Fats and edible oils are an integral part of our diet and an important source of calorie and micronutrients of human body. Globally 80 per cent of the oil and fat is consumed in liquid form (vegetable oil).
Inadequate consumption of edible oils, which act as a vehicle (mainly promotes absorption in the intestine) for important micronutrients like vitamin A, D, E and K is the root cause of malnutrition among people in many countries.
The per capita edible oil consumption in Bangladesh has been steadily rising over the decades and presently stands at approx. 19 kg, which is still short of the average worldwide consumption. In Bangladesh, we mainly consume palm oil followed by soybean oil, locally produced rapeseed oil and a small quantity of other oils (sunflower oil, olive oil among others).
Today, my topic of discussion is palm oil, which is the highest consumed edible in Bangladesh as elsewhere in the world. Palm oil constitutes nearly 55 per cent of all edible oils consumed together in Bangladesh, and the total quantity is approximately 1.5 million tonnes on average. Only 60,000 tonnes is used in packed form and the rest as loose oil or mix with soybean oil. But the interesting fact is most of us are not aware of that we are consuming palm oil this or that way. Now the question is what does it actually represent?
Palm oil is a vegetable oil that comes from the fleshy fruit of oil palms. Oil palm is a tropical plant that mainly grows in Indonesia, Malaysia and few other Asian and African countries. It is semi-solid at room temperature and its melting point is 35°C. Crude palm oil which is orange-red in colour is refined, bleached and deodorised to produce the universally known bright golden oil.
HOW IS PALM OIL CONSUMED: Palm oil is cheaper in price and has a wide range of applications in households, food and other industries. In Bangladesh, Palm oil is mainly used for cooking and in the food industry and is also added to many ready-to-eat foods. Its taste is considered savoury and earthy. This oil is well suited for curries and other spicy dishes. It is ideal for sautéing or frying as it has a high smoke point of 232°C and remains stable under high heat. Palm oil is sometimes added to peanut butter and other nut butters as a stabiliser to prevent the oil from separating and settling at the top of the jar. Palm oil is also used in several foods, including cereals, baked goods like bread, cookies and muffins, protein bars and diet bars, chocolate, coffee creamers, margarine etc.
Analysing the use pattern of palm oil in Bangladesh we can see that 700,000 tonnes is used in households, 450,00 tonnes in shortening/ vanaspati industry, 200,000 in food processing and 200,00 in HORECA (hotels and restaurants including Fast Food chains, street food vendors/ eateries).
NUTRIENT COMPOSITION: The nutritional content of one tablespoon (14 grams) of palm oil: Calories: 114, Fat: 14 grams (Saturated- 7 grams, Monounsaturated -5 grams, Polyunsaturated- 1.5 grams), Vitamin E: 11 per cent of the RDI.
All of palm oil's calories come from fat. Palm oil is an important source of carotenoids (pro-vitamin A), tocols (Vitamin E), sterols, essential fatty acid.
According to Harvard nutrition experts, palm oil is clearly better than high-trans fat and a better choice than butter. Its trans-fat content is minimum and less than 1 per cent.
HEALTH BENEFITS: Palm oil has been linked to several health benefits, including protecting brain function, reducing heart disease risk factors and improving vitamin A status.
Palm oil is an excellent source of tocotrienols, a form of vitamin E with strong antioxidant properties that may support brain health. Animal and human studies suggest that the tocotrienols in palm oil may help protect the delicate polyunsaturated fats in the brain, slow dementia progression, reduce the risk of stroke and prevent the growth of brain lesions.
In addition to its Vitamin E content, palm oil is also a food source of high vitamin A levels. Many studies have shown that palm oil is the world's richest natural plant source of carotene or pro-vitamin A.
Palm oil can help improve vitamin A status in people who are deficient or at risk of deficiency. Studies in pregnant women in developing countries have shown that consuming red palm oil increases vitamin A levels in their blood, as well as in their breastfed infants. One study found that people with cystic fibrosis, who have difficulty absorbing fat-soluble vitamins, experienced an increase in blood levels of vitamin A after taking two to three tablespoons of red palm oil daily for eight weeks. Red palm oil has also been shown to help boost vitamin A levels in young children better than vitamin A supplements
Most studies have found that palm oil has a protective effect on heart health. Though few studies found links of increasing LDL with Palm oil. But these are only potential risk factors and not evidence that palm oil can actually cause heart disease. However, one animal study suggests that consuming oil that has been repeatedly reheated may cause plaque deposits in the arteries due to a decrease in the oil's antioxidant activity.
Palm oil generally appears to have beneficial effects on heart disease risk factors, including lowering "bad" LDL cholesterol and increasing "good" HDL cholesterol. A recent three-month study looked at the cholesterol-lowering effects of palm oil made from a hybrid of Elaeis guineensis and Elaeis oleifera trees.
In this study, people consumed either 25 ml (2 tablespoons) of olive oil or a hybrid palm oil daily. Based on a 15 per cent drop in LDL cholesterol in both groups, researchers suggested this palm oil could be called "the tropical equivalent of olive oil".
Nevertheless, it's important to note that an increase or decrease in LDL cholesterol levels alone cannot predict heart disease risk. There are many other factors involved. However, a controlled study in 1995 suggested that palm oil might help slow disease progression in people with established heart disease.
As responsible consumers, it's imperative for us to understand the composition of the oil that we use on a day-to-day basis to fulfil all our dietary requirements. Palm oil is one of the most widely used oils in the world and much affordable than any other vegetable oil. It is naturally smooth, stable and a good replacement for partially hydrogenated fat containing Trans-fatty acids which are often responsible for causing serious health consequences. Like most natural seed oils, palm oil contains very little amounts of trans-fats, which is even less than 1 per cent and when consumed in moderation it is known to provide the body with vital antioxidants and vitamins.
In conclusion I would like to say, it's always important to remember that when it comes to food and edible oils, "moderation" is the key.
Jaheda Begum, Head of the department, Food & Beverage Production, National
Hotel & Tourism Training Institute, Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation.