(ARA) - Peruse a menu at your neighborhood Asian restaurant and you may wonder how so many Asian cultures, whose diets often include lots of fried foods, can still have some of the lowest cholesterol levels and longest life spans in the world. Research shows that their use of palm oil is at least part of the answer.

By now, most Americans know that the hydrogenated vegetable oils we once relied on for our cooking needs boost levels of bad cholesterol (LDL). With the federal government’s recent requirement that manufacturers now reveal the use of hydrogenated oils on package labels, the move is on to find alternatives.

Olive oil has long been considered the alternative oil of choice for those concerned with watching their cholesterol. Its healthful reputation has been based, in part, on studies that show Mediterranean populations, who consume olive oil as their main dietary fat, have lower incidences of heart disease. However, Americans, including some major players in the food industry, are discovering red palm olein, a liquid derivative of palm oil, as a more nutritious, healthful and versatile alternative.

Consider these olive versus palm facts from the American Palm Oil Council:

* Fat Facts - Studies show that monounsaturated oleic acid, which makes up about 70 percent of olive oil, has a beneficial effect on cholesterol. Palm olein is made up of about 50 percent oleic acid. While the scientific community generally agrees oleic acid is good for you, no one is sure yet how much you really need in your diet. Research shows that while palm olein performs about the same as olive and canola oils in reducing bad cholesterol, it matches olive and surpasses canola in raising good (HDL) cholesterol levels.

* Nutrition Notes - Olive oil is a good source of vitamin E, an antioxidant. Palm olein, however, packs a more significant nutritional punch. It contains many potent antioxidants, including beta-carotene, pro-vitamin A carotenoids and tocotreinols, a form of vitamin E.

* Flavor Facts - Olive oil imparts a distinct flavor to all food cooked in it. The flavor of olive oil doesn’t always go well with every recipe, especially in American and Asian cuisines. Red palm olein, on the other hand, is virtually flavorless, allowing the flavors of the food ingredients to shine through, rather than overpowering or influencing them. For this reason, and because palm olein doesn’t turn rancid as quickly as olive oil, food manufacturers around the world prefer it as a frying medium.

* Versatility vs. Olive - Imagine baking your favorite chocolate chip cookies with olive oil. Doesn’t sound appetizing, does it? But in most baking recipes, you can replace shortening with palm oil, because palm oil starts life as a semi-solid and is completely trans-fat free. For the same reason, it can be used in preparing confections.

* Price Points - Most of us are cooking on a budget. While the cost of extra-virgin olive oil can leave you gasping, palm olein costs roughly a fifth the price of olive oil.

So the next time you’re shopping for a healthful alternative to traditional cooking oils, why not pick palm oil? To learn more about the benefits of palm oil, or to find a list of distributors in your area, visit www.americanpalmoil.com or call (877) ASK-PALM (275-7256).

Courtesy of ARA Content

Share The Story :

This entry was posted on Wednesday, April 9th, 2008 at 10:33 am and is filed under Food for Thought. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.