Discover the benefits of palm oil that have been hidden from you by doctors and professional athletes for so long. Are you wondering why they did this? There are a lot of rumors about palm oil in our country. In most cases, the opinion about this product is extremely negative. It is believed that it negatively affects the intestinal tract, can lead to the development of cancer, etc. Today we will debunk the most popular palm oil myths in bodybuilding.
Palm oil is a source of trans fats
Of course, trans fats are very harmful to the body. However, palm oil does not contain them at all. Basically, trans fats are formed during the manufacture of hard butter, for example, for the further production of margarine. As a result, such a product will remain solid even at room temperature and will be stored for a long time. Palm oil is naturally solid and does not require additional hydrogenation.
If we talk about the dangers of trans fats, then they can disrupt the balance of cholesterol, shifting it towards low-density lipoproteins. This, in turn, dramatically increases the risk of developing diseases of the vascular system and heart. The content of trans fats in food is regulated by legislation, and if you are afraid of these substances, then you should first look at palm oil.
Technical palm oil is supplied to Russia
In our state, there is a law that strictly separates technical and edible oils. If the product does not meet food standards, then it cannot be used in the food industry and will not make it to store shelves. It should also be remembered that all food products are made only from refined oil, which is tasteless and odorless due to additional purification.
Of course, there is also technical palm oil, as well as, say, sunflower oil. In addition, one can often hear that palm oil comes to the Russian market from tanks intended for the transportation of petroleum products. This is utter nonsense, since there are organizations that regulate the transport of food. Moreover, these are not only domestic organizations, but also foreign ones.
Palm oil is not good for the body
The calorie content of palm oil corresponds to that of any other vegetable oil and is 9 kilocalories. Palm oil contains a large amount of vitamins B6, D, F, A and E, coenzyme Q10. It contains practically no cholesterol, although in terms of the amount of omega-3 it is still inferior to other vegetable oils. However, you must remember that any vegetable oil goes through several stages of refining, which leads to the loss of a large amount of nutrients. If we compare refined sunflower and palm oil, then in terms of the amount of nutrients they are approximately equal. However, this indicator will be significantly inferior to oils that have not been refined.
To get the most out of any vegetable oil, you should only purchase unrefined foods. They are not great for frying, but they are great nutritional supplements. Let's say red palm oil is natural and retains all of the above nutrients.
The trunk of a palm tree is used for the production of oil
Palm oil is made from the fruit of a special type of palm - the oil palm. The trunk of this plant has nothing to do with it. Outwardly, the fruits are similar to dates, and the oil is made from their pulp or nucleoli. However, in the latter case, it is called palm kernel, not palm.
The main difference between palm oil and other types of vegetable oil is consistency. As we said above, it is solid, not liquid. If the oil palm grows in the northern regions, then it contains more polyunsaturated fats. Accordingly, the further south the plantations of the plant are located, the more saturated fat is contained in the oil.
Palm oil does not melt in the digestive tract
Complete nonsense, as all foods in the digestive tract are digested, not melted. Palm oil is digested in the same way as other food products, and its use does not pose a danger to the body.
If you are a supporter of proper nutrition, then you should be aware of the need to consume different types of oils. This will allow you to provide your body with all the essential fatty acids.
Palm oil raw materials are very cheap
Palm oil actually costs a little less, say, domestic sunflower oil. However, this is not due to the cost of raw materials, but also to the higher productivity on the plantations of the main producers.
It is also used by food manufacturers not because of its low cost, but due to its high manufacturability. Since it is solid, this fact makes the oil very attractive for the bakery and confectionery industry. Previously, very often in these branches of the food industry, other vegetable oils were used, which underwent hydrogenation and, as a result, had a large amount of trans fats. Now it is possible to use palm oil.
In developed countries, palm oil is prohibited
Palm oil is not banned in any country on the planet. We can say even more - more than 55 percent of the total consumption of vegetable oils in the world falls on the share of palm.
The claim that palm oil poses a serious danger to babies is completely wrong. Moreover, this product is indispensable in the manufacture of baby food. In order to fully reproduce the composition of breast milk in terms of fatty acids, it is necessary to use palm oil. For this, separate fractions of this product are used.
Harmful or healthy palm oil? Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor Oleg Medvedev answers:
