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Palm oil, also known as palm oil or palm oil, is a type of vegetable oil, which can be obtained from the tree popularly known as oil palm, but whose scientific name isElaeis guineensis, rich in beta-carotenes, a precursor to vitamin A, and vitamin E.
Despite being rich in some vitamins, the use of palm oil is controversial, because the health benefits are not yet known and due to the fact that the process of obtaining it can have a major environmental impact. On the other hand, as it is economical and versatile, palm oil is widely used in the manufacture of cosmetic and hygiene products, such as soap and toothpaste, and food products, such as chocolates, ice cream and other foods.
What is it for
Raw palm oil can be used to season or fry foods, since it is stable at high temperatures, being part of the cuisine of some places, such as African countries and Bahia. In addition, palm oil is rich in vitamin A and E, being able to promote the health of the skin and eyes, strengthen the immune system and ensure the functioning of Organs reproductive organs, in addition to ensuring a good amount of antioxidants for the body.
However, when this oil goes through the refinement process, it loses its properties and starts to be used as an ingredient in the manufacture of industrialized products, such as breads, cakes, biscuits, margarine, protein bars, cereals, chocolates, ice cream and Nutella, for example.
However, in these cases, the consumption of palm oil has no health benefits, on the contrary, as it is 50% composed of saturated fat, mainly palmitic acid, there could be an increase in cardiovascular risk, since it may be associated with increased cholesterol and the formation of clots.
Palm oil can also be used in cocoa or almond butter as a stabilizer to prevent product separation. Palm oil can be identified on the label of products with various names, such as palm oil, palm butter or palm stearin.
How to use palm oil
The use of palm oil is controversial, as some studies indicate that it may have health benefits, while others indicate that it cannot. However, the ideal is that your consumption is regulated to a maximum of 1 spoon of oil per day, always accompanied by a healthy diet. In addition, the consumption of industrialized products that contain it should be avoided, and the label of the food must always be observed.
There are other healthier oils that can be used to season salads and foods, such as extra virgin olive oil, for example. Learn how to choose the best olive oil for health.
Nutritional information
The following table indicates the nutritional value of each substance present in palm oil:
Components | Quantity in 100 g |
Energy | 884 calories |
Proteins | 0 g |
Fat | 100 g |
Saturated fat | 50 g |
Carbohydrates | 0 g |
Vitamin A (retinol) | 45920 mcg |
Vitamin E | 15.94 mg |
How palm oil is made
Palm oil is the result of crushing the seeds of a type of palm found mainly in Africa, the oil palm.
For its preparation it is necessary to harvest the fruits of the palm and cook using water or steam that allows the pulp to be separated from the seed. Then, the pulp is pressed and the oil is released, having the same orange color as the fruit.
To be commercialized, this oil undergoes a refinement process, in which it loses all its vitamin A and E content and which aims to improve the organoleptic characteristics of the oil, especially the smell, color and flavor, in addition to making it more ideal for fries the food.
Palm oil controversies
Some studies show that refined palm oil may contain some carcinogenic and genotoxic compounds known as glycidyl esters, which are produced during the refining process. In addition, during this process the oil loses its antioxidant properties, however further studies are needed to prove this.
It was also verified that the production of palm oil can cause damage to the environment due to deforestation, species extinction, excessive use of pesticides and increased CO2 emissions into the atmosphere. This is because this oil is not only used in the food industry, but also in the manufacture of soaps, detergents, biodegradable fabric softeners and as fuel in cars that run on diesel.
For this reason, an association called The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), which is responsible for making the production of this oil more sustainable.