Some unscrupulous manufacturers use palm oil in the food industry to replace animal fat, without informing the consumer about it, which indicates the deception of the consumer and adulteration of products.

Due to its chemical and physical properties, palm oil has become one of the most common types of vegetable fat in the world. It is also due to the fact that it is easily available and very cheap. Palm oil is highly resistant to oxidation, so it can be stored for a long time.

In this regard, there is an ongoing debate about palm oil: is it good for humans, or is it harmful? According to the assurances of producers, the oil can be widely used not only for baking, but also in cosmetics, industry, as well as for the treatment of various ailments. But more and more nutritionists agree that this product is the strongest carcinogen.

Palm oil is extracted from oil palms (namely the pulp of the fruit, which is first boiled and then pressed), which grow mainly in tropical countries, particularly in West Africa. In its natural form, the product is a liquid substance, has an orange-yellow color and has a rather pleasant aroma and sweet flavor. At temperatures below thirty degrees, the oil becomes solid, resembling margarine in structure. Palm oil is the only oil in the world that is called a solid vegetable oil, similar in composition to animal fats.

In its composition palm oil contains huge quantities of palmitic acid, but, despite this, it also contains other saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, in particular stearic, oleic, arachic, linoleic, myristic, lauric, etc. In addition, the oil contains vitamins E, D, K, lecithin, phytosterols, squalene, coenzyme Q10, magnesium, phosphorus and others.

This product is quite caloric, the energy value is about 900 kcal per 100 grams of product.

Is palm oil harmful?

If we talk about its benefits, the first thing to emphasize that it contains a large amount of carotenoids, the strongest antioxidants, which are of great value to the human body. Carotenoids have a positive effect on weakened hair and skin. That is why it is used by many well-known cosmetic companies.

• • Palm oil is the record holder for vitamin E, which consists of tocotrienols and tocopherol. Tocotrienols are extremely rare in plants; they fight free radicals that cause cancer.
  • Palm oil is rich in triglycerols, which are digested very quickly and when they enter the liver, they go to produce energy without entering the bloodstream. This oil is especially useful for people who don’t digest other fats well.

Also, palm oil has a lot of unsaturated fats: oleic and linoleic acids, which help to reduce blood cholesterol levels. These acids are involved in the structure of bones, joints and are good for skin health.

Provitamin A ensures the functioning of the visual analyzer, is involved in the production of the visual pigment of the retina.

So, is palm oil harmful or useful? Surprisingly, the benefits and harms of oil are comparable. For example, due to the saturated fats in the oil, if you consume it, it causes heart problems, but at the same time it contains vitamins A, E, which make palm oil useful for the prevention of heart disease and cancer. Palm oil is valued because of its linoleic acid content, but at the same time it is much less than in other oils. A combination of harmful and beneficial properties turns out? No, it’s much simpler – palm oil comes in several varieties.

Is it true that digesting this oil is a problem for people?

No, that’s a myth. Palm oil, like any other vegetable or animal oil, breaks down in the intestine into glycerol and fatty acids. A person with a healthy pancreas digests and assimilates these substances almost completely. Also, some people think that only technical palm oil is brought to Russia, which should not be eaten. This, of course, is not true either. There are regulations of the Customs Union, they determine the quality and safety of food products shipped into our country. If the oil does not meet the requirements, it is not allowed for use in the food industry.