Introduction

Palm oil is a versatile tropical vegetable oil that is popular worldwide. It has been controversial in terms of its health and environmental impact in recent years. This article explores the different types of palm oil and their uses, possible health effects and environmental concerns. 

What is palm oil? 

Palm oil is a vegetable or plant-based oil produced from the fleshy part of the African oil palm fruit, Elaeis guineensis or South American oil palm fruit, Elaeis oleifera.^1,2 It is locally and commercially made in West African countries like Nigeria, as it is an indispensable part of their cuisine. However, Indonesia and Malaysia dominate the international market as the leading commercial producers.³ It is mainly used for cooking and is found in processed food, animal feed, cosmetics and biofuel production.⁴

As an edible oil, palm oil is used in⁵

• Baking
• Frying
• Cooking soups
• Making chocolate, whipped cream and candies
• Making margarine and non-dairy products such as plant-based cheese options, ice cream and ghee.
• Making instant noodles and oatmeals
• Dietary supplements 

Types of palm oil and their uses

There are two main types of palm oil; 

• Unrefined palm oil
• Refined palm oil

Unrefined palm oil

Unrefined palm oil is also called:

• Crude palm oil
• Red palm oil (most common name)

In its unrefined state, palm oil is dark red or deep orange, hence called as red palm oil. It has a characteristic strong odour and taste which isn't much appreciated in Western and non-West African cuisine.⁵ It is semi-solid at room temperature. On heating, red palm oil changes to a clear red-orange liquid.

Red palm oil is a staple in West African countries like Nigeria. It is mostly made locally for sale in markets. 

Red palm oil contains  fat, vitamin E, carotenoids- which give it its red colour- and phytosterols.^5,6 

Red palm oil is used for:

• Cooking local West African meals like jollof rice, egusi soup and tomato stew
• Making soap and detergent 
• Making animal feeds
• Manufacturing biofuel
• Making beauty products 
• Producing infant formulas 

Refined palm oil

Mainly commercially, crude palm oil is refined to improve its appearance, taste and versatility. In the process of refining, palm oil loses its nutrients like carotenoids and vitamin E.^1,5

Refined palm oil has three main types, which are: 

• Refined, bleached and deodorised (RBD) palm oil
• RBD palm olein
• RBD palm stearin

Refined, bleached and deodorised (RBD) palm oil

Red palm oil is refined to remove impurities, bleached to remove its red colour and deodorised to remove its “undesirable” smell and flavour. RBD oil has a light yellow colour and a bland taste. It is semi-solid at room temperature and melts to a clear yellow liquid when heated.⁵ Palm oil is used in various industries, such as food and cosmetics.

RBD palm olein 

Palm olein is the clear yellowish liquid part of RBD palm oil. RBD palm oil is further processed to extract palm olein, which contains 44% saturated and 56% unsaturated fats. It is liquid at standard temperature and has a high smoke point of about 230°C, meaning it can withstand high heat. Because of these characteristics, palm olein is ideal for frying (especially in fast food restaurants). Palm olein can further be processed to super olein, which is used for preparing mayonnaise.⁵ 

RBD palm stearin

Palm stearin is the solid fraction of RBD palm oil, with a higher saturated fat content of 68% and a lower unsaturated fat content of 32%. It has a high melting point. It is a white solid that melts into a clear yellow liquid when heated. It is used to make shortenings (used in baking), spreads, soap, and candles.⁵ 

Palm oil's nutrient content 

Palm oil, refined or unrefined, is 100% fat. A tablespoon (13.6g, of palm oil, which gives around 120kcal (503kJ) of energy, has the following fat profile:⁷

• Total fats = 13.6g
  • Total Saturated fats = 6.7g
  • Total Unsaturated fats = 6.29g
    • Monounsaturated fats  = 5.03g
    • Polyunsaturated fats  = 1.26g

Palm oil is rich in vitamin E, and a tablespoon can give you 14% (2.16mg) of the daily value (15mg).^7,8 However, unlike refined palm oil, red palm oil has a  profile which is filled with carotenoids and other antioxidant substances, vitamin E and phytosterols.^5,6 

Health benefits of consuming palm oil:

Palm oil is an abundant source of antioxidants

Red palm oil contains vitamin E and carotenoid content, while refined palm oil retains much of its vitamin E content and some or none of its carotenoids.^1,5,6,9 

