~ Healthy Oil for a Healthy Heart ~
India, June XX 2021: Oil and Fats are used in daily cooking preparation to provide energy and to enhance the flavour of the food. Different oilseeds and vegetable oils as well as animal fats have served as a source for these fats. Among these, palm oil has historically been one of the most commonly used fats in the world.
Palm oil is one of the 17 edible oils cited by Codex Alimentarius, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) as an edible oil suitable for human consumption. Palm oil contains 50% saturated fatty acids (SFAs), 40% monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) and 10% polyunsaturated fatty acids. (PUFAs).
Many human studies have also reported that palm oil has a neutral effect on the total cholesterol level and is comparable to those of unsaturated oils. Palm oil can be safely used as a substitute for olive oil with the same heart health benefits. It has high oxidative stability compared to polyunsaturated rich oils and is naturally free of harmful trans–fatty acids.
Benefits of Palm Oil:
It is vegetable oil, therefore cholesterol-free
Palm oil is trans free as it does not require hydrogenation
Palm oil contains natural antioxidants vitamin E.
It helps in extending the shelf life of the fried food products.
Palm oil is the most cost-effective and competitively priced oil.
Palm oil is non-seasonal and is available all year round.
It also promotes sustainable farming practices.
Dato' Dr. Hj Wan Zawawi Wan Ismail, CEO, Malaysian Palm Oil Council added “Our main aim is to improve understanding of palm oil, enhancing its application, elucidating its numerous strengths and benefits. We want to create awareness about the role of Malaysian Palm Oil in the Indian Vegetable Oil sector through our partnerships in India. We desire to safeguard Malaysian Palm Oil as the most dominant vegetable oil in terms of market coverage, nutritional benefits, environmental sustainability, and commercial success. “
The Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) Certification Scheme is the national scheme in Malaysia for oil palm plantations, independent and organised smallholdings, and palm oil processing facilities to be certified against the requirements of the MSPO Standards. The mandatory implementation of MSPO certification demonstrates Malaysia’s commitment towards the production of sustainable Malaysian palm oil.
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About Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC):
The Council's role is to promote the market expansion of Malaysian palm oil and its products by enhancing the image of palm oil and creating better acceptance of palm oil through awareness of various technological and economic advantages (techno-economic advantages) and environmental sustainability.
The Council has set up a network of offices all over the world, mainly in China (Shanghai), India (Mumbai), Pakistan (Lahore), Middle East (Istanbul and Cairo), Europe (Brussels and Russia), South Africa (Johannesburg) and Americas (Washington DC) to support, promote and venture into new areas for the industry.
The plantation industry, particularly palm oil, is one of the main pillars of the Malaysian economy. The palm oil sector has contributed significantly towards providing a continuous inflow of export earnings through the export of raw commodity and valued-added products to the global market. In 2020, palm oil contributed RM72.8 billion in export earnings for Malaysia and accounted for 26% of the world’s palm oil production and 34% of total palm oil exports.
The country today enjoys its economic prosperity and development through a strong foundation set by the industry and contribution in terms of export earnings and employment. It has long put into place guidelines, research, industrial and environmental standards that provide a safe, high quality Trans-free oil in a manner that supports the local economy, preserves the environmental resource base and is economically viable. Practices are constantly reviewed to ensure that best agricultural and management practices evolve in line with new research findings and international standards.