PALM OIL- HEALTH BENEFITS AND CAUTION

Palm oil comes from the fleshy fruit of oil palms. It is one of the least expensive and most popular oils consumed for thousands of years. It is used for frying, as an ingredient in many processed foods, used for manufacturing cosmetics, soaps, toothpaste, wax, and ink. Palm oil is made up of 100% fat(saturated and unsaturated fats) and vitamins like vitamins A, E, K, and coenzyme Q(Vitamin Q).

HEALTH BENEFITS OF PALM OIL

1. Taking palm oil in the diet decreases symptoms of malaria in children under the age of 5
2. Palm oil contains tocotrienols which is a form of Vitamin E with strong antioxidant properties that promote brain health, slow down dementia progression, reduce the risk of stroke
3. Palm oil also promotes heart health by lowering “bad” LDL cholesterol and increasing “good” HDL cholesterol. It might slow disease progression in people with established heart disease and prevent heart disease
4. Palm oil can improve Vitamin A status in people who are deficient or at risk of deficiency, especially in pregnant women and children. Palm oil is as effective as taking palm oil supplements. Studies in pregnant women show that consuming palm oil in their diet increases Vitamin A levels in their blood as well as in their breastfed infants. It can also boost Vitamin A levels in adults and young children

POTENTIAL HEALTH RISK

1. Palm oil when taken in excess can increase cholesterol levels
2. Repeatedly reheating and bleaching palm oil may decrease its antioxidant properties, destroys vital nutrients, produce dangerous trans-fat, and contribute to the development of heart diseases
3. There has also been a rise in adulterated palm oil by greedy people who add red substances to the oil very red which is harmful to health

DRUG INTERACTIONS
Palm oil might increase blood clotting to prevent excessive bleeding because of its Vitamin K properties. Taking palm oil with medications that slow down blood clotting may reduce the effectiveness of the medications. Drugs like blood thinners (anticoagulants and antiplatelet drugs) prevent clots in the arteries, veins, and heart e.g aspirin, diclofenac, ibuprofen, heparin, warfarin. Palm oil can interact with these drugs and reduce how effective they can be.