By Vijay Thakkar, Author of Eating Less is Making You Fat
We love a good hero. Blueberries for antioxidants. Avocados for heart health. Turmeric for its golden glow of healing, and the list goes on. We have even coined a tag for these heroes, superfoods, which are celebrated, shared, and sanctified on social media for their nutritional boost. These are no longer foods, but are celebrities on our platter or lifelines that save us from villains we don’t know much about. Some of these have earned their place after overcoming bad reputation.
Take eggs, for instance. Once demonised for their cholesterol content, they are now celebrated as protein-rich and nutrient-dense, with benefits for eye and brain health. Bananas, often avoided by low-carb enthusiasts, are actually loaded with potassium, vitamin B6, and dietary fibre, and boost heart and digestive health. These examples remind us that nutrition is rarely black and white, and the same holds true for other misunderstood foods in our diets, like palm oil.
To understand palm oil’s role in health, it’s important to consider the broader context of consumption. This tropical oil is extracted from the fruit of the oil palm tree, and is used globally and widely, from our daily breads, biscuits, instant noodles, and fried snacks due to its versatility. Yet, we often blame it for this wide use while ignoring other, more harmful ingredients in these routine foods, from refined starches, sugars to preservatives and other chemicals.
What makes palm oil’s case more compelling is that research supports its nutritional benefits. It has a balanced fatty acid profile, with approximately 50% saturated fat, 40% monounsaturated (heart-healthy) fats and 10% polyunsaturated fats. This composition can help reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol.
However, what truly sets palm oil apart, though, is its content of tocotrienols, a rare form of vitamin E with antioxidant properties that benefit the brain, heart, and immune system. Unlike partially hydrogenated oils, palm oil also contains no trans fats, a significant advantage in processed food reformulation. It also has a high smoke point (~230°C), making it stable for high-heat Indian cooking.
So, what’s the catch?
Like any oil, the harm lies in overuse and reuse. When repeatedly heated, as is common in street food stalls or commercial kitchens, any cooking oil, including palm oil, breaks down into harmful compounds, such as trans fats. This is what raises inflammation and cardiovascular risk, and not the fresh oil itself.
And the solution is a balanced diet. As with any food, the dose makes the poison. For palm oil, as per randomised controlled trials in humans, consuming up to two tablespoons per day, as part of a diverse fat profile, does not present known health risks for an average adult. The most crucial aspect of our diet is whether our fat intake is diverse, unrefined, and balanced, not whether it is palm, ghee, or groundnut oil alone. A balanced and diverse oil intake in our diet promotes healthier dietary adherence.
India’s health authorities, including the Indian Council of Medical Research, have not banned palm oil. Instead, they advise a rotation of oils whenever financially and seasonally possible to ensure fatty acid diversity, recommending blends of mustard, groundnut, sunflower, rice bran, and yes, palm.
So, what’s our stand?
Like most things in nutrition, the truth lies in the differing shades of grey. Palm oil can easily find a place in a wellness-focused, culturally relevant diet when consumed in moderation, stored well, and not repeatedly heated. The real concern lies not in eliminating palm oil in our diets but in educating ourselves to make informed, contextual, and balanced food choices. Needless to say, our nutritional choices must evolve beyond fear-based messaging towards scientific clarity, and palm oil deserves that nuanced understanding.