Palm Oil - A Curse Or A Blessing?

By Nadia, 19 March, 2012

If you have never heard of Palm Oil, it's a word that would do you good to remember. It's one of those words that will come back to haunt you in years to come. It will bite you in the ass when you think you've raised your kids right, survived the lies of politicians and saved the planet. Palm Oil could be your future or it could be the end of you, of us all....and I'm not joking either.

Right now Palm Oil is actually a topic of contention around the world. What to do or what not to do....is the question.

So what is all the fuss about?

Well here are some of the wonderful things about Palm Oil that you may or may not know:

Half of the negative health attributes associated with Palm Oil have proved to be wrong.

It is an effective antioxidant.

It has a low content of trans fatty acids (The horrible stuff that you can't get rid off, brings on cellulite, obesity and even cancer).

Studies suggest that the *tocotrienols found in palm oil may be able to reverse blockage of the carotid artery and so reduces the risk of strokes, arteriosclerosis and other horrible outcomes associated with heart disease.

A palm-oil enriched diet produces a reduced tendency for blood clotting.

Studies have shown that the effects of palm oil on blood cholesterol levels are similar to those of olive oils.

Vitamin E

Lots of Vitamin E!

A diet that includes palm oil raises the level of 'good' HDL cholesterol, yet does not raise the level of LDL or total cholesterol. Moreover, it may even lead to lower plasma levels of LDL (which is most commonly linked to heart disease).

Palm oil has the lowest per-unit production costs of all vegetable oils (next in line is soy, with a production cost that is 20% higher). and the palm oil extraction process is a relatively simple one.

So what's the bad news? Why the Armageddon preachy bit at the start?

Well think Biodiesel - Economic growth - Alternatives - Land - Sustainability - Think out of control.... in a few years and research Indonesia.

Within 15 years, Climate Advisers forecasts 98 % of the rainforests in Indonesia and Malaysia will disappear—because they are busy cutting and burning their forests to make room for palm fields. Sounds familiar? Think Amazon jungle - McDonalds - Beef.

As a result Indonesia is set to be the world's third-largest emitter of greenhouse gas after China and the U.S.

If you follow what is happening in Brazil's rainforest with farmers, illegal logging and the Brazilian Policing of the area - you will know Indonesia and Malaysia are heading for the out of control button. They have control over what they are doing now but not for long and then it will affect all of us. What will follow this mayhem? This ridiculous low-cost, quick-money scheme? Well, we can't forget the social injustices that include child and slave labor and unsafe working conditions that have spread throughout Brazil where people are told they will be paid and carted off to live on the land they will work on. Then find that they are made to work for nothing and threatened with death if they leave.

If the forests are destroyed then what will happen to the wildlife? Orangutans, Sumatran tigers and Sumatran rhinoceroses teeter on the brink of extinction. What wasn't an endangered species five minutes ago suddenly now is...is now.

Don't forget that this mass deforestation for the production of Palm Oil surrounds itself with a particular area - that being around the Equator. If anyone asked me..they didn't ...but I'm going to say it anyway, when it comes to greed. I don't trust one African leader on this issue. The Indonesians and Malaysians have smelt the money and they are not looking back. The deforestation issue is doing a marathon right now...so can you imagine how the African Leaders will behave when they smell the money? I don't want to imagine it but feel the inevitable will happen. If over the decades, African leaders have continued to line their pockets over their own people, do you really think they will give a toss when it comes to cutting down trees?

Watch this space....It would be nice not to say 'I told you so.'

So what's the alternative to Bio fuel?
Solar energy
Hydro Electric
Wind energy

And what do we do about it now?

You can do your research, share this article and others like it. Make people aware of the impending devastation that awaits them - discuss, debate and make African leaders aware of the alternatives. Alert your eco warriors, architects, environmentalists, consultants - let them know and research the alternatives...do your bit to stop it from happening....I have done mine.

Have a good day

dekeloil
www.idea.gravic.nl
Picture: doctorgenao.com

*Tocotrienols are a group of chemicals that are part of the vitamin E family.

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