening type of consistency.
There is a big anti-palm oil movement in Australia because of the sustainability issues. Particularly the loss of habitat to the orangutans. How do yo know if it’s sourced sustainably?
Yeah, that’s my concern – the loss of orangutan habitat is tragic. Not long ago, I saw jars of palm oil at Walgreen’s in the suppliments section and this is in the Midwest.
Palm oil is going mainstream.
If you have not already found the answer to question, you can go to http://www.rspo.org and they have a list of companies that use sustainable or that are in the process of switching to sustainable. This is a long process and one that is not cheap, but desperately needs to be made.
So when is sunflower oil ok to use? I noticed you said this oil gets rancid. I’ve been frying and baking with it. The only organic corn chips I can find have sunflower oil. Suggestions?
Don’t buy store bought chips.
Sunflower oil should only be used cold, and preferably you should make it yourself with an oil press. Why not just stick to the traditional stable oils for cooking, and use olive oil for cold preparations?
Make your own chips… fry in animal fat. Or just use veggie sticks instead of chips…
Promoting the use of palm oil encourages the production of it in Indonesia, where rain forests are clear cut (and burned) in order to build palm oil plantations. The plight of the orangutans is just simply depressing and heart breaking – they are burned alive when the forests are burned down or killed in the logging process. There are numerous photos of orangutans suffering online – just google orangutans palm oil plantations, and you’ll find plenty. Which is why I don’t understand promoting the use of palm oil without expressly pointing out that there is a movement and label out there to identify “orangutan friendly palm oil”! CBS had a news story on it back in August: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18563_162-57500599/the-orangutan-population-is-on-the-brink/
If you want to use palm oil or promote its use in processed food products, support the education and promotion of orangutan friendly stuff. A lot of people out there don’t know where palm oil comes from and just assume it’s grown like corn in Iowa. There is a highly destructive environmental and ecological factor in the main production of palm oil as it currently is produced today.
Please be a conscientious counsumer.
I buy my palm shortening from Tropical Traditions. They have a statement on their website about sustainability: http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/organic_palm_shortening.htm
I get mine from there too. I love it!
Hi Sarah, I’m confused! I’m an avid user of unrefined coconut oil for use on my body, oil pulling to cooking etc,… I use 1 tbs/ morning on an empty stomach, you get the idea.
Anyhow, I’m learning more about Red Palm Oil and its benefits. What is better coconut oil or red palm oil? I like to incorporate both. Mainly I’m interested to use it on my skin, since the red palm oil has one of the highest amount of Vitamin E – correct? The one I’m having my eye on is from Jungle Products and made from African palm trees, no Orangutans in sight. Thx for sharing and caring. You rock!
In Brazil, in the northern areas, red palm oil is used in most traditional dishes. But you know what they are doing now? They are selling red palm oil and half of it is soybean oil. You can hardly find virgin red palm oil only. Why the heck they are doing that I don’t know???
They’re doing it because soybean oil is super cheap, but they can still command a higher price by calling it red palm oil. It’s all about greed.
I get the virgin red palm oil from TT. I always feel guilty about the environment that may be destroyed from growing the fruit or the nourishment that is taken away because the natives can’t afford to buy their own exports. I use it sparingly and don’t waste a drop (I consider using on one’s face to be incredibly selfish. Some Americans think the world revolves them and their needs.) I hate people today.
Good to know you’ve decided that YOUR use of this oil justifies the destruction of habitat and precious animals, while OTHER people’s use is despicable. Especially the infinitesimally tiny amount a person would use on her face. No wonder you “hate people today.” Get a life.
You eat what you put on your skin! Carpe diem.
using a drop of oil on your face as a moisturizer? really, that’s what’s wrong with americans? you’re the one spreading hate and stereotyping for no good reason sister…
if you’re so concerned about the environment and issues, why buy from TT when they have to ship heavy things to you which is more dependence on foreign oil and pollutes the air? instead of buying expensive palm oil why not just donate all your money to charity since you are so unselfish. ahh you are boggling my mind right now. may be the most crazy person comment i have ever seen. ahh the negativity is rubbing off on me heeeellp
I’ve seen labeling on some of my foods that states that it contains ‘non-hydrogenated’ palm oil. Does this mean if I don’t see such a labeling, that I should assume that the palm oil has been hydrogenated? I’m assuming (perhaps wrongly) that if palm oil has been hydrogenated that it has as similarly ill effects as other forms of hydrogenated oils.
Sara, what would u recommend as the best fat for helping to lubricate joints? My old reconstructed knee is killing me as I try to continue athletic pursuits
I think palm oil has got to be way more sustainable than soybean oil. Its a perrenial tree with much deeper roots than annuals and therefore will have much less costs than soybean or corn oil in terms of tilling, replanting every season, fertilization, ect. Not to mention you cannot really manually extract soybean oil, as in its not a traditional food. The oil way you can obtain oil from it is unnatural hexane extraction. Eating anything cooked in soybean oil is like eating your food cooked in a low grade of car fuel. Pretty dam stupid; people put diesel in their trucks but the crappiest grade of food oil imaginable into their bodies.
I love using red palm oil for light frying- eggs, potatoes, sweet potatoes, etc.
@Sara, I very very highly recommend Hyaluronic Acid (especially Hydraplenish).
It’s one of my favorite products. It’s the only thing that will lubricate joins properly, as well as replenish all fluidic membranes. It’s helped my wife with her joints and exercise as well.
No matter how healthful palm oil is for us, I would NEVER support the the industrialization of this product by buying it or using it any anyway. The industry has devastated rainforest and are large cause of the orangutans going extinct. Please support sustainable oils like olive oil and coconut oils as well as any other sustainable healthy oil. Say no to palm oil, please. Here are the many shades of palm oil . . . .
http://www.orangutan.com/threats-to-orangutans/
Sara hi,
The sustainability problem with palm oil is huge! Indonesian rainforests are being illegally decimated to make way for palm oil plantations to meet the need of Western snack food manufacturers, not to mention all the non-food uses of palm oil at this point. This deforestation is pushing orangutans, and Sumatran tigers and elephants to the brink of extinction. It is also not totally clear that what is being labeled “sustainable” palm oil is actually anything more than a consortium of Indonesian companies that are paying for a stamp of approval.
While the nutritional benefits are very clear, I don’t think that we can allow ourselves to be part of the destruction of a foreign country just to serve our needs! Isn’t coconut a viable alternative? There is no major destruction happening for coconut oil!
This is why you buy sustainable palm oil as I suggest in the post. There are plenty of places in the world that produce sustainable palm oil where no orangutans live.
Thank you! Here in Central Africa palm oil plantations all shut down because they couldn’t find a market. People use hand-made cranks to extract the oil with stones. Beautiful red palm oil is a staple food sold in vats in Congolese markets. No issues with orangutans whatsoever.
That is exactly what I’m looking for! I hope that becomes an option for my family. Failing small batch/family farm type situations in West Africa I may consider buying the tropical traditions palm oil that is grown in South America. But so far I just have not ever bought any. If you come up with any info on a new or current situation where those family producers’ product is being imported to America please post the info here and on any more recent posts Sarah has written about palm oil! I’d so appreciate it!
Thanks for the info, Alexey, I’ll look into it. My older athletic self is trying to kill it in Crossfit and a “little” sore 🙂