How to independently determine the presence of palm oil in a product: what you need to know

24.01.2023 06:50
Updated: 13.04.2023 14:50

Many people know about the harm of palm oil. But who has thought about why this product is considered dangerous and how often it is found in food products?

This issue is worth looking into in more detail, because palm oil is found in many products, and buyers don’t even know about it.

What You Need to Know About Palm Oil

If you ask anyone their opinion about palm oil, their answer will be quite predictable. The harm of this product for millions does not raise any questions. But is everything so clear-cut?

Palm oil is considered the cheapest and most popular in the world. It is actively imported to many countries, including the EU and the USA.

And here it should be clear that if this oil were dangerous, there should be no talk of free sale. If we consider the advantages, then palm oil strengthens the immune system and has a positive effect on the gastrointestinal tract. The negative is that cardiovascular diseases begin to develop.

Baking
Photo: © Belnovosti

How and where is palm oil used?

The taste can be described as earthy and piquant. It is actively used by manufacturers all over the world, as the oil allows to reduce the final cost of products. Most often, palm oil can be found in:

  1. Baking.
  2. Chocolate.
  3. Margarine.
  4. Protein bars.
  5. Cream.
  6. Cereals and other products.

There are also non-food products where this ingredient is used, these include:

  • cosmetics;
  • soap;
  • toothpaste and others.

There is a technology for producing biodiesel fuel, which is actively gaining popularity. This type of fuel is considered environmentally friendly, since the emission of harmful substances into the atmosphere is minimal.

How to determine if there is palm oil in the composition

Each manufacturer always clearly indicates the composition of their products. As practice shows, many people do not trust the composition, but in vain. In most cases, it is enough to read the instructions on the packaging. No self-respecting manufacturer will resort to falsification for the sake of imaginary benefit.

If there is no information on the packaging or you do not want to read the composition of each product in the store, you can do it easier, paying attention to the cost. A natural and high-quality product cannot be cheap by default. A simple example: if you buy cheese at the lowest cost, you will definitely find palm oil in its composition.

There is an opinion that the taste of palm oil can be determined, but this is a misconception. Manufacturers always add various flavors that hide the real taste. There are only two tips that will help determine the content of palm oil:

  1. Compound.
  2. Price.

It is worth understanding that palm oil does not pose a serious danger to the body. Most products contain a lot of additives and chemicals that can cause more serious harm.

Author: Elena Gutyro Internet resource editor

Content
  1. What You Need to Know About Palm Oil
  2. How and where is palm oil used?
  3. How to determine if there is palm oil in the composition