Oils are an essential component of cooking as it adds flavours and makes the food richer, smoother and more tender. Cooking oils are used for in frying, baking, flavoring, sautéing, roasting, grilling, and more.
Tropical oils like palm oil are widely used but health expert are raising concerns against their adverse effect on health. According to a report by News Medical Lifesciences, Palm oil has diverse applications in cosmetics, food, and other industries but the high levels of saturated fats have raised concerns.
It also stated that while some studies have suggested positive and negative health outcomes associated with tropical oils, others have linked their consumption to a higher cardiovascular risk. Moreover, excessive palm oil intake has been linked to high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, some cancers, and acrylamide formation at frying temperatures.
Which food items contain Palm oil?
Versions of palm oil may be found in foods such as:
- Baked goods
- Frozen foods
- Processed meals
- Chocolate
- Snack foods
- Cheese
- Candies
- Chips
- Confectionary fats
- Crackers
- Ice cream
- Cooking oil
- Industrial frying fats
- Margarine
- Microwave popcorn
- Instant noodles and oatmeals
- Peanut butter
- Salad dressings
- Non-dairy creamers
- Vegetable ghee
- Soups
- Supplements/vitamins
What are the side-effects of palm oil?
Prolonged use of palm oil can lead to various health issues like:
- Palm oil can increase risk of cardiovascular disease
- Some studies suggest palm oil could be linked to inflammation, certain cancer risks, and type 2 diabetes
- Palm oil can potentially increase inflammation because of its SFA content
What are some alternatives of palm oil?
Other oil choices to use with less saturated fat include:
- Canola oil
- Corn oil
- Peanut oil
- Safflower oil
- Soybean oil
- Sunflower oil