Palm Fruit Oil - much more than an ordinary oil

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Palm Fruit Oil - much more than an ordinary oil

Dr Ella Johannesen

Palm Fruit Oil is extracted from the flesh of the fruit of the oil palm and is completely different in its composition and properties from palm kernel oil. It contains many valuable vitamins that are essential for the maintenance of human health. Its potential as a powerful nutritional supplement has been established and assessed through extensive research, resulting in a large number of scientific publications.

Vitamins present in Palm Fruit Oil:

Carotenoids

The striking ruby-red colour of Palm Fruit Oil is due to the exceptionally high levels of caroteinoids (e.g. a and carotenes and lycopene in the product Palm Fruit Oil has on average 13 to 15 times more carotenes than carrots and 40 to 50 times more than tomatoes. These carotenes are non toxic, pigmented precursors of vitamin A. Our bodies convert them into vitamin A as and when required. Vitamin A is important in, amongst others, maintaining good vision and supporting the immune system.

In addition, carotenes have strong antioxidant properties - they remove damaging oxygen-free radicals, prevent certain forms of cancer and delay the aging process.

Vitamin E: tocopherols and tocotrienols

Palm Fruit Oil also has high levels of tocopherols and tocotrienols, which are two forms of the strong antioxidant, vitamin E. They, too, remove damaging oxygen-free radicals from the body. Among all vegetable oils, Palm Fruit Oil has by far the highest level of naturally occurring tocotrienols.

Tocotrienols have been reported in scientific literature to prevent cardiovascular diseases, lower the serum cholesterol level, decrease platelet aggregation, inhibit the growth of certain types of cancer cells, protect the skin against UV radiation and offer some protection to nerve cells.

Fatty acids present in Palm Fruit Oil

Palm Fruit Oil is an efficient source of energy, providing equal amounts of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids.

The composition of fatty acids in Palm Fruit Oil is (on average) as follows:

" 40% oleic acid (mono-unsaturated), 10% linoleic acid and 0,4% linolenic acid (both polyunsaturated)
" 44% palmitic acid (monosaturated), 4.6% stearic acid, 1.1% myristic acid and 0,2% lauric acid (all three saturated).

The high temperature tolerance of palm oil, together with the fact that it does not oxidise easily make it a favourite in the commercial baking industry. Whereas other vegetable oils have to be stabilised with antioxidants and preservatives to prevent them going rancid, palm fruit oil remains stable for long periods of time without any additions.

The harmful effects usually associated with saturated fatty acids have not been observed with Palm Fruit Oil. This

is apparently due to their structure, their position in the fat molecule and the balanced composition of fatty acids found in this product.

Bioavailability of nutrients and vitamins

Palm Fruit Oil contains important vitamins and other phytonutrients (plant nutrients). Their quantities and ratios are as originally formed and remain unaltered by the refining process. The body is able to absorb and utilise the carotenes, tocopherols and tocotrienols in Palm Fruit Oil extremely well (i.e. their bioavailability is very high) because these fat soluble vitamins are present in the oil medium.

Stability of Palm Fruit Oil

Palm Fruit Oil's exceptional resistance to the detrimental effects of atmospheric oxygen and to the process of heating is due to its unique composition of fatty acids (namely low concentrations of readily oxidised linolenic and linoleic acids) and high levels of protective antioxidants (carotenes, tocopherols and tocotrienols). Palm Fruit Oil therefore retains its freshness and its valuable properties over long periods of storage. Other types of oils have to be preserved by the addition of antioxidants, which reduce the 'naturalness' of the product.

More information:

Carotino Cooking Oil, a cholesterol free food oil is distributed in South Africa by Bioflora. For more information contact Dr Johannesen at bioflora@lantic.net or phone +27(0)12 348 2367

http://www.carotino.com/consumer.html

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