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Cholesterol Content of Palm Kernel Oil

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THE TRUTH ABOUT PALM KERNEL OIL

remember when I was younger, my grandma would use this oil, commonly called “ori” to lubricate the anus of any of us who suffered constipation. It was also used as a cream because of its high content of vitamin E and A (although unknown to the village folk). This made the skin of its user look healthy and glow.

Versatility:

Palm kernel oil is the most versatile of all vegetable oils. Consisting of 80% saturated fat and 20% unsaturated fat, it is semi-solid at room temperature. It is also odourless and tasteless and these two properties have made palm oil endearing for baked goods and packaged foods. Palm oil also works well with fried foods because its quality doesn’t diminish under extremely high heat. Unlike most nutritional oils, palm oil is highly resistant to oxidation, giving it a longer shelf life. Palm kernel oil is primarily composed of fatty triglycerides, with approximately 80 percent saturated fats and 20 percent unsaturated fats. Palm kernel oil can be found in a number of products, including margarine, vegetable oil and shortening, creamers, chocolate and ice cream. Depending on the amount per serving, palm kernel oil may offer some health benefits; what are they?

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Cholesterol-free:

One benefit of palm kernel oil is that it is completely free of cholesterol, which makes it preferable to animal-based fats like butter. Due to the cholesterol-free nature of vegetable-based oils and margarine like palm kernel oil, there has been some speculation that these types of oils and fats are healthier than butter. However, this may not be the case. According to the Cleveland Clinic, margarines contain trans-fats that can lead to heart disease through thrombus formation and strokes.
Vitamin K:


Palm kernel oil also contains vitamin K. Vitamin K is an essential fat-soluble vitamin that is important in bone health and as a coagulation factor in the blood. While you could potentially get 67 percent of your daily recommended allowance of vitamin K in a cup (100ml) of palm kernel oil, you would be highly advised not to do so. The same serving size would deliver 94 percent of your daily calories, and nearly nine–times the recommended allowance for saturated fats in a single day. This would be one benefit of palm kernel oil that does not outweigh the risks.
Long Shelf Life:

While the overall health benefits of palm kernel oil may not be overwhelming, there are benefits that are touted by the commercial food industry. According to the American Palm Oil Council, palm oil resists oxidation under high cooking temperatures and upon storage, which makes it a better alternative than other vegetable oils for commercially fried products like doughnuts, ramen noodles, potato chips and french fries.

Vitamin E Content (Anti-Cancer and Anti-aging):

Palm kernel oil is rich in antioxidants. Many studies have discovered that the tocotrienols in palm kernel oil may have the ability to reverse blockage of the carotid artery and platelet aggregation thereby reducing the risk of stroke, tumor promotion arteriosclerosis and other heart disease problems. This is thus one of the health benefits of palm kernel oil as it is rich in tocotrienols. Tocotrienols present in palm oil may also inhibit certain types of cancer.Palm oil is rich in Vitamin A which is an effective antioxidant that strengthens the body’s immune and reduces risk of cancer, heart diseases and cataract. Palm kernel oil is also rich in Vitamin which is a powerful anti-oxidant, capable of reducing free radicals in the body. Palm kernel oil thus protects you from certain chronic diseases and also delays the body’s ageing process.

Nutritous Oils:
Another reason why you should use palm kernel oil in your cooking is because its rich supply of fatty acids. Fatty acids are raw materials for building the membranes of every cell in your body, including your bones, nerves and brain! The micronutrients keep your body cells healthy and functioning properly.
THE TRUTH
Palm kernel oil, similarly to coconut oil, is high in saturated fats and is more saturated than palm oil. Palm kernel oil is high in lauric acid which has been shown to raise blood cholesterol levels, both as LDL-C (cholesterol contained in low-density lipoprotein) and HDL-C (cholesterol contained in high-density lipoprotein). Palm kernel oil does not contain cholesterol or trans fatty acids but deductively it still does raise cholesterol. It remains a healthy  choice in baking and for its beauty contributions.

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