What’s Good for Your Health is Good for the Earth
What is Palm Oil Used for?
Palm oil is a common ingredient found in many foods, including pizza, chocolate, baked goods, margarine, instant noodles, cooking oil, and nut butters. A versatile oil, palm oil helps spreads be spreadable, and gives products a longer shelf-life as it resists oxidation. You’ll also find palm oil in cosmetics (deodorant, shampoo, moisturizer, toothpaste, lipstick). According to the World Wildlife Federation, palm oil is used in nearly 50% of all packaged products in supermarkets.
What Food Contains Palm Oil? 10 Popular Products You (May) Buy that Contain Palm Oil
- Chips
- Chocolate
- Cookies
- Dairy-free cheeses
- Ice cream
- Lipstick
- Packaged bread
- Packaged pastries
- Shampoo
- Soap
References:
- The effects of ultra-processed food consumption – is there any action needed. Nutrients 2020 Sep; 12(9): 2556.
- Systematic review of palm oil consumption and the risk of cardiovascular disease. PLoS One 2018; 13(20: e0193533.
- Palm oil consumption increases low-density lipoprotein cholesterol compared with vegetable oils low in saturated fat in a meta-analysis of clinical trials. J Nutr. 2015. July;145(7):1549–58.
- Multi-country analysis of palm oil consumption and cardiovascular disease mortality for countries at different stages of economic development: 1980–1997. Global Health. 2011. December 16;7(1):45.
- Understanding the Southeast Asian haze. Envir Res Let 2017;12(8):084018.
- Oil palm and biodiversity. A situation analysis by the IUCH Oil Palm Task Force. International Union for Conservation of Nature, 2018.
- Profits and pandemics: prevention of harmful effects of tobacco, alcohol, and ultra-processed food and drink industries. Lancet 2013 Feb 23; 381(9867).