Are some vegetable oils good and bad? It's complicated

We all know the hierarchy of the virtues of oils, right? There are the “good” (extra virgin olive oil), the “bad” (palm oil), and those that fall into the gray area (canola, coconut, soy). In an editorial published in Cell Reports Sustainability, a group of conservationists challenges the idea that palm oil is necessarily less sustainable or worse than any other oil.

Vegetable oils have varying effects on the planet.

Palm oil is the most consumed vegetable oil in the world, followed by soybean, canola, sunflower, coconut, cottonseed, olive, and sesame oil. In Australia, it's a little different - canola oil is the most consumed oil and about half of us avoid products that contain palm oil. In fact, labels that claim a product “does not contain palm oil” are a powerful marketing tool that exploits perceptions about which oils are “clean,” “healthy,” or even “environmentally friendly.” Palm oil has a bad reputation for good reason. It is linked to deforestation and the serious threat of extinction of orangutans and Sumatran tigers.

“[Palm oil] is one of the primary drivers of the destruction of the world's most biodiverse forests and ecosystems,” says Bill Lawrence, professor of conservation biology at James Cook University. He adds: “Ecosystems are really important from a climate point of view because of the carbon storage they do.” However, the study authors argue that the demonization of palm oil is largely the result of marketing, oversimplification of issues, and mythology. They add that almost all oils — including soy, olive, coconut, and sesame oil — are linked to biodiversity and human rights issues.

: “All oil crops can be associated with the wasteful use of water; the harmful use of fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides; and the transformation and loss of natural ecosystems.” They add: “Most are also related to reported human rights violations and exploitation.” “Instead of rating oils as good or bad, we need approaches that reveal performance related to biodiversity, human rights, and land use.”

Walter Willett, professor of epidemiology and nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, agrees that the issue of vegetable oils is nuanced. Globally, vegetable oil crops account for more than a third of all agricultural land, and vegetable oil production is estimated to be worth more than 265 billion US dollars per year. “When we try to feed more than 8 billion people, almost everything we do has environmental impacts, and nearly all major crops have a range of environmental impacts depending on where and how they are produced,” Willett says. “It's more complicated than just good or bad,” he adds. As for the health profile of different oils, all unsaturated fats are good for us, says Dr. Elena George of the Institute of Physical Activity and Nutrition at Deakin University. A higher ratio of monounsaturated fats (MUFAs) to polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs) is better suited for regulating cholesterol and blood sugar. Let's take a closer look at vegetable oils for our health and the health of the planet:

Oils can be good or bad. It depends on the amount you consume and its source.

Palm oil Palm is historically grown in Indonesia and Malaysia. It is now also produced in Thailand, India, Africa and parts of Latin America. The large monoculture of palm trees that replace natural tropical forests has a very different environmental impact than these same crops managed in subsistence settings or smallholders in areas that were converted to agriculture many centuries ago. In addition, the authors add, it uses much less land: palm oil plantations produce four to 10 times more oil per hectare than most temperate oil crops, such as soybeans, canola, olives, or sesame. This is often overlooked in the mainstream debate, says Lawrence: “It's a fair point, but even so, I think palm oil still has a problem.” Kimberly Carlson, assistant professor in the Department of Environmental Studies at New York University, says: “The tropics, where oil palm is grown, have huge impacts on biodiversity and carbon emissions, which is why the expansion of oil palm and soybean cultivation is of particular concern.” “When shopping for products that contain palm oil, I would prefer those that contain palm oil certified by the Roundtable of Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO),” she says. Health: Palm oil is higher in saturated fat, although it is high in monounsaturated fat (MUFA), says George. She adds that people with a high risk of cardiovascular disease should avoid it.

Soybean oil While palm oil often bears the brunt of a backlash against vegetable oils, soybean oil falls into the same category because it also causes tropical deforestation, Lawrence says. “Deforestation of tropical forests will definitely lead to more impacts on biodiversity and other environmental impacts that lead to destruction compared to some temperate forests,” he says. “For the environment, tropical forests are simply the most important,” he adds. The large-scale industrial production of soybeans and corn, the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the tropics, has also led to deforestation in the Amazon (Brazil is the third largest producer after China and the United States) and has been linked to harmful exposure to pesticides. Willett agrees that from a planetary perspective, soybeans and palm are equal: “The expansion of soybean oil production is destroying tropical rainforests, which is not much different from what is happening in Southeast Asia with palm oil.” Health: Soybeans are better in many ways, Willett says. He adds: “It contains large amounts of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, both of which are beneficial.” He continues: “Palm oil contains very little, but it may be possible to develop strains with a better fatty acid profile.”

Canola oil Canada is the world's largest producer of canola oil, which helps explain its name (a combination of “Canada” and “First” meaning oil). Rapeseed farms (the variety from which canola comes) use twice as much land as palm plantations and have caused significant damage to wild bee populations, which have declined by more than 30 percent in some areas. Health: Rich in cholesterol-lowering polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs), canola oil is highly refined and often requires a lot of heat and chemicals to process it. Buying organic expell-pressed canola oil is one way to avoid chemical treatment, as well as using synthetic insecticides.

Olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fats, making it good for heart health. It is also one of the most expensive cooking oils now.

Olive oil The production of olives on an industrial scale has killed millions of roosting birds and replaced traditional agroforestry systems. It has the highest water footprint among oil crops. However, perennial crops such as olives, with their permanent root systems, also help maintain soil biodiversity and mitigate erosion. “I like to choose local Australian extra virgin olive oil that I know was cold-pressed from fresh olives,” says George. “These aspects also contribute to biodiversity and sustainability, as well as making them a better choice for health,” she adds. Health: Rich in polyphenols and a rich source of monounsaturated fatty acids, olive oil also has a favorable ratio of monounsaturated to polyunsaturated fats (7:1). Buy the oil in a dark bottle and store it in a cool, dark place to maintain the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits.

Sesame oil In some source areas, such as Sudan, sesame production has been linked to serious human rights violations. While the crop is native to Africa, the world's top producers are China, India, Africa, and Myanmar. Choosing cold-pressed oil reduces waste, requires minimal water, and has a relatively low impact on the environment. Health: It is rich in unsaturated fats, with equal amounts of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. It is also rich in antioxidants and may protect heart health.

Coconut oil The Asia-Pacific region produces about 90 percent of the world's coconut supply, threatening species that are found nowhere else on Earth. Choosing coconut oil certified by the Rainforest Alliance (Rainforest Alliance Certified) and the Fair Trade Sustainability Alliance standards helps ensure ethical and sustainable practices. Health: highest in saturated fat. George does not suggest that people with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease consume coconut oil regularly. However, a small amount of it is likely to be ok.

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Source: SMH