Understanding Palm Kernel Oil
Palm kernel oil is derived from the seeds, or kernels, of the oil palm tree (Elaeis guineensis), a species native to West Africa. The palm kernels are cleaned, crushed, and then pressed to release the oil during the extraction process. After that, this oil is processed to improve its stability and purity. Throughout history, palm kernel oil has been widely used in Latin American, Asian, and African cultures for its diverse applications in skin care, medicine, and cooking. Due to its extended shelf life and high saturated fat content, it was a popular ingredient in soaps, ointments, and traditional foods. Who Can Use It? Those who want improved skin, hair, and overall physical health can consume it. How Often? It can be used daily in cooking instead of vegetable oil. Caution Prolonged use can cause the increase of bad LDL cholesterol.
Understanding the origins and extraction of palm kernel oil sets the stage for examining its numerous benefits and applications. Scroll down to know more about them.
Benefits Of Palm Kernel Oil
Given here are the amazing palm kernel oil benefits for you to look at. Keep reading!
1. Zero Cholesterol
This is the most important health benefit provided by palm kernel oil. Palm oil benefits your heart health and may prevent the risk of heart issues. This makes it a perfect replacement for lard and butter in the cooking process. People with high cholesterol and heart disease can easily switch over to healthy palm oil without worry.
2. Loaded With Antioxidants
With a sufficient amount of Vitamin E, rarely found tocotrienols and being loaded with anti-oxidants, palm oil provides amazing anti-aging benefits. It prevents the occurrence of wrinkles and fine lines. It is capable of providing protection against harmful UV rays and other toxins. Therefore, it is wise to include palm kernel oil in your daily diet. It will keep your skin healthy and youthful.
3. Unsaturated Fats
The palm kernel oil is an amazing source of healthy unsaturated fats as well as medium chain fatty acids. This is what makes it perfect for use as a cooking medium. Moreover, these qualities make it ideal for healthier skin, bones and joints (1).
4. Rich In Vitamin K
Vitamin K is one of the most important fat-soluble vitamins that the body requires. It boosts bone health and also acts as a blood coagulant. Palm kernel oil contains high amounts of the vitamin and hence, is recommended for daily use (2), (3).
5. Zero Trans-Fat
This is another great benefit of palm kernel oil. This amazing oil does not contain any trans-fat, and is hence considered the ideal cooking oil for those looking to shed extra pounds.
6. Contains Vitamin A
Another important benefit of palm kernel oil is that it is loaded with Vitamin A (4). This vitamin is required for proper vision. Vitamin A also prevents the occurrence of different eye disorders, like night blindness .
7. Long Shelf Life
Besides the comprehensive health benefits offered by palm kernel oil, there are also other benefits that can be useful for the food industry. The oil doesn’t get oxidised under high cooking temperatures and during the course of storage. This makes it a better choice compared to vegetable oil. The oil can be used for commercial cooking, such as French fries and potato chips.
8. Filled With Nutrients
In addition to containing important fat-soluble vitamins, palm kernel oil also is packed in nutrition (2). It has numerous nutrients that are essential for maintaining good health. The presence of palmitic acid, considered as a 16-carbon saturated fatty acid, makes it distinctive from other cooking oils.
9. Improved Hair Growth
Have you ever used Palm kernel oil for haircare? Palm kernel oil shows amazing results on hair growth. It provides thorough conditioning, thickens hair and reduces hair fall by making it stronger. Used as a hot oil treatment, palm oil benefits your hair by providing a soothing effect along with the desired nourishment. Hadassah Agbaps, a blogger, shared her experience of using palm kernel oil to improve her hair health. She writes, “When I used Nigerian Black Palm Kernel Oil on my dry ends (I rotate between coconut and PKO) I noticed that it doesn’t take a lot of time for it to be fully absorbed and there is an improvement in the suppleness of my ends… I noticed that my strands were harder to break when I pulled a shed strand between my fingers (i).” The blogger added that this oil adds strength and luster to the hair, reduces hair shedding, and locks in moisture in the strands.
10. Provides Naturally Soft Skin
Besides the amazing anti-aging benefits provided by the palm kernel oil, it also makes the skin naturally soft and glossy without it getting a greasy appearance. This is the reason the oil is a key ingredient in many soap bars and skin creams . It also provides relief to ragged cuticles and itchy skin (5). After discussing the benefits of palm kernel oil for health, let’s examine its nutrient composition to see how these advantages are enhanced by its particular nutrients.
Nutritional Profile Of Palm Kernel Oil
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), 1 tablespoon (13.6 g) of palm kernel oil contains (2):
Energy: 117 calories Fat: 13.6 g Carbs: 0 g Protein: 0 g Fiber: 0 g Choline: 0.027 mg Vitamin E: 0.518 mg Vitamin K: 3.36 micro g Fatty acids: 11.1 g
Knowing the nutritional profile of palm kernel oil helps to explain how its unique composition makes it more useful in a variety of culinary applications. Scroll down to know more about it.
Culinary Uses Of Palm Kernel Oil
Palm kernel oil is a very versatile culinary ingredient renowned for its rich flavor and high smoke point. Because of its durability at high temperatures, it is perfect for baking, sauteing, and frying. For frying, palm kernel oil delivers a crispy texture and golden color to foods, making it suitable for dishes like fried plantains, chicken, or doughnuts. To make cakes and muffins that are moist and tender, palm kernel oil can be used in place of butter or other oils. In addition, palm kernel oil can be used in marinades and salad dressings, where its distinct flavor goes well with herbs, citrus, and garlic. Can palm kernel oil be mixed with shea butter? Yes. Palm kernel oil and shea butter are mixed together for many skin care remedies. Can palm kernel oil clear stretch marks? Stretch marks do not go away completely. Palm kernel oil may keep the skin moisturized, improving the appearance of the stretch marks, but it cannot clear them. Is palm kernel oil good for baby skin? Yes. Palm kernel oil is safe for baby skin and is known to aid in moisturizing and healthy skin.
Illustration: Amazing Benefits Of Palm Kernel Oil
Discover the amazing benefits of palm kernel oil! From skincare to cooking, click on this video to see why this natural gem is a must-have for your well-being routine.
