Global demand for palm oil has increased dramatically over the past decade due to its versatile properties, such as its high melting point. It is commonly used in the chemical, cosmetic, and food industries as vegetable oil. It is obtained from the fruit of the oil palm tree.
Is Palm Oil Good for Health?
Palm oil is rich in antioxidants, one of which is vitamin E. This vitamin is critical for keeping your immune system healthy and for helping your cells communicate. Studies show that getting enough vitamin E in your diet can reduce your risk of heart disease, certain forms of cancer, and age-related macular degeneration.
Palm oil is a great source of antioxidants, however, the same aspects that make it useful may sometimes cause complications for people with certain medical conditions.
Some of the health benefits that scientific studies currently support include:
- Better Brain Health
- Promotes Heart Health
- Vitamin Absorption
Uses of Palm Oil:
palm oil accounts for roughly a third of all vegetable oils used around the planet. If that makes it sound like it must be in a lot of stuff, that’s because it is. It has been added to just about everything you might find at a beauty supply shop or grocery store that has been processed in some way.
Three-quarters of the total palm oil produced is used for food, particularly cooking oil and processed oils and fats, it is also used in cosmetics, cleaning products, and biofuel.
Here is a list of some of the many common household products that use palm oil in their products:
- Foods that benefit from having a creamy or smooth texture or taste, like cookies, chocolate and ice creams
- Foods that need some kind of stabilizing ingredient, like peanut butter and hazelnut spreads
- Ingredients that might stick together without it, like pizza dough
- Certain pre-cooked foods, like instant noodles
- Certain foods that require a different fat
- Cosmetics and personal care products, such as shampoos, conditioners, soap or lipstick
- Household cleaners, like laundry detergents
- Biofuel and biodiesel
