Introduction

1. Since palm oil contains more saturated fats than oils made from canola, corn, linseed, soybeans, safflower, and sunflowers, it can withstand extreme deep-frying heat and resists oxidation

2. It contains no trans fat, and its use in food has increased as food-labelling laws have changed to specify trans fat content.

3. Human use of oil palms may date back to about 5,000 years in coastal west Africa.

4. Elaeis guineensis is now extensively cultivated in tropical countries outside Africa, particularly Malaysia and Indonesia which together produce most of the world supply.

5. Palm oil is typically considered the most controversial of the cooking oils - for both health and environmental reasons.