Red Palm Oil

[hailtotheking]

Has anyone tried this stuff? I heard about it in a Mary Enig article. Looked it up and it looks like a very good saturated fat to use.

Red palm oil contains a mixture of saturated fatty acids (51%), monounsaturated fatty acids (38%), polyunsaturated fatty acids (11%) and a whole spectrum of anti-oxidative carotenoids (vitamin A), tocopherols and tocotrienols (vitamin E) as major constituents.

The most prominent saturated fatty acid in the red palm oil is palmitic acid, which has neutral effects on plasma cholesterol. A biochemical process called palmitoylation, in which the body uses palmitic acid in stabilization processes, although not very well known, is very important to our health, and therefore palm oil contributes towards this.

The fatty acid that gives olive oil its beneficial effects is called oleic acid. 45 % of the fatty acids in red palm oil are oleic acid. In red palm oil the oleic acid is situated on a position of the triglyceride backbone (the triglyceride is a bit like a skeleton on which other molecules are attached to build a fat) which increases its ability to be absorbed.

Red palm oil is also the only oil that contains high amounts of tocotrienols, which are very potent anti-oxidants. The high vitamin A (carotenoid) content (300 times higher than tomatoes for equivalent amounts), high vitamin E (tocopherols and tocotrienols) content and 45% oleic acid makes this oil quite balanced between SaFA and MUFA.

Numerous studies have shown that red palm oil is actually beneficial to blood lipid profiles and the heart.

[Ripped Barbarian]

Tocotrienols are great.

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some research suggests tocotrienols are more potent in their anti-oxidation and anti-cancer effect than the common forms of tocopherol due to significant differences in chemical structure.

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Tocotrienols show antioxidant properties considerably superior to dl-α-Tocopherol in clinical and experimental studies due to their better distribution in the fatty layers of the cell membrane. The tocotrienol unsaturated side chain allows for more efficient penetration into saturated fatty layers of the brain and liver. In addition to the free radical scavenging effect, the antioxidant function of tocotrienols is also associated with lowering tumor formation, DNA damage and cell damage.

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A study showed that tocotrienols are the components of vitamin E responsible for growth inhibition in human breast cancer cells in vitro as well as in vivo through estrogen-independent mechanisms. Tocotrienols can also affect cell homeostasis, possibly independently of their antioxidant activity.[3] Anti-cancer effects of α- and γ-tocotrienol have been reported, although δ-tocotrienol was verified to be the most effective tocotrienol in inducing apoptosis (cell death) in estrogen-responsive and estrogen-nonresponsive human breast cancer cells. A daily dose of 30 - 50 mg mixture of α- and γ-tocotrienols can reduce breast cancer risk, and a treatment plan for breast cancer should use higher dosage.

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Investigation of the antiproliferative effect of tocotrienols in PC3 and LNCaP prostate cancer cells suggests that the transformation of vitamin E to CEHC is mostly a detoxification mechanism, useful to maintain the malignant properties of prostate cancer cells.[4] However, recent research suggested that γ-tocotrienol was most potent in suppressing prostate cancer cell proliferation, and that the antiproliferative effect of γ-tocotrienol act through multiple-signalling pathways (NF-B, EGF-R and Id family proteins). In addition, the same study demonstrated the anti-invasion and chemosensitisation effect of γ-tocotrienol against PCa cells.

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The development of new cholesterol-lowering agents has been given increasing attention by pharmaceutical companies due to the strong relationship between cholesterol and atherosclerosis. Tocotrienols, especially δ- and γ-tocotrienols, were shown to be effective nutritional agents to treat high cholesterol in recent research programs. In particular, γ-tocotrienol appears to act on a specific enzyme called 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme and suppresses the production of this enzyme, resulting in less cholesterol being manufactured by liver cells.[6] However, studies have demonstrated that the presence of dietary alpha-tocopherol may interfere with Gamma-tocotrienol's ability to lower cholesterol[7]. Moreover, research has found that alpha-tocopherol may decrease the absorption of tocotrienol

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nvestigation of the intake of antioxidants for its ability to prevent type 2 diabetes shows that vitamin E intake was significantly associated with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes. The relative risk (RR) of type 2 diabetes between the extreme quartiles of the intake was 0.69 (95% CI 0.51-0.94, P for trend=0.003). Intakes of alpha-tocopherol, gamma-tocopherol, delta-tocopherol, and beta-tocotrienol were inversely related to a risk of type 2 diabetes. Thus the development of type 2 diabetes may be reduced by the intake of antioxidants in the diet.

Any idea how much the palm oil contains?

[hailtotheking]

Not sure of the precise tocotrienol content, but on wikipedia it states:

Palm oil - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Palm oil is the largest natural source of tocotrienol, part of the vitamin E family. Palm oil is also high in vitamin K and dietary magnesium.

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It doesnt actually seem to be widely available on the web. I've looked around in the UK, and theres only one source i've seen, and thats some parrot-breeder selling it to be used in parrot food! (Although he does state it is 'human consumption grade')

[Ripped Barbarian]

I know you can get red palm oil with canola...

Carotino - Red Palm & Canola Oil

Tho canola on here is about as popular as jelly babies are with nu.

[hailtotheking]

Yeah i've seen that stuff all over the place. I'm one of those people that really doesnt like canola !

I just want 100% virgin red palm oil

[Ripped Barbarian]

Also something i've noted.

There is 'palm oil' and then there is 'palm kernel oil'.

One is from the palm fruit (like olive oil) one is from the kernel (like sunflower oil)

Both have different fatty acid profile and nutrient contents so i'd advise much more research into these products.

[hailtotheking]

Palm oil (not the kernal oil) is the one i've been talking about.

[Indiscreet]

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I know you can get red palm oil with canola...

Carotino - Red Palm & Canola Oil

Tho canola on here is about as popular as jelly babies are with nu.

I have this. Actually canola is fine if you don't heat it. As a salad dressing it's OK.

[hailtotheking]

Apparently palm kernel oil is quite a good source of MCTs (similar to coconut oil) but fairly low in micronutrition, whereas pure red palm oil is loaded with micronutrients. its pretty much the most overall nutritious oil I have come across. Tempted to put a Request for virgin red palm oil in under the Request board ...