Is all palm oil bad?

[Frangipani Lou]

I've seen a few things going round on fb about palm oil being bad but I haven't read into the topic.
DP loves a soap made in Australia but I discovered it has palm oil in it. I'm interested to hear about the issues with palm oil and if its not good to use at all so we can change soaps if necessary.

[Lisa]

It's due to the destruction of orangutan's natural habitat in order to produce a vast majority of the worlds palm oil. In doing so, they are killing the orangutan's off in record numbers. It's very sad.

[Lenny]

Most Palm Oil is unsustainable farmed. A massive percentage.

[Beach Mama]

Even Palm Oil that is famred has been farmed due to destruction on natural habitats of wildlife. There is a page on FB that is great and has heaps of info about other names brands use instead of palm oil etc. Frightening how it's in pretty much everything.

[meow]

Palm oil itself is a very healthy, wonderful fat. As you know, the vast majority is not from sustainable, or fair trade farms and it's production is destructive to wildlife, environment and people. I do believe there ARE some good palm oil farms. There are a few old plantation farms that are fair trade and you can buy palm oil from them (but you're still looking at global shipping issues as the ones I'm aware of are in south america. I highly doubt your soap is using a sustainably sourced oil if they're not telling you about it because it costs a lot.

[OceanPrincess]

Palm oil itself is a very healthy, wonderful fat.

I have to disagree.

From here:

Palm oil is high in saturated fat and low in polyunsaturated fat. Biomedical research indicates that the consumption of palm oil increases the risk of heart disease.

(sorry to not see this sooner, I'm on the getting rid of palm oil bandwagon!)

Palm oil and its derivatives are in a huge amount of food products plus health and beauty products. It is really tough looking for things without it. Even the sustainable certification is apparently not all its cracked up to be.

There's a good Facebook page with lots of info about it... Search on my profile you should find it.

[Cass72]

After a visit to the National Zoo and Aquarium we have vetoed products in and around the home that are produced by companies/organisations that farm unsustainable palm oil. To name a few things, I've changed my brand of shampoo and conditioner, moisturiser, make up, deodorant, coffee, oil, cheese (and other dairy products). Whilst the product that you are buying may not contain palm oil, the parent company may be using it in other products.

The Taronga Conservation Society has a lot of information on palm oil.

To help me in my shopping I've downloaded the Shop Ethical android app. There are lots of things that we no longer buy that used to be family favourites.

[meow]

I have to disagree.

From here:

You are of course welcome to disagree, but just for the sake of correct information regarding healthy fats I want to reiterate that fats that are high in saturated fat and low in polyunsaturated fat are good for our health.

From here:

"The demonization of saturated fat began in 1953, when Dr Ancel Keys published a paper comparing saturated fat intake and heart disease mortality. His theory turned out to be flimsy, to say the least, but the misguided ousting of saturated fat has continued unabated ever since. Fortunately, the truth is finally starting to come out, as medical scientists have begun to seriously question Keys' findings."

"Saturated fats from animal and vegetable sources provide a number of important health benefits. In fact, your body cannot function without saturated fats!"

[Frangipani Lou]

Thanks folks. I've sent them an email asking where they source their palm oil from and if it is fair trade and from a sustainable source.