“Palm Oil and Your Health: A Risky Ingredient in Popular Foods”
- biochroniclesblog
- Sep 4
- 2 min read
Whenever you grab a jar of Nutella, instant noodles, or cream cookies, you often check the sugar or sodium content per serving to make sure you're consuming a controlled amount in your diet.
But have you ever checked for the presence of palm oil?
Do you even know what palm oil is or whether it's good and safe for consumption?
Palm oil is a vegetable oil derived from the fruits of palm trees, primarily cultivated in Indonesia and Malaysia. It is inexpensive, widely available, and enhances the smooth texture of food when used as an ingredient. Additionally, it addresses a significant issue for food manufacturers by extending the shelf life of products.
As we know, not everything that glitters is beneficial for your health, and the same applies to palm oil
When examining the components of palm oil, we find that it contains 50% saturated fat. With basic scientific knowledge, it's widely understood that saturated fat isn't beneficial for heart health. Interestingly, we often find ourselves drawn to things that aren't good for our hearts, much like toxic boyfriends !!
What occurs when you eat foods containing palm oil?
Increase in LDL cholesterol levels: While we often consider cutting back on milk, yogurt, or butter, palm oil frequently goes unnoticed.
Regular consumption of foods high in palm oil can lead to inflammation in blood vessels.
Palm oil is often combined with sugary processed foods like spreads, cookies, and biscuits, making it even less healthy to consume.
❤️ Palm Oil & Heart Disease | 🎗️ Palm Oil & Cancer Risk |
High saturated fat intake is a known risk factor for atherosclerosis, the build-up of plaque in arteries. Over time, this increases your risk of heart attacks and strokes. Products made with refined palm oil often also contain excess sugar and salt, amplifying the danger. | During refining, palm oil may produce 3-MCPD esters and glycidyl esters, These are potentially carcinogenic when consumed in large amounts over time. Additionally palm oil thats reheated multiple times like in deep fried oil foods generate oxidizex fats that potentially cause DNA damage causing cancer. |
Palm oil is prevalent, but certain popular products contain particularly high levels and should not be consumed daily:
Nutella – Deliciously creamy and sweet, yet it is high in sugar and palm oil.
Instant Noodles (e.g., Maggi, Indomie) – Both the seasoning and fried noodles typically contain a lot of palm oil.
Oreo Cookies – Famous for their taste, but the creamy filling is rich in refined palm oil and sugar.
Palm oil isn't "poison," but the issue lies in its excessive use in processed, sugary, and fried foods. Choose whole foods, read ingredient labels, and savor your favorite snacks in moderation.
References:
World Health Organization (WHO). “Palm oil: Health and Environmental Impacts.” WHO Fact Sheet, 2021.https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/palm-oil
EFSA (European Food Safety Authority). “Risks for human health related to the presence of 3-MCPD and glycidyl esters in vegetable oils and foods.” EFSA Journal, 2016.https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/4426
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