Palm Oil

What is it?

Palm oil is obtained from the fruit of the oil palm tree.

Palm oil is used for preventing vitamin A deficiency, cancer, brain disease, aging; and treating malaria, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and cyanide poisoning. Palm oil is used for weight loss and increasing the body’s metabolism.

As food, palm oil is used for frying.

Industrially, palm oil is used for manufacturing cosmetics, soaps, toothpaste, waxes, lubricants, and ink. 

How effective is it?

Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database rates effectiveness based on scientific evidence according to the following scale: Effective, Likely Effective, Possibly Effective, Possibly Ineffective, Likely Ineffective, Ineffective, and Insufficient Evidence to Rate.

The effectiveness ratings for PALM OIL are as follows:

Possibly effective for...

• Preventing a lack of vitamin A (vitamin A deficiency). There is some evidence that adding palm oil to the diet of pregnant women and children in developing countries might reduce the risk of developing vitamin A deficiency.

Possibly ineffective for...

• High cholesterol. Consuming palm oil as part of a specific diet plan does not seem to reduce cholesterol levels in people with high cholesterol. In fact, some research suggests that palm oil might actually increase cholesterol levels compared to other oils, such as soybean, canola, or sunflower oil.
• Malaria. Some research suggests that dietary consumption of palm oil by children under 5 years of age in developing countries does not seem to decrease symptoms of malaria. 

Insufficient evidence to rate effectiveness for...

• High blood pressure.
• Cyanide poisoning.
• Weight loss agent.
• Cancer.
• Anti-aging.
• Brain disease.
• Other conditions.

More evidence is needed to rate the effectiveness of palm oil for these uses.

How does it work?

Palm oil contains saturated and unsaturated fats, vitamin E, and beta-carotene. It might have antioxidant effects.

Are there safety concerns?

Palm oil is LIKELY SAFE when consumed in amounts found in foods. It is POSSIBLY SAFE when taken as medicine by children or adults for up to 6 months.

Special precautions & warnings:

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Palm oil is POSSIBLY SAFE when taken as a medicine during pregnancy for up to 6 months.

Are there interactions with medications?

Moderate

Be cautious with this combination.

Medications that slow blood clotting (Anticoagulant / Antiplatelet drugs)

Palm oil might increase blood clotting. Taking palm oil along with medications that slow clotting might reduce the effectiveness of these medications.

Some medications that slow blood clotting include aspirin, clopidogrel (Plavix), diclofenac (Voltaren, Cataflam, others), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others), naproxen (Anaprox, Naprosyn, others), dalteparin (Fragmin), enoxaparin (Lovenox) heparin, warfarin (Coumadin), and others.

Are there interactions with herbs and supplements?

Beta-carotene

Palm oil contains beta-carotene. There is some concern that taking beta-carotene supplements along with palm oil might result in too much beta-carotene and an increased risk of harmful side effects.

Vitamin A

Palm oil contains beta-carotene, which is a building block of vitamin A. There is some concern that taking a vitamin A or beta-carotene supplement along with palm oil might result in too much vitamin A and an increased risk of harmful side effects.

Are there interections with foods?

There are no known interactions with foods.

What dosed is used?

The following doses have been studied in scientific research:

BY MOUTH:

• For preventing vitamin A deficiency: about 3 tablespoons (9 grams) per day of palm oil for adults and children over age 5. About 4 tablespoons (12 grams) per day for pregnant women. For children less than 5 years old, 2 tablespoons (6 grams) per day.

Other Names

Aceite de Palma, African Palm Oil, Crude Palm Oil, Elaeis guineensis, Elaeis melanococca, Fractionated Palm Kernel Oil, Huile de Palme, Huile de Palme Brute, Huile de Palme Rouge, Huile de Palmiste, Main Ja, Oil Palm Tree, Palm, Palm Fruit Oil, Palm Kernel Oil, Palm Oil Carotene, Palmier à Huile, Red Palm Oil.

Methodology

To learn more about how this article was written, please see the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database methodology.

References

1. Alfatni, M. S. M., Shariff, A. R. M., Shafri, H. Z. M., Ben Saaed, O. M., and Eshanta, O. M. Oil Palm Fruit Bunch Grading System Using Red, Green and Blue Digital Number. Journal of Applied Sciences 2008;8:1444-1452.
2. Pletcher, J. Public interventions in agricultural markets in Malaysia: rice and palm oil. Modern Asian Studies 1990;24:323-340.
3. Hinds, E. A. Government policy and the Nigerian palm oil export industry, 1939-49. Journal of African History 1997;38:459-478.
4. Lynn, M. The profitability of the early Nineteenth Century palm oil trade. African Economic History 1992;20:77-97.
5. Lynn, M. Change and continuity in the British palm oil trade with West Africa, 1830-55. Journal of African History 1981;22:331-348.
6. Lynn, M. Bristol, West Africa, and the Nineteenth-Century Palm Oil Trade. Historical Research 1991;64:359-374.
7. Sanders, J. Palm oil production on the gold coast in the aftermath of the slave trade: a case study of the Fante. International Journal of African Historical Studies 1982;15:49-63.
8. Skagerlind, P. and Holmberg, K. Effect of the surfactant on enzymatic hydrolysis of palm oil in microemulsion. Journal of Dispersion Sciences and Technology 1994;15:317-332.
9. Khosla, P. and Hayes, K. C. Pa
10. Sundram, K., Hayes, K. C., and Siru, O. H. Both dietary 18:2 and 16:0 may be required to improve the serum LDL/HDL cholesterol ratio in normocholesterolemic men. Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry 1995;6:179-187.

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Last reviewed - 02/16/2015

For further details log on website :
https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/natural/1139.html