Olive oil is considered healthier than palm oil because it is rich in monounsaturated fats and antioxidants, which have been linked to various health benefits, while palm oil is high in saturated fats, which may increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases when consumed in excess.
Palm oil contains mainly saturated fats which raise cholesterol while olive oil contains mainly monounsaturated fats which improve the profile of blood cholesterol. Therefore, when olive oil replaces palm oil, blood cholesterol is reduced and this is good for health.
Palm oil is similar to olive oil in its saturated fat content, but because of its neutral flavor, it stands out as an excellent substitute for olive oil in cooking Asian and African-influenced cuisine.
Large-scale conversion of tropical forests to oil palm plantations has a devastating impact on a huge number of plant and animal species. Oil palm production also leads to an increase in human-wildlife conflict as populations of large animals are squeezed into increasingly isolated fragments of natural habitat.
3 Palm oil does not contain trans fat, but it is high in saturated fat, which means it can boost unhealthy cholesterol and triglycerides and raise the likelihood of heart disease. Still, it is less saturated—or healthier—than oils and shortenings high in trans fat and butter.
Palm oil and related products linked to Sime Darby were banned from entering the US since January 2022 on findings of forced labor.
Nutritional Value
Like all vegetable oils, they contain small amounts of vitamin E and K, although palm oil is significantly richer in both. Coconut oil contains more minerals, especially iron, zinc, and calcium. Palm and coconut oils are high-calorie foods that are also rich in saturated fats.
Looking at other nutrients beyond just healthy fats, both palm oil and olive oil contain vitamin E. Olive oil also contains other nutritional compounds, such as other vitamins, polyphenols, antioxidants and more. Thus, olive oil offers more nutritional benefits overall than palm oil does.
Not all fats or cooking oils are unhealthy. In fact, in their natural and unrefined state, fats can be healthy. When possible, Shanahan recommends avoiding or limiting these eight oils: corn, canola, cottonseed, soy, safflower, sunflower, grapeseed, and rice bran oils, which may lead to inflammation over time.
Omega-6s are found in oils such as corn, safflower, sunflower, soy and vegetable and products made with those oils. Excess consumption of omega-6s can trigger the body to produce pro-inflammatory chemicals, and the American diet tends to be very high in omega-6s.
Olive oil is one of the better fats for your heart, according to the American Heart Association (AHA). Olive oil has 2 gm/tbsp of saturated fat, 10 gm of monounsaturated fat including oleic acid, and about 1 gm of polyunsaturated fat. Olive oil has zero cholesterol.
4. What is the problem with palm oil? Palm oil has been and continues to be a major driver of deforestation of some of the world's most biodiverse forests, destroying the habitat of already endangered species like the Orangutan, pygmy elephant and Sumatran rhino.
Which is more unhealthy: butter or palm oil? Both butter and palm oil are high in saturated fats, which can increase the risk of heart disease. However, butter contains more saturated fat than palm oil, making it less healthy in terms of saturated fat content.
Furthermore, when ingested modestly daily, palm oils, especially RPO and POl, provide health benefits such as cardioprotective, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, and antithrombotic effects.
The choice between palm oil and canola oil ultimately depends on your specific dietary preferences and culinary needs. While palm oil has a higher saturated fat content, it offers unique flavors and a higher smoke point suitable for high-heat cooking.
When taken by mouth: Palm oil is commonly consumed in foods. But palm oil contains a type of fat that can increase cholesterol levels. So people should avoid eating palm oil in excess. Palm oil is possibly safe when used as a medicine, short-term.
Both olive oil and avocado oil are considered good fats and are an excellent source of monounsaturated fatty acids, which can help improve heart health. On the other hand, olive oil is slightly more nutritious on the whole because it contains more potassium, calcium, iron and vitamins.
Avocado Oil
One review found that avocado oil has excellent nutritional value at low and high temperatures. “Avocado oil has a higher smoke point than olive oil, so it is better for higher-heat cooking,” says Levinson.
Avocado oil is a great choice. It's unrefined like extra virgin olive oil, but it has a higher smoking point, which means it can be used to cook at higher heat and is great for stir-frys. It doesn't have much flavor, which makes it a good option for cooking.
Palm oil is used as an ingredient in some of our products but the oil we use in our restaurants for frying is a blend of non-hydrogenated rapeseed and sunflower oil.
Palm oil is good at keeping spreads spreadable since it is semi-solid at room temperature, it is stable at high temperatures which helps fried products, and it's odorless and colorless so it doesn't affect the look or smell of food products.
Its combination of different types of fats and its consistency after refining make it a popular ingredient in packaged baked goods. Its low production costs make it cheaper than frying oils such as cottonseed or sunflower. It provides the foaming agent in virtually every shampoo, liquid soap or detergent.