Is Palm Oil Bad for You? Experts Share What You Need to Know

Is palm oil bad for you? This versatile fat is extremely common, found in at least 50% of products in U.S. supermarkets, per 2024 research published in Foods. But while prevalent, there’s a lot of debate over its potential impacts on our health. 

It’s not a seed oil, a group of oils that the current Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., has slammed, claiming Americans shouldn’t be “unknowingly poisoned” by their inclusion in food.

We asked nutrition experts to break down what you need to know about palm oil and its potential health impacts. While they say there are more nutritious oil alternatives, palm oil isn’t “poisoning” you, either.  

What is palm oil?

Palm oil comes from the fruit of the palm tree, which is prolific in tropical regions of the world. According to Sandra Zhang, MS, RDN, LDN, pediatric dietitian at the Frances Stern Nutrition Center at Tufts Medical Center, it’s composed of:

• 50% saturated fat, a type of fat that’s linked to an increased risk of heart disease and weight gain
• 40% monounsaturated fat, a “healthy” fat that’s known to help lower your cholesterol
• 10% polyunsaturated fat, another healthy fat that contains heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids

Comparatively, olive oil has about 15% saturated fat and 85% healthy fat. Other common cooking oils are also lower in saturated fat and higher in healthy fats, such as canola oil (7% saturated fat), sunflower oil (10% saturated fat), soybean oil (16% saturated fat), and avocado oil (13% saturated fat). 

Zhang says that palm oil also contains vitamins and phytosterols, natural plant compounds that may help manage cholesterol. Importantly, she states, “Palm oil does not undergo hydrogenation during processing, so it does not contain trans fat.”

In fact, that’s one of the reasons that palm oil use is so widespread in the United States. Since 2018, the major source of trans fats, partially hydrogenated oils, has been banned by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration—and the properties of palm oil made it a great alternative for food manufacturers. 

“If a product has an oil or needs some kind of oil to be cooked, read the ingredients label to see if it contains palm oil,” says Shannon O’Meara, MS, RD, LDN, a registered dietitian at Orlando Health. However, according to the World Wildlife Fund, it might not appear as “palm oil” on the ingredients list. 

Look out for alternative names for palm oil, such as:

• Vegetable oil
• Palmate 
• Glyceryl
• Sodium lauryl sulfate
• Stearic acid
• Elaeis Guineensis
• Palmityl alcohol

“Oftentimes, the term vegetable oil contains a blend of palm and other plant oils,” Zhang adds. 

Types of palm oil

Types of palm oil differ based on how the oil is processed. 

Crude palm oil

Crude palm oil is the most basic form—this is the oil extracted directly from the palm fruits. Because it’s unprocessed, it does retain more nutrients (and keeps its natural red color).

But there are downsides: it has a shorter shelf life, can have an unpleasant taste or odor, and may contain trace contaminants. However, “there is a form of crude palm oil that does not appear red due to it undergoing more processing, including bleaching, refining, and deodorizing,” Zhang explains. 

Refined palm oil

The most common type of palm oil used in foods and products is refined palm oil, which undergoes a process that leaves it virtually colorless and odorless—making it extremely versatile in cooking and manufacturing. 

Red palm oil

Red palm oil offers somewhat of a happy medium. It’s minimally processed, Zhang says, which lends it a red-orange color. This residual color is a sign that the palm oil contains higher levels of nutrients, specifically beta-carotene (which gives it the red color) and vitamin E. (Note that our bodies turn beta-carotene into vitamin A.) Past research found that red palm oil retains up to 80% of the beta-carotene and vitamin E present in crude, unprocessed palm oil. 

Palm kernel oil

Palm kernel oil is another variation you might come across—but it’s made from the seed parts of the palm fruit, not the fruit pulp, Zhang explains. “It is often refined and pressed into a solid state,” she says. “It has a higher amount of saturated fat, at about 80%, which is similar to that of coconut oil.” Because of this higher fat content, it can withstand very high temperatures, so it’s often used as a deep frying oil. 

Modified palm oil

“Another form of refined palm oil is called fractionated or modified palm oil, which contains 90% saturated fat and is solid at room temperature,” Zhang says. With its solid state, this type of palm oil is often found in products that require specific textures, such as margarine, shortenings, baked goods, and candies. 

Why do people use palm oil?

Palm oil is used widely, especially in the developing world, to prepare and fry food. Research published in Heliyon in 2023 explains that when it comes to frying oils, palm oil is among the best due to its fat makeup and high smoke point, which allows it to withstand high temperatures. The research also says that many of the nutrients in palm oil may transfer into fried food.

That said, vegetable oils like canola oil, sunflower oil, and soybean oil are more commonly used in restaurants in the United States. 

But you’ll also find palm oil in a wide range of products as diverse as pizza and lipstick. It’s a versatile fat, says Kristen Smith, MS, RD, LDN, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. It can come in the form of liquid cooking oil, but at room temperature, it’s semisolid, meaning you can also spread it like margarine.

