Confused about palm oil ???

hippietofugirl
hippietofugirl Posts: 430
in Food and Nutrition
I was reading the thread about peanut butter and decided to look at the nutrition facts on my natural jiff pb. Upon discovering that it contained palm oil (which I am not familiar with) I googled it only to find health websites contradicting each other about its health benefits. Does anyone really know weather its a bad fat or a good fat?

Replies

  • hippietofugirl
    hippietofugirl Posts: 430
    bump
  • hippietofugirl
    hippietofugirl Posts: 430
    bump
  • hippietofugirl
    hippietofugirl Posts: 430
    Come on people! Someone has to know SOMETHING
  • hippietofugirl
    hippietofugirl Posts: 430
    bump
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
    I don't know about the health benefits, but I do know that Jif is made by Procter and Gamble, a company who tests on animals, and that generally, the growth of oil palms is responsible for the destruction of rain forests around the world, so it's something that should be avoided.
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    Well if all the websites are contradicting each other likely any advice you get here would be equally contradictory (as tends to be the way here).... and bumping 4 times in just a few minutes is ridiculous - you're not even giving people time to answer.
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    There are two different palm oils. Palm oil is an ok fat. Palm kernel oil is a less healthy fat. This is why you get conflicting evidence, they aren't talking about the same oil.

    Then there's the environmental factor, which makes both oils unattractive.
  • ThePersnicketyOtter
    ThePersnicketyOtter Posts: 147 Member
    I don't know, but the wikipedia page on it was slightly informative. If you have some general health knowledge you could gather your own guess from there since no one is answering.
  • jodyw83
    jodyw83 Posts: 38
    Palm oil is a saturated fat. It's not something you should have a ton of, but maybe you should try getting an all natural peanut butter. They make commercial peanut butter by removing the naturally produced peanut oil (which is worth a lot of money!) and replace it with cheaper oils like palm and sunflower. They used to have trans fat oils, but those got banned and they decided other saturated fat oils would do. Now a little bit of anything isn't going to kill you. I wouldn't eat a TON of it and maybe you can eventually switch to a natural brand, but go ahead and eat it for now :)
  • JosieRawr
    JosieRawr Posts: 788 Member
    About half of the fat contained in processed palm oil is saturated.. that imo speaks for itself.


    http://www.livestrong.com/article/252618-palm-oil-nutrition-information/



    "Considerations

    When palm oil is oxidized it changes the effect of this oil on the body from a healthier form of fat to an unhealthy form of fat. Oxidized palm oil can cause damage the heart, kidney, liver and lung as well as the reproductive organs, according to Edem. High levels of palm oil consumption can also bring on liver damage, so Edem states that consumption should remain at moderate levels and be of non-oxidized palm oil."

    NOTE ON THIS- I very seriously doubt that the peanut butter has unrefined red palm oil.. as it doesn't last.
    "Possible Health Benefits

    Red palm oil might reduce blood pressure, plaque buildup in the arteries, blood clots and the damage done by free radicals. It also inhibits the formation of cholesterol, according to a 2009 article by O.O. Oguntibeju in the "British Journal of Biomedical Science." Another review by D.O. Edem, published in 2002 in "Plant Foods for Human Nutrition," notes that non-oxidized palm oil can help the body to properly form enough red blood cells and efficiently use nutrients, as well as improving immune function, when used in moderation."
  • hippietofugirl
    hippietofugirl Posts: 430
    Well because of the environmental factor and the fact that its health is questionable, does anyone have any suggestions for a better peanut butter because I eat A LOTTT
  • Rayman79
    Rayman79 Posts: 2,009 Member
    Just get natural PB, you might have to go to a healthfood store but natty PB should only have peanuts and salt as the ingredients.

    If you eat that much of it, you might even want to consider making your own :)
  • hippietofugirl
    hippietofugirl Posts: 430
    Just get natural PB, you might have to go to a healthfood store but natty PB should only have peanuts and salt as the ingredients.

    If you eat that much of it, you might even want to consider making your own :)


    I don't know why I didn't think of that. I do have a food processor...
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    Well because of the environmental factor and the fact that its health is questionable, does anyone have any suggestions for a better peanut butter because I eat A LOTTT

    You got suggestions- natural peanut butter. Made from Peanuts, salt and sugar- if you want salt and sugar.

