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| Deep red palm oil indicates an abundance of beta carotene. |
Palm oil is one huge blessing to West Africa that suddenly became a very bad one when from nowhere we started hearing and reading that Palm oil has an extremely high level of cholesterol which is not too healthy for us.
Not just that, its type of cholesterol is the BAD type! as someone still commented on a Facebook Note I wrote on this. I have not seize to wonder where all the myths emanate from, could it be because of our lack in-depth research on those?
When I got my regular newsletter from Underground Health Reporter on the 24th July, 2013, what first caught my attention was a question, Did you Know….?
… that red palm oil is healthier than olive oil and coconut oil and has been proven to reverse the symptoms of heart disease and protect against certain cancers?
Move over olive and coconut—there’s a new oil in town proven even more effective at cutting the risk of heart disease and degenerative illnesses: red palm oil.
Red palm oil has been celebrated as a healing tonic among ancient civilizations, but has been overlooked by modern health practitioners due to its mistaken similarities to palm kernel oil. Both palm kernel and red palm oil originate from the oil palm Elaeis guineesis. But palm kernel oil is derived from the seed, while red palm oil is extracted from the fruit.
Recent research suggests that the two aren’t as alike as previously thought, as red palm oil has shown superior health benefits to not only palm kernel oil, but to virtually every other edible oil on the planet! In fact, Dr. Oz claims, “none compare to the powerful nutritional virtues of red palm oil.”
A Nutritional Powerhouse - Red Palm Oil
Rich in phytonutrients, red palm oil owes the majority of its antioxidant super powers to its high concentration of carotenes and tocotrienols. You’ve probably heard about carotenes such as lycopene and beta-carotene, which lend the bright red and orange hues—and powerful health benefits—to tomatoes and carrots. Red palm oil significantly contains more potent levels of these phytonutrients.
Tocotrienols are a superior form of vitamin E (40 to 60 times more powerful than tocopherols) that control free radicals and inflammation (the primary cause of heart disease). Tocotrienols are also powerful anti-cancer agents that help ward off cancers of the skin, stomach, pancreas, liver, lung, colon, prostate and breast.
Over 700 published studies have shown that tocotrienols have an unprecedented number of health benefits when combined with the other super nutrients in red palm oil, which include: a unique complex of phytosterolsplant squaleneco-enzyme Q10carotenes
Unprecedented Health Benefits - Red Palm Oil
Red palm oil is an overall immune system tonic that improves liver detoxification and can help treat non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NFLAD). It protects against osteoporosis and arthritis. Both tocotrienols and mixed carotenes naturally accumulate in the outermost layer of the epidermis, thereby shielding hair and skin from harmful ultraviolet rays.
However, the most well-documented and scientifically validated nutritional benefit of red palm oil relates to heart health. Even though red palm oil is high in saturated fat, it actually helps prevent and reverse heart disease. Studies have shown that the oil breaks down plague buildup in the arteries and prevents blockages from forming.
Red palm oil is a potent natural anti-inflammatory, and as such helps to prevent inflammation in the artery lining. Science has now confirmed that inflammation in the arterial linings is the major cause of cholesterol buildup! Red palm oil naturally improves cholesterol and lowers high blood pressure.
A study funded by the National Institutes of Health found that red palm oil reduces your risk of stroke by 50% due to its protective effects on brain cells. The super vitamin E in red palm oil stimulates blood flow to the brain and also defends against Alzheimer’s disease and dementia!
Sustainable Red Palm Oil
Unfortunately, red palm oil is the subject of much controversy. Production and demand of red palm oil have led to deforestation and the demise of the orangutan population. In 2004, a nonprofit organization called the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) was founded to partner conservation groups with palm oil firms in order to create more sustainable manufacturing practices. When looking for palm oil, make sure it carries the RSPO stamp of approval.
Red palm oil should also carry the labels “virgin” and “organic.” When processed and refined, red palm oil loses not only its dark color… but also all of its nutritional benefits. If ever you see red palm oil listed as an ingredient in processed snack food, you can be sure it’s not the heart healthy kind.
Experts recommend that to treat a chronic health condition or for a dose of extra protection, supplement with one to two tablespoons of virgin organic RSPO-approved red palm oil daily.= = = = = = = = = = =
This is such a revelation and a relief from all the myths. I have really been wondering how it didn’t affect our fathers who lived so long in great health yet had palm oil completely as part of their life.
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| One main delicacy – white yam and palm oil |
I had believed that cold pressed Palm oil is the best as most of the nutrients are destroyed from cooking, surprisingly & interestingly I read from Abeng News Magazine, that unlike many other foods that lose their nutrients when heated, much of the nutrients of palm oil remains intact after extensive boiling of the fruit to extract the oil.
According to Dr. Gourmet ‘Palm oil is taken from the fruit of the palm, however Palm kernel oil is pressed from the seeds (kernels) of the fruit and is much higher in saturated fat – at about 80% vs. only 50% in palm oil. Palm oil also has a higher ratio of “good fats” though and early research shows that palm oil has similar effects on cholesterol profiles (total cholesterol, HDL and LDL cholesterol) as olive oil’.
Abeng News Magazine explained further that It is high in Vitamin E (tocotrienols and tocopherols), which maintains healthy, supple skin. Palm oil’s potent Vitamin E tocotrienols is described as a super-antioxidant that neutralizes disease causing free radicals—it has the highest level of tocotrienols among all vegetable oils. Could palm oil be secret behind Africans’ radiant complexion and renowned ageless features?
Palm oil is also an excellent source for combating Vitamin A deficiency to prevent night blindness and vision loss. It has 16 times more beta-carotene — the source of its red colour — than carrots. This high level of carotene is a powerful anti-carcinogenic. The unremitting health pleas of the West for avoidance of saturated fats, such as palm oil, due to their supposed link to heart disease are now viewed as unjustified particularly regarding palm oil.
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| Raw Palm fruit |
The health benefits of palm oil are said to far out weigh the health risks, especially when blended with other healthy oils. In addition, no health statistic has revealed West Africans, whose diet for the past 5,000 years has included palm oil, are more susceptible to high levels of cholesterol or heart disease than any other population.
Sources: Abeng News Magazine
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