Palm oil, also called palm fat and palm kernel oil, is very criticized. In this way, the cheap fat should be harmful to health and at the same time damage nature. To understand this, some information about the production and the ingredients that we would like to give you today are necessary. And what are they actuallyPalm oil disadvantagesFor the environment? Find out what palm fat actually is, what it is used for, which is why palm oil is unhealthy and which alternatives are available to you.
The palm fat is a vegetable oil that is obtained from the flesh of the oil palm. From the core of the fruit you get the palm kernel oil. Since the production of this vegetable oil is so cheap and the processing is also so simple, this oil is popular as an ingredient for food, includingunhealthy finished products, and others were. Palm oil is also used in cosmetics (e.g. soap), but also in detergents and even baby food. Chocolate and chocolate spreads in particular are known for the palm fat it contains-even though palm oil should be unhealthy.
How is palm oil made?
The palm oil palm originally comes from the rainforest in West Africa. This also means that the palm oil plant prefers warm and moist climate. Since such a climate also prevails in other areas on earth and the demand also increased over time, the extension was also expanded to the areas outside of Africa (Malaysia, Indonesia and South America).
Palm oil and environment
However, in order to create enough space for the palm oil plantation (oil palms need plenty of space to grow)Large areas of the rainforest destroyed. Since this also happens by burning the plants, not only is the fact that entire ecosystems are lost, so worrying, but also that CO2 exhaust gases are released by the fire.
Unfortunately, the palm oil extension also makes a large contribution to the rainforest destruction and in this way not only harms the health of the individual, but the environment in general. And why is palm oil unhealthy?
Why is palm oil so unhealthy?
Regardless of whether you consume palm oil in food or pick up the palm oil in cosmetics over the skin - palm oil products are harmful in whatever form. To what extent depends above all on the type of manufacture. But why is palm oil unhealthy?
How harmful is palm oil for health - palm oil effect
The so -called saturated and unsaturated fatty acids exist in fats, of which the saturated are unhealthy and the unsaturated are advantageous for human health. Palm fat contains (as well as many other vegetable oils) that harmful fatty acids in larger quantities than the unsaturated. And with that, palm oil has problems for health. The fatty acids not only lead to overweight, but even favor the development of heart diseases. Since palm oil theCholesterol levels upIf (or the saturated fatty acids contained therein), it can also cause diabetes. All of this makes palm oil unhealthy.
Is palm oil carcinogenic?
In itself, the risk of getting cancer through palm oil cannot increase due to the oil itself. Nevertheless, palm fat is considered carcinogenic. What is right now? Is palm oil harmful to this disease?
The oil can be dangerous if it is heated during processing and it will be in most cases. This creates so-called fatty acid esters and more precisely 3 MCPD and glycidyl. The Federal Institute for Risk Assessment classifies these substances as carcinogenic. In animal experiments, it was demonstrated that tumors arise from a certain dosage. In addition, palm oil should also have toxic effects on the liver, kidneys and testicles.
Products contain palm oil and alternatives
In Germany, every second product contains palm fat on average, even though palm oil is supposed to be unhealthy. However, the law demands that the manufacturers also note this on the label. Palm oil is particularly popular for the following products:
- Chocolate spreads:Palm fat for the beloved chocolate spreads is particularly popular, as it can be achieved with a perfect consistency, which means that hardly any other fat can keep up. If you do not want to do without the delicious nougat cream, choose a Nutella alternative without palm oil, for example. “Vego”, for example, is oneNougat cream without palm oilAnd instead uses shea butter. Products with palm oil, which are sustainable, include “Samba”, “Bionella” and “Cocoba”. It is best to makeChocolate spread but itselfher.
- Chocolate bars:Hardly a well -known chocolate bar brand does without palm fat. However, if you want to avoid palm oil, since palm oil is unhealthy, it is best to make your way to the organic shop. There are plenty of alternatives that are palm oil-free or contain the oil at least in organic quality. “Rapunzel”, “Alnatura” and “Ichoc” are just a few of the possible variants. In general, they can different from AlnaturaChoose sweets without palm oil, including cookies, muesli and chocolate without palm oil.
- Soap:Alternatives in the standard transactions are also difficult to find in the soaps. Large brands use palm fat, albeit mostly certified. A popularPalm oil replacement is coconut oil. “Natural” by Speick uses this oil instead of the palm fat. Or opt for more unknown brands that also do without palm oil.
- Creme:If you are looking for a palm oil alternative in this type of cosmetic products, you have to search for a little longer and - a little deeper into your pocket. This is also the case with “Quince” by Dr. Hauschka the case. Instead of palm fat, the daily cream from Alterra uses apricot core and evening primrose oil in organic quality and is available at a cheaper price.
Palm fat in food and cosmetics
- Finished products:Sometimes it has to be quick, but did you know that ready meals also contain palm fat? This applies, among other things, to bag soups, frozen pizzas and various finished pasta dishes. Instead, try to choose food without palm oil from the organic shop or even better-cook yourself. There is plenty ofCourts that quickly preparedbecome. Then you don't have to worry about palm oil is unhealthy.
- Margarine:The Margarine is a very controversial product in itself. You will receive an alternative to palm oil if you buy butter instead. According to the EU regulation, this may no longer be sold as such if vegetable oils are added. Then the product is referred to as a mixed fat.
Alternative names for palm fat in food and cosmetics
Although you can read on the label for many products whether palm oil or palm fat is contained, some manufacturers are so caught to use other names that many do not know that they mean that. This makes it difficult for consumers to consciously avoid palm oil.
The World Wide Fund of Nature (WWF) has therefore published a list of alternative names. You can find this and another detailed list in the links at the end of the article. Here are a few examples in advance:
- Fatty acid
- Glyceryl (Stearate)
- Palmate (e.g. sodium palmate-sodium salts of palm oil fatty acids)
- Palm fruit oil
- Plant fat
- Palm core
- Vegetable oil
- PEG-100 Stearate
- Sodium Palm Kernelate
- Zink Stearate
What about the organic product?
Is palm oil unhealthy when it is used in organic quality? In principle, the difference between organic palm oil and conventional palm fat is that the organic products are not grown with pesitzids and artificial fertilizers, but in accordance with the requirements for ecological cultivation. So it does not contain chemicals.
It is sustainable palm oil, which, however, does not change the natural composition of the oil. In the event of organic quality, you can assume that no rainforest has been cleared and that small farmers also receive fair income during production.
Evaluation of the fatty acid esterfrom the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment
List with alternative namesFor palm fat and oil;List there WWF
