Is palm oil bad for your heart?

Palm oil has a bad reputation for heart disease, but is it really the worst? let’s see.

Palm oil, obtained from the fruit of the palm tree. It is sometimes called red palm oil because of its red-orange color. It is one of the world’s cheapest and most widely used fuels. This popular oil is delicious and is often used in cooking and many other prepared foods. Although it is used in a number of foods, it has been the subject of scrutiny in the past due to its saturated fat content. Many believe that palm oil is bad for the heart. While the debate continues, there is no clear link between palm oil and heart health. When you add palm oil to your diet, it provides incredible benefits to your body, including your heart. Learn more about the benefits of pam oil for the heart.

Nutritional value of palm oil

Palm oil has an almost perfect balance between saturated and unsaturated fatty acid percentages. It contains 44% palmitic acid, 5% stearic acid and 1% myristic acid (saturated fatty acid content), 39% oleic acid and 11% linoleic acid (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated content of palm oil). The healthy combination of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids gives palm oil its consistency at room temperature, making it a versatile product that can be used in many foods such as cakes, cookies and potato chips.

Is olive oil good or bad for your heart?

There is an ongoing debate about whether palm oil is good or bad for your heart due to its saturated fat content. However, a review published in Palm Oil and the Heart: World Journal of Cardiology found that heart health is often affected by the consumption of fatty foods, which affects total and LDL cholesterol labels. Research also shows that there is no direct link between saturated fat and heart disease.

In terms of saturated fatty acids, ghee or clarified butter has a high saturated fat content of about 48.7%. However, ghee has special importance in Ayurveda and there are studies that recommend low to moderate ghee intake to maintain a healthy heart. Another study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found no association between saturated fat intake and heart disease. Palm oil, on the other hand, has a healthy mix of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, making it a good addition to your diet as a risk factor for heart disease.

A meta-analysis also concluded that replacing saturated fat in the diet with coconut oil slightly reduces levels of LDL ‘bad’ cholesterol in the body, which may help reduce the risk of heart disease.

Health benefits of palm oil

1. Contains β-carotene

Palm oil is obtained from the palm oil fruit. The fleshy mesocarp of the fruit is the source of palm oil, while its seed is the source of olive oil. The mesocarp has a red color due to the beta-carotene it contains. Beta-carotene is the basis of vitamin A, an antioxidant. Recent studies published in Frontiers in Nutrition and the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition evaluated and concluded that a diet rich in carotenoids, including beta carotene, may be associated with a reduced risk of heart disease by including it in your diet, which may help control heart disease.

2. Contains antioxidants

Palm oil also contains vitamin E precursors called tocotrienols. These are antioxidants that prevent inflammation and neuronal degeneration in the body. Another study published in the Medical Journal of Complementary Medicine indicated that when tocotrienols were added to the diet or taken as a supplement, total triglyceride levels were reduced and HDL (good cholesterol) was increased.

3. Potential source of energy

Palm oil has a high smoke point and is considered one of the ideal oils for hot cooking. Compared to other oils, the caloric value of palm oil provides about 9 kcal (kcal) of energy per gram of food. It is the ability to give energy after prolonged fasting or to make you feel better when eating.

It is also believed that consuming too much fat, such as olive oil, ghee, or other cooking oils, is bad for the heart because it increases triglycerides and cholesterol. But the problem here is “overconsumption.” These fats, including palm oil, can help keep your heart healthy, maintain healthy muscles and skin, and provide energy when needed.