    If you want no-stir peanut butter, the only choices I know of are palm oil (saturated fat) and hydrogenated oils. I will take palm oil anyday over trans fats. The deforestation is concerning, but I will still choose palm oil over trans fats 100% of the time.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Not sure if you have Trader Joe's in your area, but I just checked the label on my Almond Butter with Flaxseeds and the ingredients are Almonds, Flaxseeds and Sea Salt. They also do a PB version which I would imagine has similar ingredients, just peanuts instead of almonds and it is really tasty (you do have to stir it though)
  • chukwuwally
    chukwuwally Posts: 79 Member
    Ok guys, let me start by laughing hard cause the comments on here are making me laugh. I will explain to you all what palm oil is

    Palm oil is a type of oil gotten from palm kernel which is wildly grown and eaten in africa. It is mainly used in Africa in the preparation of most african soups, and I must say it is very delicious.

    I saw one of you writing that it causes kidney failure, lung diseases and so on. I must say that it is completely false. I have been eating palm oil since I was a child, apart from being overweight I'm as healthy as I can be for my age, my parents and the generations before me ate palm oil and never have I heard that any of them died from kidney, lung failure etc. Resulting from eating palm oil. Apart from having a certain percentage of cholesterol which lots of oils have, palm oil is very good and rich in vitamins like vitamin A and some others. That's all the information I can give to you concerning the palm oil which is consumed in Africa. As long as it is made the traditional way, palm oil is as healthy as any oil can be, or even better than some I know.

    I don't know if it's the same palm oil that is being put in jiffy peanut butter, but if it is, I can guarantee you that it's a very good oil.
  • chukwuwally
    chukwuwally Posts: 79 Member
    NOTE ON THIS- I very seriously doubt that the peanut butter has unrefined red palm oil.. as it doesn't last.
    "Possible Health Benefits

    Red palm oil might reduce blood pressure, plaque buildup in the arteries, blood clots and the damage done by free radicals. It also inhibits the formation of cholesterol, according to a 2009 article by O.O. Oguntibeju in the "British Journal of Biomedical Science." Another review by D.O. Edem, published in 2002 in "Plant Foods for Human Nutrition," notes that non-oxidized palm oil can help the body to properly form enough red blood cells and efficiently use nutrients, as well as improving immune function, when used in moderation."

    I like this
  • hippietofugirl
    hippietofugirl Posts: 430
    NOTE ON THIS- I very seriously doubt that the peanut butter has unrefined red palm oil.. as it doesn't last.
    "Possible Health Benefits

    Red palm oil might reduce blood pressure, plaque buildup in the arteries, blood clots and the damage done by free radicals. It also inhibits the formation of cholesterol, according to a 2009 article by O.O. Oguntibeju in the "British Journal of Biomedical Science." Another review by D.O. Edem, published in 2002 in "Plant Foods for Human Nutrition," notes that non-oxidized palm oil can help the body to properly form enough red blood cells and efficiently use nutrients, as well as improving immune function, when used in moderation."



    I like this


    I think she meant that UNREFINED palm oil has those benefits, while the refined stuff (thats probably in my peanut butter) is bad :(

    But I'm either going to make my own peanut butter or go to trader joes to get some natural stuff


    Thanks for the responses, ya'll.:flowerforyou:
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    Just about every major brand of peanut butter has a natural version now. Skippy, and Peter Pan all have natural versions. You don't need to go to a health food store, just check out the peanut butter aisle of any grocery store.
  • PaleoPath4Lyfe
    PaleoPath4Lyfe Posts: 3,161 Member
    Palm oil is a saturated fat. It's not something you should have a ton of, but maybe you should try getting an all natural peanut butter. They make commercial peanut butter by removing the naturally produced peanut oil (which is worth a lot of money!) and replace it with cheaper oils like palm and sunflower. They used to have trans fat oils, but those got banned and they decided other saturated fat oils would do. Now a little bit of anything isn't going to kill you. I wouldn't eat a TON of it and maybe you can eventually switch to a natural brand, but go ahead and eat it for now :)

    Palm Kernel oil is what is in industrialized peanut butter because it is easier to partially or fully hydrogenate.

    I use Red Palm Oil made by Jungle Brands from time to time for stir fries. There is nothing unhealthy about this saturated fat. It is similar to Coconut oil except it is red and a bit "fruity".

    Neither one of these oils are bad for you as long as they are in their natural form.

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