4/5/06 (The News & Observer)  -   New food labeling requirements have made it easier to determine whether our favorite foods contain harmful trans fats. But the demand among food manufacturers now for alternatives to trans fats may have an unfortunate consequence: Greater use of palm oil in many popular food products.

What's palm oil?

Palm oil is cooking oil made from the pulp of palm tree fruits. Because it's edible and has many of the same properties as solid fats such as lard and partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, it's a popular ingredient all over the world in margarine, cookies, crackers and baked goods -- the same products in which trans fat-laden partially hydrogenated oils have been used in the United States.

An advantage of palm oil to food manufacturers is that it doesn't contain trans fat, and it's cheaper than other vegetable oils. Trouble is, it's not as good for your health as other vegetable oils.

In fact, though it's not as damaging as the saturated fat in lard or the trans fat in partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, consensus among most health organizations is that palm oil increases blood cholesterol levels and raises the risk of coronary artery disease.

About half of the fat in palm oil is saturated. Although the American Heart Association concedes that "many questions remain about how various fatty acids affect blood lipid (fat) levels," for now, the organization advises the public to limit foods containing palm oil.

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases also advises, "Cut back on foods high in saturated fat or cholesterol, such as meats, butter, dairy products with fat, eggs, shortening, lard and foods with palm oil or coconut oil."

There may be other reasons to steer clear of palm oil, too.

Increasing world and U.S. demand for palm oil -- and the proliferation of plantations in Southeast Asia where oil palms are grown -- is destroying rainforests and endangering wildlife.

According to a report issued by the Center for Science in the Public Interest: "Plantations also pollute the soil and water with pesticides and untreated palm oil-mill effluent, cause soil erosion and increased sedimentation in rivers, and cause air pollution due to forest fires." See the full report online at www.cspinet.org/new/pdf/palm_oil_final_5-27-05.pdf.

Not all oil palms are grown in ways that harm the environment.

A representative of the company that provides palm oil for Newman's Own brand cookies and microwave popcorn told The New York Times that the company uses palm oil from organically grown trees in Colombia where the company practices sustainable harvesting practices.

So what's the bottom line where palm oil is concerned?

* It's probably wise to minimize your intake of palm oil. Nutrition research in the area of saturated fats is continuing, but most experts who have studied the issue currently believe that eating palm oil increases bad cholesterol and your risk of heart damage.

* Read package labels and choose products made with soy, canola, olive, corn or sunflower oil rather than those made with palm oil. Remember: Also scan the nutrition facts label and aim for as little trans fat and saturated fat as possible.

* If you can't avoid it, choose products in which the palm oil is blended with more healthful vegetable oils.

And if you really want to simplify all of this advice, look at it this way: Since most bad fats are found in foods of low nutritional value, limit the junk food and you'll be most of the way there.