Your shampoo, ice cream, margarine and lipstick all contain palm oil. It has been reported that global palm oil production has doubled in the last 10 years. In 2000, palm oil was announced by FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) as the most produced and sold vegetable oil. Palm oil, which constitutes 40% of internationally traded vegetable oils, increased to 65% by 2006. World demand for palm oil is expected to increase to 240 million tons by 2050. New plantings are being developed and existing plantings are being expanded in Indonesia, Malaysia and other Asian countries, as well as in Africa and Latin America. Palm oil comes from the fruit of the palm tree (Elaeis guineensis). It can be divided into a wide variety of oils with different properties. Palm oil is solid at room temperature.
Today, its uses are;
It is used as cooking oil
Main ingredient for most margarines
Used in confectionery, ice cream and ready meals
For liquid detergents, soaps and shampoos base
Base for lipsticks, candles and polishes
Used as an industrial lubricant
Used as biofuel
Due to its versatility, it has begun to replace animal and other vegetable oils in various products. Additionally, in addition to its versatility, oil palm is also a very productive plant. While the production amount is lower, the yield (the amount of oil produced per hectare per year) is much higher than other vegetable oils. In fact, in the food industry, unprocessed palm oil is used to prevent vitamin A deficiency, cancer, brain disease and aging; It is also used to treat malaria, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and cyanide poisoning. Palm oil is recommended to be used for weight loss and increasing the body's metabolism, but it is too early to draw full conclusions about its long-term effects.
On the other hand, palm oil, palm fruit kernel oil and coconut oil (tropical oils). ), its effects on health are debated because it is high in saturated fat. Saturated fats, heart disease It poses a risk for diabetes and increases “bad” LDL cholesterol and triglycerides. Despite all these positive properties, palm oil contains 50% saturated fat, which turns into trans fatty acids that pose a health risk when exposed to high temperatures. For this reason, palm oil found in prepackaged foods may have a carcinogenic effect.
Among the oils we recommend to be used in a healthy diet, the balance of oils such as olive oil, canola, sunflower oil and butter is important. Palm oil is less saturated than butter and contains no trans fat. But while palm oil is a better option than high-trans fat shortening and probably better than butter, vegetable oils that are naturally liquid at room temperature, such as olive oil and canola oil, should still be your first choice. Reading nutritional labels will always give you an advantage when making your packaged food choices.
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