One primary function of vitamin E (tocopherols and tocotrienols) is to protect your body from oxidative damage. Antioxidants are nutritional substances that neutralise free radicals that cause damage to body organs. Tocopherols, tocotrienols (more abundant in palm oil than any other source) and carotenoids (especially beta-carotene and lycopene) are potent antioxidants.^8,10 Red palm oil contains other antioxidants like ubiquinones, squalene and polyphenols.¹ 

Antioxidants help to reduce your risk of chronic illnesses such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes and neurological disorders (disorders of the brain, spine and nerves).¹⁰ 

It may improve your heart health

Research suggests that red palm oil may help protect your heart against diseases like atherosclerosis (buildup of fats in the arteries that can cause blockage), hypertension and ischaemic heart disease.¹¹ This is probably because red palm oil contains antioxidants and phytosterols. Phytosterols help lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) “bad" cholesterol associated with heart disease and stroke. Red palm oil also increases High-density lipoprotein (HDL) “good" cholesterol, which lowers your risk of heart disease and stroke.^1,12

Rich in provitamin A (beta-carotenes)

Aside from their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory (helps reduce inflammation) properties, beta-carotene in red palm oil is converted to vitamin A in the body.^10,13 

Vitamin A is essential for eye, immune, reproductive and heart health.¹³ Red palm oil is being explored as a possible option for preventing and treating vitamin A deficiency as it increases vitamin A (retinol) in the body and improves the eye-related symptoms of vitamin A deficiency.^11,14 

A rich source of vitamin E

All forms of palm oil provide a substantial amount of vitamin E.⁹ In addition to being a powerful antioxidant, vitamin E⁸ 

• Boosts your immune health, protecting you from infections and diseases 
• regulates cell growth and division (cell proliferation), promoting proper growth and probably helping to reduce the risk of cancer 
• prevents blood clots in blood vessels, protecting you from cardiovascular diseases 

Improves absorption of fat-soluble vitamins

Vitamins A (essential for eye health), Vitamin D (necessary for bone health), Vitamin E (immune booster) and Vitamin K (promotes blood clotting to prevent excessive bleeding) are vital for maintaining a healthy body system. Palm oil is all fat, and these vitamins use fat to get into your body and perform their functions properly.¹⁵ 

Other health benefits 

According to research, red palm oil may help:¹¹ 

• Prevent bleeding
• Reduce your risk of cancer
• Protect against infection
• Improve fertility
• Manage diabeteschemotherapy.

Health risks of consuming palm oil

It might increase your risk of cancer

Palm contains a high amount of glycidyl fatty acid esters, 3-MCPD (3-monochloropropanediol) and 3-MCPD esters. These substances can cause cancer and mutation in humans.¹⁶ 

May contribute to an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases

Although it increases HDL cholesterol (good for your heart), palm oil is suspected to be bad for your health because it has a high saturated fat content, which increases LDL cholesterol (harmful for your heart). However, studies on the effects of saturated fats on the risk of cardiovascular diseases are conflicting.^17,18 

According to a study, no substantial proof exists that consuming palm oil can directly put you at risk of cardiovascular diseases.  However, another study proves that palm oil causes a higher increase in LDL cholesterol than vegetable oils low in saturated fat. Hence, consuming palm oil in moderation or choosing low saturated fat oils may be beneficial.^9,17,18  

Moderation and balanced consumption

As palm oil consumption continues to increase, its health impact remains an ongoing debate. Palm oil can't be directly held responsible for negative health effects such as increased risk of cardiovascular diseases since your whole diet would be considered. To be on the safer side, you should adopt a balanced diet that is low in saturated fat and tailored to your health needs. 

Moderate palm oil consumption has been found to have no adverse effect on one's health. Hence, you should consider incorporating palm oil into your diet while ensuring you’re safe. One way to do this is to blend palm oil with low saturated fat vegetable oils like olive oil to make meals.⁹  

Environmental impact 

The cultivation of palm oil has led to deforestation, which is:¹⁹

• Destroying the natural habitats of endangered species like the orangutan, pygmy elephant and Sumatran rhino
• Contributing to climate change. 

The exploitation of workers and child labour are also issues that have been associated with commercial palm oil cultivation.¹⁹ 

To ensure you're buying quality palm oil products from sustainable brands and assist in the fight against unfavourable palm oil cultivation practices, look for products with certifications like the Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certification. 

Summary 

Palm oil is widely used worldwide for various purposes, including cooking and making food products commercially  (the most popular use), producing beauty and laundry products and manufacturing biofuel. Although there are mixed views and evidence on the health effects of consuming palm oil, it is possibly good for your heart, brain and other organs without adverse effects when consumed in moderation. In doing your bit for environmental health, you should only patronise sustainable palm oil brands.