Palm oil is an edible vegetable oil derived from the reddish pulp of the fruit of the oil palm tree. Beta carotene is rich in palm oil causes it is naturally reddish in color. The palm tree produces bunches of fruits with the fleshy mesocarp enclosing a kernel that is covered by a very hard shell. Palm oil is extracted from the fruits of palm.
Palm oil has many nutrients that give many health benefits such as prevention against vitamin A deficiency, cancer-fighting property, brain disease, treats malaria, decrease the risk of high blood pressure, reduces high cholesterol and helpful cyanide poisoning. It provides overall health to the body as well as the brain.
Botanical Name: Elaeis guineensis
Humans used oil palms as far as 5,000 years back in the late 1800s. Palm trees are native to Africa but were brought to South-East Asia just over 100 years ago. It's believed that traders brought palm to Egypt.
There is much variety of palm oil depending upon the color, odor, quality, refining processor etc. Variety such as Red palm oil, White palm oil and Refined palm oil.
Nutrition Profile
Health Benefits
Brain energy booster
Palm oil is super oil because it contains tocotrienol, it is the form of vitamin E. Vitamin E is a good antioxidant. Palm oil can help in the prevention of neurodegenerative diseases which are characterized by progressive loss of the structure or function of brain cells. Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease are neurodegenerative diseases.
Palm oil has some important compounds that inhibit the accumulation of a protein in the brain, which is one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease. Palm oil also protects neurons and keeps neurotransmitter levels is normalized and improved motor function.
Several studies on animals and human found that the tocotrienols in palm oil may help protect the delicate polyunsaturated fats in the brain, reduce the risk of stroke, slow dementia progression and prevent the growth of brain lesions.
MAIN THING: Palm oil enhances brain activity and keeps the nervous system healthy. Palm oil boosts focus, concentration and mental ability so it is useful in making medicine.
Healthful heart
Palm oil is a good source of palmitic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid and stearic acid. These fatty acids are given protection to the heart from the heart attack, atherosclerosis, cardiac arrhythmia, ventricular enlargement, chest pain or angina, etc.
Some study found that red palm oil really help to reduce bad cholesterol in blood and make your heart healthy and strong.
Another study suggested that effect of palm oil on heart diseases after 18 month, 28% patients of heart diseases treated with palm oil show improvement while 64% were stable.
MAIN THING: Palm oil good for heart patients but it require further study.
Eye health
Palm oil is a good source of beta carotene. Beta carotene is a type of carotenoid which converted into vitamin A in the body. Vitamin A is the main food of vision. Deficiency of vitamin A causes night blindness, dry eyes, recurrent infection, weak vision, total blindness, etc.
Red palm oil in the diet of pregnant women is good for mothers as well as infants. Beta-carotene is important for improving vision.
A study conducted in india that show pregnant women treating with red palm oil, found improve level of vitamin A in both mother and infant.
Palm oil is rich in antioxidants, which provide powerful defensive mechanisms to the body. They are beneficial for cellular metabolism and can help by protecting the body against free radicals. Free radicals are responsible for a cellular breakdown and mutation, including the damage of vision.
MAIN THING: Palm oil can help prevent macular degeneration and cataracts.
Skin and Hair care
Palm oil is rich in antioxidants. These antioxidants can make the skin naturally soft and glossy without it getting a greasy appearance. Antioxidants of palm oil cause this oil is a key ingredient in many soap bars and skin creams.
Palm oil contains vitamin E has effect on skin and hair. Vitamin E is the main ingredient for the growth of hair. An adequate amount of vitamin E in the body can provide provides conditioner to the hair, thickens hair and reduces hair fall by making hair stronger. Antioxidants in palm oil also provide nourishment to the hair by improving the blood circulation in the scalp.
One of study conducted on 37 participants with hair loss problem found that taking tocotrienols consuming for 8 months increase hair up to 34.5% while in control group result is 0.1 %.
A article reported that consuming vitamin E by mouth for 4 month that significantly improve in atopic dermatitis.
MAIN THING: Palm oil has Good source of antioxidants and vitamin E help to make skin and hair healthy.
Provide overall health to the body
Palm oil treats respiratory tract infections caused by fungi. It can also inhibit the growth of certain bacteria. So palm oil is helpful in preventing coryza, flu, bronchitis, etc. so palm oil can improve immunity.
Palm oil is rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants can help in protection against organ damage by heavy metal toxicity. In the human body, every toxin removes my liver. If the liver is healthy it can protect against chronic disease as well as liver disease. So it can help in keeping a healthy liver.
MAIN THING: Palm oil has anti-bacterial properties with antioxidant properties. These both properties can work together and give a great result to the immunity power.
Cancer-fighting capacity
Palm oil is rich with vitamin E. Tocopherols are a form of vitamin E. These tocopherols are natural antioxidants that can help to prevent cancer by neutralizing free radicals. Free radicals cause healthy cells to mutate into cancerous cells and also increase oxidative stress. The increase of oxidative stress in a cell leads to damage to the cell or death of the cell. It also invites chronic disease by reducing immunity.
MAIN THING: Vitamin E reduces oxidative stress as well as free radicals and reduces the risk of cancer. So palm oil is work as a chemoprotective or anti-cancer agent.
Safety Profiles
High cholesterol: Some people believe that palm oil contains some bad cholesterol. So if anyone took regularly palm oil, avoid excessive use of palm oil especially the person who suffers from hyperlipidemia or dyslipidemia.
Blood clotting: Palm oil can increase blood clotting. If anyone suffers from the bleeding disorder and taken medicine for that, so taken palm oil under the guidance of the doctor because it can prove dangerous.
Selection and Storage
Selection
Select the oil that can full of nutrients. During choosing of oil also look for the color of oil, the odor of oil and the quality of oil as well as content present in the oil.
Always buy oil at the supermarket where the good and fresh quality is available.
Storage
Palm oil has high monounsaturated fat content so it can be stored longer than most other oils. Store the oil in a glass container or in the stainless steel container and keep away from air, heat, and light. Oil also can store in the refrigerator.
Palm oil can store for months or years.
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