Introduction
oil is one of the most common oils in our Nigerian market and other African countries. It is affordable too. Today, health conscious persons talk of olive oils, coconut oil, and other essential oils. Years back, we knew no other oil but red palm oil. If you had an injury, the oil was heated and used on the injury until it is healed, and really, it never disappoints. If you took poisonous substance, our only hope was to drink red palm oil, if you took an overdose of drug or whatever, red oil will help out. Children rarely suffered anaemia, skin rashes, You rarely see the elderly folks with eye glasses as common today. Weakness, insomnia and many other ailments that plague us today were rare.
We did all that rightly in ignorance, but today, scientific research on red palm oil is proving that red palm oil was one secret, one strong pillar behind our wellness far back then.
Here are 9 more scientific proofs that red palm oil is among the healthiest oil today.
1. Longer shelf life of our Food
Red palm oil is rich in natural phytonutrients that are important for health. These phytonutrients (ie : tocotrienols and carotenes) are also powerful antioxidants that help maintain the stability of the oil during cooking process and may extend the shelf life of food prepared with red palm oil.
2. Benefits Blood Pressure
High blood pressure or hypertension is one of the major risk factors of cardiovascular diseases and strokes. In a human clinical trial, patients supplemented with palm tocotrienol complex for two months resulted in significant reduction in aortic systolic blood pressure.
3. Reduces Arterial Stiffness
Decreased arterial compliance or increased arterial stiffness is a predictor of cardiovascular events in both normal and diseased human subjects. A randomized controlled clinical trial demonstrated that oral supplementation of Tocomin SupraBio for two months reduced arterial stiffness in healthy adults.
In a prospective, cross-sectional, population-based study involving a randomly selected population sample of 392 men and women aged 45-65 (The BRUNECK study), the relationship between atherosclerosis (carotid and femoral artery) risk and plasma alpha- and beta-carotene level (mixed carotenoids) was evaluated.9 This study provided evidence that atherosclerosis risk was inversely related to plasma alpha- and beta-carotene levels, indicating a protective role of high levels of carotenes against atherogenesis.
4. Benefits the Skin
Vitamin E, synthetic or natural, is widely used in the cosmetic/personal care industry. The main reason for the use of vitamin E was for its antioxidant properties in the protection of skin against the onslaught of free radicals or oxidative stress caused by chemical insult and UV rays in our daily atmosphere. Most of the vitamin E used in cosmetic is mainly of the tocopherol form (synthetic and natural forms).
Fueled by the many recent scientific publications on the benefits of tocotrienols in cosmetic application and women's health, the use of tocotrienols has been gaining tremendous attention in the oral and topical cosmetic and personal care industry. Exciting science and research are being conducted on tocotrienol for its superior protection of skin and skin aging compared to tocopherol as well as the skins first line of defense against free radicals.
The research on tocotrienols in the protection of skin has been fairly new, i.e., less than 15 years. More research is currently being conducted either by companies or universities to understand and evaluate the efficacy of tocotrienols in skin protection and skin nourishment. Scientists believe tocotrienols play a major and important role in the protection of the skin, especially in the prevention of oxidative stress and skin anti-aging and wound-healing.
5. Supports Liver Health
A recent human clinical study completed at The Ohio State Universtiy Medical Center also reported that end-stage liver patients (those waiting for liver transplantation) supplemented with Tocomin SupraBio resulted in statistically significant protective effects. Another group of researcher in Malaysia also reported that taking 200 mg of Tocomin SupraBio twice a day was significantly effective in addressing fatty liver. This study was presented at the Liver Meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (ASSLD) in Boston in 2010.
6. Rich Source of Vitamin A
Research has shown consumption of red palm oil significantly enhanced vitamin A levels in humans, and it is beneficial in preventing vitamin A deficiency. Vitamin A deficiency may lead to blindness, skin disease and weakened immune function.
The human body is able to convert provitamin-A carotenoids (alpha- and beta-carotene) when there is a deficiency, hence it is safer to supplement with carotenes than consuming vitamin A (retinoids) directly. Excessive consumption of retinoids may lead to toxicity with symptoms ranging from mild, such as headache, nausea and dry, itchy skin to severe, such as liver damage.
7. Natural Food Color
Palm fruit carotenoids are widely used in the fat- and dairy-processing industry to standardize the color of margarine, butter and ghee. They are also widely used as a natural colorant in confectionery and convenience foods; and to replace synthetic colorants in the beverage industry. The trend, especially in Europe, the United States and Japan, is moving toward replacing synthetic with natural colorants.
8. Potent Antioxidant
Carotenoids are potent antioxidants. Professor Lester Packer of the University California Berkeley showed alpha-carotene is a more potent antioxidant than beta-carotene .
Numerous scientific studies have shown how tocotrienols and carotenoids work in supporting important health conditions, especially in supporting brain and heart health, liver health as well as skin nutrition. However, in all these research, a common and important thread for positive effects has been the naturally-attained full spectrum tocotrienols or carotenoids complex. There have been negative studies for both vitamin E (ie : alpha-tocopherol) and beta-carotene in the past, due to the fact that those studies only used a single form (isomer) of the nutrient. The market is moving towards taking what nature produces as a wholesome complex of ingredients, naturally found in our diet as opposed to a single ingredient formulation. Therefore, it is important to use
9. Supports Brain Health
Research shows tocotrienols are beneficial to consumers who want to maintain healthy brain (neuroprotection), blood lipid levels, arterial compliance (by reducing arterial stiffness), liver health, skin nutrition and immune protection. K
The deep orange red color of red palm oil is contributed by natural pigments called carotenoids. There are more than 600 different carotenoids known to exist in nature. Carotenoids have long been used as natural food colorants in food and drinks, as well as cosmetics. Red palm oil is a natural plant source of carotenes in terms of retinol (vitamin A) equivalents, providing 7,000 retinol equivalents (RE) per 100 grams. This is about 17 times as much beta-carotene as carrots, in terms of retinol equivalents. Some carotenoids, such as beta-carotene and alpha-carotene, act as precursor of vitamin A. Lycopene, lutein, zeaxanthin are carotenoids that do
10. Supports Heart Health
Numerous scientific studies have shown how tocotrienols and carotenoids work in supporting important health conditions, especially in supporting brain and heart health, liver health as well as skin nutrition. However, in all these research, a common and important thread for positive effects has been the naturally-attained full spectrum tocotrienols or carotenoids complex. There have been negative studies for both vitamin E (ie : alpha-tocopherol) and beta-carotene in the past, due to the fact that those studies only used a single form (isomer) of the nutrient. The market is moving.
Bottom line is that red palm oil comes naturally with nutrients that work together for best absorption unlike synthetic vitamin E packaged as a supplement.
In summary, if you are aiming to loose weight, it is better to reduce your intake of red palm oil as you will add more weight faster with red palm oil. If you suffer blood pressure already, better take it cautiously too. Quality red oil is rarely come by. So many adulteration out there. Good red palm oil delivers all the health benefits and even more. Watch your source, rural dwellers are best agents if you can access them. Some companies are also doing a good job in processing quality red palm oil.
Source: www.naturalproductsinsider.com
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