Palm Oil

Palm Oil

File:Palm oil plantation.jpg

A palm oil plantation in Malaysia

Palm oil is an edible vegetable oil derived from the mesocarp (reddish pulp) of the fruit of the oil palms, primarily the African oil palm Elaeis guineensis, and to a lesser extent from the American oil palm Elaeis oleifera and the maripa palm Attalea maripa. Palm oil is naturally reddish in color because of a high beta-carotene content. It is not to be confused with palm kernel oil derived from the kernel of the same fruit or coconut oil derived from the kernel of the coconut palm (Cocos nucifera).

Production and Consumption

Palm oil is the most widely consumed vegetable oil on the planet, and it is in about half of all packaged products sold in the supermarket. While palm oil is the most efficient source of vegetable oil, its rapid expansion threatens some of the planet’s most important and sensitive habitats.

Health Effects

Palm oil has a balanced fatty acid composition in which the level of saturated fatty acids is almost equal to that of unsaturated fatty acids. The health implications of palm oil consumption are controversial due to its high levels of saturated fat.

Environmental Impact

The production of palm oil has been associated with significant impacts on the environment. These include deforestation, habitat degradation, climate change, animal cruelty and indigenous rights abuses in the countries where it is produced, as the land and forests must be cleared for the development of the oil palm plantations.

See Also

• Sustainable palm oil
• Palm oil production in Malaysia
• Palm oil production in Indonesia

References

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