Tropical oils are often confused. Many do not know how palm oil differs from coconut oil . As for their similarity, both species are produced from the fruits of palm trees. Both are tropical oils and are used for cooking, including on a commercial basis. However, there is sufficient reason to argue that coconut oil is better than palm oil.
What is palm oil?
Before you figure out how palm oil differs from coconut oil, you need to know what they are. The first product is obtained from oil palm trees, but this is not the same as palm kernel oil. If one is extracted from the pulp of oleaginous fruit, the other is extracted from seeds.
Unrefined red palm oil takes on this color due to the presence of carotenoids. In general, this product has a high content of saturated fats. It is believed that the birthplace of oil palm is West Africa. Today, the plant is grown not only in Africa, but also in Asia, North and South America. Oil palm trees grow successfully in tropical regions with high temperature and humidity.
Palm oil is widely used as a food product. Studies have shown that today it makes up about 65 percent of all vegetable oils that are imported and exported internationally.
Palm oil in its pure (unrefined) form is not harmful to health, but the method of its production and collection is harmful to the environment and the local economies with which it is associated. Its popularity has grown due to the fact that it is a high-yielding crop and has a low cost.
What is it used for?
Palm oil is widely used as an ingredient in snacks, bread and spreads. It is also added to cosmetics, candles, and even detergents. Why is this product considered bad and has so many negative reviews? The harm and health benefits of palm oil are mixed.
One glass of product contains 1909 calories and 216 grams of lipid fat. The oil also contains a considerable amount of iron, vitamins A, E and K. The beta-carotene present in palm oil is very important for improving vision. Many antioxidants can also be found in this product. They increase the body's powerful defenses. In addition, antioxidants are useful by-products of cellular metabolism, and can help the body by protecting it from free radicals, which can harm health, including the organs of vision. Using palm oil as a substitute for other types of fat can help prevent macular degeneration and cataracts.
This product is sustainable and low grade, making it an easy choice for manufacturers. Due to its properties allowing it to solidify at room temperature, palm oil is widely used in packaged foods. Moreover, the content of saturated fat in it is more than 50 percent.
Palm fruits undergo a deep processing process before they are converted to oil for consumption in food and other uses. In the end, there are almost no useful substances in it. As such, only a small amount of vitamin A is present in the oil.
Moreover, part of the saturated fats contained in palm oil is processed into trans fats, which not only increase low density lipoproteins and triglycerides in the blood, but also lower the level of “good” cholesterol. Most of them are artificially created by hydrogenation. Partially hydrogenated palm oil, used in many processed baked goods and snacks, is the main source of trans fats. This is the main harm of the product. What is the difference between palm oil and coconut oil?
What is coconut oil?
It is a dense, almost colorless oil that is made from the pulp of nuts collected from coconut palm trees. This tree grows in many subtropical and tropical regions of the world. Most commercial grade coconut oils are made from copra, a dried coconut kernel (pulp) that undergoes a series of purifications and bleaches. There is also unrefined coconut oil made from fresh pulp, without the chemicals or heat used to produce the standard “refined” product.
Where is it used?
Coconut oil is not a new invention. Many people use it for skin and hair care, as well as for cooking for quite some time. It is worth noting that in recent years it has sharply gained popularity and has appeared in many health food stores. What is the difference between coconut oil and palm oil in application?
It is commonly used in mixed oils and dressings to add a subtle coconut flavor to dishes. The product is often used in the manufacture of certain types of cookies, popcorn and other snacks. Coconut oil is also added to infant formula and non-dairy cream. The smoke point of coconut oil is 180 ° C, which is significantly lower than that of high-temperature frying oils such as peanut.
How is it useful?
Coconut oil contains a significant amount of linoleic and oleic acids, as well as polyphenols, iron and vitamins K and E.
Is coconut oil good for eating? It consists mainly of saturated fats in the form of molecules called medium chain triglycerides (MCTs). It used to be that eating such a product increases the risk of heart disease, but recent studies have changed this statement. It is now believed that saturated fat in coconut oil lowers blood cholesterol and triglycerides.
The fats contained in it are also quickly metabolized and converted into energy. Current research suggests that coconut oil may be beneficial for weight loss. Some preliminary evidence even suggests that consuming coconut oil can also help prevent or even treat Alzheimer's.
Fatty acids found in coconut oil can kill harmful pathogens, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi. This can potentially help prevent infection.
However, it is worth remembering that one tablespoon of the product contains as many as 117 calories, so its use should be in moderation.
Thus, a comparison of coconut and palm oil does not get the result in favor of the latter. Despite some similarities in chemical composition, it is the coconut product that can be called completely safe for health.
What are their similarities?
Having found out what is the difference between coconut oil and palm oil, the similarities should be considered. Both products are naturally resistant to oxidation and therefore rancidity due to their high saturated fat content. This stability allows the use of such oils for high temperature cooking.