Palm olein

Studies in people

• Open question

  Infant brain development³

  Scientists do not yet know whether palm olein in infant formula affects how babies' brains develop.

• No harm found

  Blood fat levels⁴

  In people, eating palm olein changed blood fats no differently than olive oil did.

• Open question

  Liver fat and body fat⁵

  In healthy adults, palm olein did not change liver fat, but body fat fell more with soybean oil and cocoa butter.

• Concern

  Infant bone and nutrient absorption⁶

  In infant studies, palm olein in formula led to less fat, calcium and bone mass than formulas without it.

• Concern

  Infant calcium and fat absorption⁷

  In healthy term infants, formula with palm olein led to lower calcium retention and fat absorption than formula without it.

• Concern

  Blood fats after eating⁸

  In a study of healthy men, palm olein raised blood fats more than lard did after a fatty meal.

• Open question

  Blood cholesterol levels⁹

  In people, palm olein raised total and LDL cholesterol more than olive oil, but lowered triglycerides.

• Concern

  Infant fat and calcium absorption¹⁰

  Babies absorbed less fat and calcium from formula with palm olein than from one without it.

• Concern

  Infant nutrient absorption¹¹

  Babies fed formula with palm olein absorbed less fat and calcium than babies fed formula without it.

• Concern

  Infant bone strength¹²

  Babies fed formula with palm olein had lower bone mineral than babies fed formula without it.

• Concern

  Cholesterol levels in people¹³

  People eating palm olein mayonnaise daily had higher total and LDL cholesterol than those eating soybean oil mayonnaise.

• Open question

  Cholesterol and blood fats¹⁴

  In people, swapping some sunflower oil for palm olein raised good cholesterol and triglycerides and made LDL harder to oxidise.

• Concern

  Blood cholesterol and clotting¹⁵

  In people, palm olein raised cholesterol more than red palm olein or sunflower oil, and studies in larger groups are advised.

• Concern

  Calcium absorption in babies¹⁶

  Babies fed infant formula with palm olein absorbed less calcium than those fed formula without it.

Animal and lab studies only

• Concern

  Liver fat buildup¹⁸

  In animal studies, eating lots of palm olein raised LDL cholesterol and liver fat in mice.

How it’s made and used

• Fat digestion in the gut¹⁷

  In lab studies, palm olein broke down fastest when it made up a small share of the mixture.

The signal at the top counts the findings in people and in animal and lab studies. A concern in studies of people outranks animal and lab studies, and “No concerns” needs at least one finding in people. When most findings in people point one way, the page leans that way (“Mostly”), and every finding is still shown. Findings whose study type is not stated are shown but not counted. This page is a reference, not medical advice. It describes what regulators and published research say. Talk to a doctor or dietitian about your own diet.