PALM KERNEL OIL AND ITS HEALTH BENEFITS

Palm oil comes from the fruit of the elaeis guineensuis tree, also called the African oil palm tree. Native to Malaysia, the tree bears a fleshy fruit which is the source of both palm oil and palm kernel oil. Palm oil is entirely different than palm kernel oil, which has a higher amount of saturated fat and has to be heavily processed to be extracted. Palm kernel oil is, in general, unhealthy.
Palm kernel oil is rich in antioxidants. Many studies have discovered that tocotrienols 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 kernel oil increases ‘good’ cholesterol as compared to other saturated oils such as coconut oil. Thus the health benefits of palm kernel oil also include promoting healthy cardiovascular health.
As it is known has one of the most versatile of all vegetable oils. Consisting of 50% saturated fat and 50% unsaturated fat it is semi-solid at room temperature. It is also odourless and tasteless. These two properties have made palm oil ideal for baked goods and packaged foods. Palm oil also works well with fried foods and stir-fry 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 oil is rich in Vitamin A which is an effective antioxidant that strengthens the body’s immune system and reduces risk of cancer, heart disease and cataract. Lack of Vitamin A can lead to blindness and a many other medical problems. Palm kernel oil is also rich in Vitamin E. No other vegetable oil has more Vitamin E than Palm Oil. Vitamin E is also 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.
Another reason why you should use palm kernel oil in your cooking is because it supplies fatty acids as well as important fat-soluble micronutrients like carotenoids (including pro-vitamin A), vitamins D, E and K. 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.