Palm Oil

Palm oil is the Orange-red edible oil that comes from the fruit on the Palm tree. Two types of oil come from the Palm tree, the Palm kernel oil which comes from the nut on the inside of the palm fruit and the Palm oil which comes from the outer fleshy part of the Palm fruit. Palm oil is semi solid at room temperature and has so many uses. The big question is, is palm oil healthy or unhealthy? Palm oil has a lot of health benefits including helping burn belly fat, it also has some reasons why it might not be good to consume too much of it or why it is not good when it has gone through too much processing. Palm oil is used in a number of African meals. 

Uses of the Palm tree 

The Palm tree originated from west Africa in the tropical region of Africa and has spread to the whole of Africa. It is very unique not only in appearance but in all its qualities. The Palm tree could grow up to 18m tall. It is a branch less tree with big long green leaves or palms. 

Every part of the Palm tree is useful from its palms (leaves) down to its roots! The leaves or palms are used as shade in the sun, in making roofs, brooms, palm crosses, huts, placemats and furniture. The stem produces a very delicious fluid called palm wine. The roots are boiled and the infusion is drank as herbal viagra. The Palm fruit produces two kinds of oil. 

Uses of Palm oil

Industrial uses

Palm oil is used in making cooking oil, engine oil, shampoos, soaps, margarines and lipsticks. It is also a booming business all over the world. 

In food preparation 

Palm oil is excellent in making dips, stews, soups and porridges. It can be used on its own as a dip, it is also very good in frying and baking. 

Medicinal Uses: 

Skin irritation – rub palm oil all over the affected area to stop the itching. It helps with skin conditions such as measles, chicken pox and insect stings. 

Boils – rub some palm oil on the boil so it softens and poxes sooner. 

Coughs – mix a little granulated or powdered sugar in 1 tablespoon of palm oil and lick.

Food poisoning – drink some palmoil immediately as an antidote. It is only effective before the poison circulation in the body.

Wounds – drop some hot palm oil on the fresh wound to numb the pain by cooking the area. 

Is Palm oil healthy

When consumed and used in the right way, Palm oil is the safest and most healthy oil in the world! But palm oil has fat? Yes, it does but the good fat. The fat called HDL. High Density Lipoprotein, this fat fights bad cholesterol in the body. It also keeps the blood arteries clean from plaque accumulation. Palm oil should be used unprocessed and in small quantities. 1 or 2 tablespoons. It should not be reheated over and over as reheating kills the antioxidants in palm oil. 

– the orange colour in palm oil shows it contains a lot of beta carotene.

– Palm oil  is very rich in vitamin A it has 30 times of the vitamin A in a tomato and 15 times of the vitamin A in a carrot.

– vitamin E contained in palm oil makes it a very powerful antioxidant. This protects the body’s immune system. 

– prevents some deficiencies in pregnancy 

– helps fight belly fat 

– Boosts the balance of hormones. 

– improves energy levels 

– slows down the ageing process 

– prevents cancer

– HDL (High Density Lipoprotein) protects the walls in the blood arteries reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke in the body.

– prevents plaque accumulation in the blood arteries due to its HDL content

– HDL in palm oil fights bad cholesterol in the body

– reduces the risk of cataract and mascular degeneration and it improves vision

Is palm oil unhealthy?

– palm oil is very high in calories, 114 calories in one tablespoon. It should be consumed in small quantities.

– consuming repeatedly reheated palmoil can cause accumulation of plaque in blood arteries.

– may increase body cholesterol if used in the wrong way. Do not use if palm oil has lost its red-orange colour

– reheating reduces the antioxidant quality in palm oil

 

Meals made with palm oil 

I watched my grandmother cook. She always added palm oil when the meal is cooked or almost cooked. Now I know why she did that and why they lived long and healthy those days. We should learn from the wisdom of the old. 

North Africa

Algerian Chorba, Moroccan Orzo soup.

West Africa 

Gambian Benachin, Ghanian Banku, Beans porridge, tomato sauce, Cameroonian green plantain porridge, Nigerian vegetable stew, moimoi, yam porridge

East Africa 

Ugali, Kenyan Matoke meal, Pelau rice.

South Africa

South African Bobotie, Botswana’s Seswaa, Zimbabwe’s Sadza.

 

Make Palm oil your main cooking oil

Palm oil comes from the Palm fruit on the palm tree. Two types of oil come from the palm fruit, the kernel oil and the palm oil. Every part of the Palm tree is very useful. Palm oil has industrial, medicinal and food preparation uses. In its natural state, Palm oil is the healthiest and best oil to use and consume in the whole world! It is best used unrefined and avoid heating it over and over. Palm oil is high in calories, use 1 or 2 table spoons of palm oil at a time.  

 

Here is where to get Palm oil: Click on the links!