Palm oil (palm fat) is as common as plastic: we encounter it in detergents, cosmetic products, chocolate and ready meals. But palm oil is considered unhealthy – its processing can even produce carcinogenic substances. And the oil is also criticized from an ethical and ecological point of view, because rainforests are cleared for its cultivation, mainly in Southeast Asia – with serious consequences for people, animals and the environment. Here you can find out what effects palm oil has on health, in which products it is used and what alternatives there are to buying palm oil products.
What is palm oil?
Palm oil or palm fat is a vegetable oil extracted from the pulp of the oil palm tree. The oil produced from the seeds of the fruit is called palm kernel oil. Due to its high content of carotene, the oil, like the fruit, initially has an orange-red color, but this is removed during refining. This further processing also changes the taste: while crude palm oil tastes aromatic and slightly sweet, refined palm oil is almost tasteless. The oil is in great demand in industry because its cultivation is extremely profitable and cheap. It is also heat-stable, has a long shelf life and, like coconut oil, is creamy and spreadable at room temperature. It can therefore be used instead of hydrogenated fats and is a frequent additive, especially in finished foods or spreads. Because of these properties, palm oil is the most widely grown vegetable oil in the world.
Palm oil – a health hazard?
Palm oil can by no means be described as healthy. In recent years, many medical experts and consumer advocates have warned against the oil, which is now contained in about half of all finished foods. One point of criticism is the high proportion of saturated fatty acids. These can have a negative effect on blood fat levels, especially LDL cholesterol, if consumed in excess. According to medical experts, this in turn could impair the action of insulin in the body and thus increase the risk of developing diabetes. Damage to the vascular walls can also result from an excess of saturated fatty acids. A possible consequence is vascular calcification, which promotes serious diseases such as a stroke or a heart attack.
Saturated fatty acids allowed in moderation
Saturated fatty acids are not unhealthy in themselves, but should only be consumed in moderation. According to a recommendation by the German Society for Nutrition, such fatty acids should account for no more than seven to ten percent of total energy intake. The decisive factor is therefore not just the amount of a particular product eaten, but whether the ratio between saturated and polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids is right. Incidentally, it is also advisable for other reasons not to consume palm oil in large quantities. Because as a pure fat, palm oil is definitely not a slimming agent – 100 grams have about 900 kilocalories.
Carcinogens in palm oil
But palm oil is considered harmful for a completely different reason: carcinogenic substances can be produced during its processing. When palm oil is heated, harmful substances known as 3-MCPD and glycidol fatty acid esters are formed. These fatty acid esters occur in all refined (purified) vegetable oils and are therefore present in many foods. They are found, for example, in margarine, nut nougat cream or soy sauce. Of all purified edible fats, palm oil has the highest content of glycidol fatty acid esters. During digestion, glycidol can be split off from these substances, which has been classified as carcinogenic. MCPD, which can be formed from 3-MCPD fatty acid esters during digestion, is also suspected of increasing the risk of cancer. In animal studies, above a certain dose, it caused tumors as well as toxic effects to the liver, kidney and testes. Therefore, it is recommended to avoid the intake of this substance in the diet if possible.
Dangerous ingredient in baby food?
Baby food also contains the controversial 3-MCPD and glycidol fatty acid esters. But their formation during the production of infant formula is currently considered unavoidable. This is because infant formula must contain certain fatty acid patterns similar to those found in breast milk. The fats required for this have to be purified, which creates the fatty acid esters – there is currently no way around this.Research is being conducted into other manufacturing processes, but there is currently a lack of alternatives. However, there have not yet been any studies on the effects of these fatty acid esters on humans, especially on babies. The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment does not currently assume any acute health risk and recommends that parents who are unable to breastfeed their child use breast milk substitutes as usual, as these provide a baby with vital nutrients. In addition, fatty acid esters are also present in breast milk.
Red palm oil
Despite all the criticism, palm oil is also said to have various positive effects on health. However, we are not talking about the oil used industrially, but cold-pressed, unrefined palm oil, which can be bought as “red palm oil” – ideally in organic quality. In its native form, palm oil contains about 15 times as much carotene (vitamin A) as carrots. It also has high levels of vitamin E (especially tocotrienols) and coenzyme Q10, both of which act as antioxidants in fighting free radicals and are therefore considered to prevent cancer.
Palm oil in food
About two-thirds of palm oil production is used in finished foods, where the fat is highly prized for its creamy texture and heat resistance. Examples of products containing the vegetable fat may include:
- Ready meals such as frozen pizza and bagged soups.
- Cake icing
- Chocolate
- Cookies and snacks
- Margarine
- Spreads
- Sausages
- Muesli
Cosmetics with palm oil and palm kernel oil
The oil is also often found in cosmetics, because it has a refatting effect, smoothes the skin and can repair cell damage. After all, a quarter of the palm oil produced worldwide is used in cosmetics and detergents. Typical cosmetic products containing palm oil include:
- Soap
- Shower gel
- Shampoo
- Cream and lotion
- Eyeliner, mascara and other cosmetics for the eyes
- Lipstick
In addition, detergents, candles and some medicines are made with the help of the vegetable fat. Palm oil is also used in the production of biodiesel and in animal feed.
Alternatives and substitute products
Products without palm oil are sometimes not easy to find at all. For example, the fat is needed to make many nut-nougat creams, because most other vegetable oils are liquid at room temperature – except for coconut oil, which, however, has a strong flavor of its own. Nevertheless, it is possible to substitute the fat in most cases. In the production of soap, for example, beef tallow is a possible alternative to palm oil – which, however, is not suitable for vegans. But olive oil can also replace palm oil in soaps.
Seal for sustainably grown palm oil
There are also various seals used to label products that contain palm oil from sustainable cultivation. The best known of these is the RSPO seal, but this is highly controversial as the underlying minimum standards have a reputation for being heavily influenced by industry. Nevertheless, there are some suppliers who use palm oil from ecologically responsible cultivation and fair trade. Information on this is provided by various environmental organizations.
Tips for shopping without palm oil
Those who want to buy palm oil-free products often have to look closely. Since December 2014, there has been a labeling requirement for palm oil – but only for food. The fat also often appears under a different name in the ingredients list, such as:
- Palmitate
- Palmate
- Sodium Palm Kernelate
- Palmitic Acid
- Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides
Meanwhile, online retailers and lists of palm oil-free products are increasingly found, as well as apps to make shopping easier. However, the best alternative is to cook yourself with fresh ingredients. From a health point of view, rapeseed oil or even linseed oil are preferable to palm oil in this regard, as these oils have a high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Deforestation of rainforests
But palm oil is not only criticized because of possible health risks. Approximately 60 million tons of palm oil are produced annually, and the trend is rising. In order to meet the growing demand and to make room for the cultivation of oil palms, more and more rainforest is being cleared, especially in Indonesia and Malaysia.Deforestation is accompanied by the destruction of habitats of endangered animal and plant species and the release of greenhouse gases. In addition, there are land expropriations and evictions of indigenous people as well as often catastrophic working conditions and use of pesticides on palm oil plantations.
