Is consuming palm oil good or bad?

[Retro]

Palm oil is found in so many foods available at the supermarket that it's virtually impossible to avoid. It's also a controversial food when it comes to health and the environment, so here's a couple of articles from reputable sources to help you make up your mind.

My takeaway from this is that it's ok to eat, but has some terrible environmental consequences due to the abuses* by producers of palm oil. However, there are a handful of more ethical ways to get hold of it if you need to buy bottles of it for cooking.

Does Palm Oil Have Health Benefits?

Palm oil is a popular oil found in many foods. While it may have some health benefits, its production has major environmental and ethical concerns.

www.healthline.com

Palm Oil: Are There Health Benefits?

Find out what the research says about palm oil, who should avoid it, and how it may affect your health.

www.webmd.com

*As usual, wherever there's big money, especially in exploiting natural resources, there's corruption.

 

[live627]

Use orangutan oil.

 

[Mars]

I have also read research regarding the health benefits/harm of palm oil, and found the information confusing and contradictory; ultimately opting to stay away from the stuff.
On one hand it 'may' promote heart health, on the other hand it increases cholesterol levels and linked to atherosclerosis?! No thank you, they can keep it.

Rich in vitamin E? So what, we can get our vitamin E easily and safely from a host of other foods, take almonds, spinach, peanuts, mango, eggs, to name but a few.

Helps in the absorption of vitamin A? No big deal really, any oil will do that, vit. A is fat soluble.

And if all this is not enough, the ensuing deforestation and leveling of land for this monoculture is not something I aim to support.
As usual, wherever there's big money, especially in exploiting natural resources, there's corruption.

Too true!

 

[Tiffany]

I try to avoid palm oil, but on occasion, I give in for the treat that has it. Purist believe that all seed oils and vegetable oils are really bad for you. The oils stay in your cell walls permanently, cause AGES and often cancers later. I don't know, I like my Cascadian Farm Graham Crunch cereal, it has sunflower oil. I don't think I can give it up.

As always, @Mars you're spot on!

 

[Uncrowned]

I have also read research regarding the health benefits/harm of palm oil, and found the information confusing and contradictory; ultimately opting to stay away from the stuff.
On one hand it 'may' promote heart health, on the other hand it increases cholesterol levels and linked to atherosclerosis?! No thank you, they can keep it.

Rich in vitamin E? So what, we can get our vitamin E easily and safely from a host of other foods, take almonds, spinach, peanuts, mango, eggs, to name but a few.

Helps in the absorption of vitamin A? No big deal really, any oil will do that, vit. A is fat soluble.

And if all this is not enough, the ensuing deforestation and leveling of land for this monoculture is not something I aim to support.
As usual, wherever there's big money, especially in exploiting natural resources, there's corruption.

Too true!

This seems to sum it up. Some health benefits that can be acquired elsewhere and it is probably a negative effect if overused. Sadly, the few news and media reports that is it a superfood or the like will result in more destruction than anything good research can counter.

 

[Mars]

I try to avoid palm oil, but on occasion, I give in for the treat that has it. Purist believe that all seed oils and vegetable oils are really bad for you. The oils stay in your cell walls permanently, cause AGES and often cancers later. I don't know, I like my Cascadian Farm Graham Crunch cereal, it has sunflower oil. I don't think I can give it up.

As always, @Mars you're spot on!

@Tiffany, as you say, purists demonize all seed oils, but then most purists' preaching tend to be one-sided and blinkered, in one way or another.
The negative reviews of seed oils should come with a caveat: those oils release harmful compounds such as free-radicals, produce AGEs, only when oxidized thru repeated heating and re-heating.
A little cold-pressed, preferably organic, seed oils, such as sunflower or sesame, sprinkled on food, are fairly harmless, as long as we don't go to town with frequent usage.
I am not familiar with your favourite cereals, but I can't imagine the sunflower oil it contains is any cause for alarm.
I mean, after all, it is not like the cereals are fried in the oil

 

[Mars]

This seems to sum it up. Some health benefits that can be acquired elsewhere and it is probably a negative effect if overused. Sadly, the few news and media reports that is it a superfood or the like will result in more destruction than anything good research can counter.

yeah unfortunately that's right. Once the media has attached the title of 'superfood' to something, then that's it; it has got its place in the hall of fame of superfoods. It is therefore - by definition - as pure and wholesome as can be, and no valid scientific arguments to the contrary will prevail.
Sad but true.