Is palm oil really harmful?

Palm oil, which is the most used vegetable oil in the world, is on the agenda mostly due to its harmful effects… Çakır explained the curious points about this oil, which we consume with many ready-made foods, often without realizing it.

Palm oil, produced from the fruits of ‘Elaeis guineensis’, a type of palm tree, is one of the most used vegetable oils today. According to experts, this oil, which is used in many ready-made foods, can pave the way for serious diseases. So, why is it preferred? What kind of foods is it found in? What diseases can it cause? Nutrition and Diet Specialist Gizem Görmüş Çakır explained these questions to me as follows:

In which foods is it found?

Palm It is found in many packaged junk food foods, including sugary and sweet oils, margarines, instant soups, bouillon tablets, biscuits, products such as chips, candies, jelly beans, and most of the breakfast peanuts, hazelnuts and chocolate pastes. Palm oil can also be found in many other products such as frozen potatoes, ravioli, frozen pizza. This oil is preferred because it is durable and cheap. It ensures texture preservation in food and product and gives a homogeneous texture. However, it is also included in many frequently used products such as soap, skin lotion, lipstick, baby food and diapers.

How can you tell if it is in a product?

in packages The freshness, durability and longevity of the product are thanks to palm oil. For packaged products of palm oil, the customs tariff statistics code, abbreviated as GTIP, is written on the packages as 151110. This code indicates that palm oil is used in that product.

Healthy eating tips

Palm To stay away from fat, first reduce your consumption of packaged and ready-made foods. Be sure to read it carefully. Eat seasonal and fresh fruits and vegetables, legumes and nuts. Add fish rich in Omega-3 to your diet 2 days a week. Generally choose extra virgin olive oil. Drink plenty of water.

What diseases can it cause?

on the market Palm oil is used in many products by exposing it to very high temperatures. Palm oil exposed to high temperatures becomes dangerous due to its high saturated fat content.

Increases cancer risk: When palm oil is exposed to high temperatures, it produces carcinogenic substances and increases the risk of cancer.

Makes you gain weight: Palmitric acid, naturally found in palm oil, contains fatty acids that increase the risk of weight gain and obesity.

Makes digestion difficult: After palm oil goes through refining processes, it loses most of its nutritional value and turns into an oil that is difficult to digest. That’s why consumption of palm oil is not recommended.

Increases cholesterol: Although neither palm oil nor palm kernel oil contain cholesterol, the high amounts of saturated fats found in these oils can accumulate in the arteries and form plaque, increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Is there any benefit?

one A tablespoon of palm oil contains 120 calories, while the same amount of palm kernel oil contains 117 calories. Both types of oil contain 13.6 grams of fat. It is not recommended to consume more than 5-7 teaspoons of fat per day, including fats naturally found in foods such as nuts and seeds. If 1 tablespoon of palm oil is consumed daily without heating, it will not increase bad cholesterol. It is very beneficial for the skin and protects the heart. Excess consumption and exposure to heat pose the risk of cancer, heart attack, obesity and diabetes.