Health Info (source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palm_oil)

Among the touted health benefits of palm oil, most notably red palm oil, are:

• Rich in beta-carotene, especially red palm oil.

Crude palm oil is considered the richest natural source of carotenoids (about 15 times more than in carrots and 300 times more than tomatoes). Carotenoids are a group of more than 700 compounds (e.g. alpha-carotene, beta-carotene) that produce the red, yellow, and orange colors found in many fruits and vegetables. The human body uses carotenoids as Vitamin A which enhances eye health. Carotenoids also play an important potential role by acting as biological antioxidants, protecting cells and tissues from the damaging effect of free radicals which could cause cancer. Studies also suggest that carotenoids enhance immune function by a variety of mechanisms, and improve cardiovascular health. Red palm oil is a form of processed palm oil (de-acidified and deodorized) which retains 80% of the original carotenoids, making it a remarkable source of Vitamin A.

• High in tocotrienols, an antioxidant with other possible health benefits

Natural vitamin E exists in eight different forms or isomers, four tocopherols and four tocotrienols. Natural palm oil contains alpha, beta, gamma, and delta-tocopherols and alpha, beta, gamma, and delta-tocotrienols. No other natural source contains this much vitamin E (though the only form of vitamin E active in the human body is alpha-tocopherol). Tocotrienols in Vitamin E have been found to have many beneficial properties, among them antioxidant and anti-cancer activities. Probably the most important finding in recent research on tocotrienol was its role in inhibiting human breast cancer cells. Tocotrienols have also been demonstrated to lower blood cholesterol levels, by reacting with certain enzymes in the liver which produces cholesterol. Its antioxidant properties bring many benefits to the human body, such as preventing skin aging, preventing fat oxidation, reducing blood pressure and many more.

• Other minor nutrients

Palm oil contained about 10% linoleic acid, which is an unsaturated omega-6 fatty acid. Linoleic acid is one of the two essential fatty acids that humans require. Palm oil also contains small amounts of squalene (possible cholesterol lowering and anti-cancer properties) and ubiquinone (energy booster).

• Red palm oil is rich in co-enzyme Q10

Reasons for choosing palm oil:

• Palm oil is an excellent dietary energy source.
• Palm oil is a very rich source of Vitamin A and E.
• Palm oil is a stable oil in high temperatures (good for frying).
• Palm oil is affordable (due to the oil palm's high productivity).

Palm oil and blood cholesterol controversy

For many years now, it has been established that the primary cholesterol-elevating fatty acids are the saturated fatty acids with 12 (lauric acid), 14 (myristic acid) and 16 (palmitic acid) carbon atoms with a concomitant increase in the risk of coronary heart disease. Monounsaturated fatty acids such as oleic acid is as effective in reducing serum total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels as polyunsaturated fatty acids such as alpha-linoleic acid. ^[4] The World Health Organization in its report^[5] states there is convincing evidence that palmitic oil consumption contributes to an increased risk of developing of cardiovascular diseases.

However, a study by a group of researchers in China comparing palm, soybean, peanut oils and lard showed that palm oil actually increased the levels of good cholesterol and reduced the levels of bad cholesterol in the blood (Zhang, et al, 1995, 1997 cited by Koh, 2006).^[6]

A study by Hornstra in 1990 also showed similar results.^[7]