Everything you wanted to know about palm oil, but were afraid to ask
Food / / December 19, 2019
Recently, the media often talk about the dangers of palm oil. This product has acquired so many myths that we decided to find out whether the palm oil is so bad really. In this we were helped by Catherine Marten - Researcher, Department of Technology of fats and fermentation products of the Kharkov Polytechnic Institute.
Catherine Marten
Researcher Department of fat technology and fermentation products NTU "Kharkov Polytechnic Institute". Candidate of Technical Sciences
What is palm oil from a scientific point of view?
Palm oil - a vegetable oil, which is extracted from the fruit of the oil palm. 3-4 cm sized fruits grow in clusters on the tree, but in appearance they are like dates.
From the fruit can get two types of oil, different in its composition: from fruit pulp - palm, and of its nucleus - palm. Both types of oil used in the food industry.
Why is it solid, not liquid, like other vegetable oils?
This is due to the composition: palm oil increased content of saturated fatty acids, that give it a consistency.
Why do companies have to use palm oil for the production of products?
Nothing wrong with that. In fact, the replacement of animal fats (particularly dairy) in milk-products to specialized fats based on palm oil does not bring any harm.
Palm oil has even some advantages. Compared with milk fat it contains 87 times less cholesterol. This is especially important for people with diseases of the cardiovascular system.
Why is it so cheap?
Because oil palm yields much higher sunflower - more than 8 times.
In the production of any products appropriate to the use of palm oil?
It is appropriate to use in all foods that contain fat.
Why it is subjected to such criticism in the media?
It is, so to speak, the manifestations of business interests, as palm oil itself can not bring harm. Absolutely any product can be a drug and a poison at the same time - it all depends on the amount. Therefore, the use of palm oil in the diet, replacing them in animal fats - is a reasonable alternative. But consumers should be aware that the product contains in its composition of vegetable fat, this should be reflected in the marking. Otherwise, this is cheating the consumer.
It is useful to whether the palm oil?
Palm oil - is a natural oil containing the nutrients: provitamin A, vitamin E (in the form of tocopherol and tocotrienol), coenzyme Q10.
Tocotrienols (vitamin E variant) contained in palm oil, there is only a small number of products: rice bran and wheat germ.
How much can be consumed palm oil?
All within a balanced diet. Palm oil - a fat, in the diet is necessary to maintain a balance of proteins, fats and carbohydrates.
In Russia, there GOST for palm oil. Used for food production palm oil must meet the requirements of the normative document.
As palm oil affects the taste characteristics of the product?
Palm oil, like most vegetable oils subjected to purification, refining. Refined palm oil has a pronounced taste, color or odor.
As you can see, the hype around the palm oil, inflated by the media, nothing more than a myth.
Palm oil does not affect the taste properties of products and assumes no danger, so its use as an ingredient in foods is appropriate. And thanks to the reduced levels of cholesterol, it is useful for people with diseases of the cardiovascular system than animal fats.