“It is widely used in food production—especially packaged foods—because it is versatile, non-overpowering, and useful to stabilize and maintain quality of the processed food,” Zhang explains. 

slpu9945/Getty Images

Is palm oil bad for you?

Palm oil isn’t “toxic,” but there are reasons to moderate your intake and opt for healthier oils when possible. 

The main health issue with palm oil is its high saturated fat content. “Compared to other plant oils, except for coconut oil, it has a higher ratio of saturated fats,” Zhang says. (It does have less saturated fat than butter, however.) 

In general, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends limiting the use of palm oil, palm kernel oil, and coconut oil in cooking and baking, Zhang says. Other plant oils, such as olive oil, canola oil, safflower oil, corn oil, peanut oil, and soybean oil contain lower levels of saturated fat than palm oil. 

Risk of atherosclerosis

“There is evidence that the high ratio of saturated fats in palm oil is associated with increased risk of atherosclerosis,” Zhang says. Atherosclerosis occurs when fats, cholesterol, and other substances clog your artery walls, which can increase your risk for heart problems and other chronic conditions. “However, it is inconclusive whether consumption of palm oil will increase risks of cardiovascular diseases or not.”

Risk of high cholesterol

The saturated fat content in palm oil can increase your LDL cholesterol (your unhealthy cholesterol)—and high cholesterol raises your risk for heart attacks and stroke, O’Meara says. 

Risk of chronic disease

High levels of saturated fat in your diet can also increase inflammation in your body, O’Meara explains. “Saturated fats can stimulate pro-inflammatory mechanisms within the body, causing an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS),” she says. “[This] can increase insulin resistance or even increase your risk for developing cancers like breast, prostate, or colorectal.”

Risk of medication interaction

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), palm oil may slow blood clotting. If you’re taking medications that slow blood clotting, consuming palm oil may increase the risk of bruising or bleeding.

Benefits of palm oil

It’s recommended to limit your intake of tropical oils, including palm oil and coconut oil, due to the potential negative effects on your health, O’Meara says.

“To mitigate the amount of palm oil within your foods, read the ingredients label, opt for healthier oils like olive oil or avocado oil, and limit the amount of processed foods you buy and use at home.”

There may be some benefits of palm oil—but the experts caution that the risks of consuming too much palm oil could outweigh the benefits. 

It can help treat a vitamin deficiency

Palm oil can be used to combat malnutrition since it is a fat that provides more calories than protein or carbohydrates, Zhang explains. 

Research published in the Journal of Oleo Science in 2021 also says that red palm oil has been shown to overcome vitamin A deficiencies (one tablespoon contains more than 100% of the recommended daily value). Because red palm oil is minimally processed, it retains high levels of nutrients like vitamin E and beta-carotene (which the body converts to vitamin A). 

Palm oil might be good for your brain

“There is limited evidence that the vitamin E fraction of palm oil has neuroprotective properties,” Zhang says. “But it is unknown whether dietary intake of palm oil alone has benefits to brain health.” 

It could have a positive effect on heart health

“[Palm oil] contains oleic acid, linoleic acid, vitamin A, and vitamin E, which have cardioprotective and anti-inflammatory properties,” Zhang says. However, O’Meara adds that the American Heart Association does not recommend using palm oil or consuming large amounts of it.

Nutrition facts for palm oil

This is the nutritional profile of one tablespoon (13.6 grams) of palm oil:

• Calories: 120
• Fat: 13.6 
• Saturated fat: 6.7 g 
• Polyunsaturated fat: 1.3 g
• Monounsaturated fat: 5.0 g
• Vitamin E: around 2.2 mg (15% DV) 

What is palm oil used in?

Palm oil is the most common vegetable oil in the world, according to the Bulletin of the World Health Organization. In the developing world, the oil is used to prepare and cook food, especially fried foods.

Few people in the United States use the oil for home cooking, says Smith. But “it’s estimated that 50 to 70% of processed foods contain palm oil,” Zhang says.  

These can include shelf-stable foods, such as:

• Doughnuts
• Pizza
• Margarine
• Chocolate
• Bread
• Nut butters
• Baked goods and pastries
• Cereals 
• Snack items, like chips
• Non-dairy ice cream

It’s even present in some inedible products you probably use, including lipstick, detergent, shampoo, and soap.

How palm oil affects the environment

While it’s safe to consume in moderation, you should know that palm oil is indirectly related to the whole world’s health. There are increasingly more palm tree plantations have overrun Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Converting tropical forests into palm tree plantations has led to significant deforestation—which, in turn, has led to a movement for sustainable palm oil production.

The World Wildlife Foundation has an online Scorecard so you can check which manufacturers and retailers are committed to sustainable palm oil agriculture.

You can also make sure it’s Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certified. This organization is committed to making sure palm oil production is done sustainably, with respect to the environment and its inhabitants—wildlife and indigenous people.

For daily wellness updates, subscribe to The Healthy by Reader’s Digest newsletter and follow The Healthy on Facebook and Instagram. Keep reading:

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