Olive oil is currently touted as the gold standard among all edible oils today; a reputation that has been gained primarily from its association of a lower incidence of heart disease among the Mediterranean populations who have traditionally consumed olive oil as their main dietary fat. What it does is beneficially modulate plasma blood cholesterol levels by reducing the bad LDL-cholesterol count.
The component of interest is the monounsaturated oleic acid content of olive oil, which on average is about 70% of its composition.
Palm olein, the liquid fraction of Palm Oil, averages 42-53% of its composition as the same oleic acid that is found in olive oil and other monounsaturated oils. According to several studies, the ability of olive oil and palm olein to regulate plasma cholesterol levels in humans is essentially identical, despite the lower content of monounsaturated oleic acid in palm olein.
Humans fed diets predominating either as olive oil or palm olein showed identical plasma cholesterol response which augers well for the beneficial effects of these oils against Coronary Heart Disease risk.
On top of this, palm olein is also much richer in vitamin E, providing additional nutrition and goodness. A stark contrast between these two oils is the price. Since the oil palm is a much more productive crop, it is much cheaper to produce palm olein and other palm products, thus sending the benefits back to the consumer.
Read full report on Palm Olein and Olive Oil (PDF Format)
