Don't boycott palm oil products

Ellan I probably saw the same programme but it feels as if you have missed my point. Palm oil is grown sustainably in places where it is no threat to any wild animal but there is so much hysteria about the subject that people seem to believe that all palm oil is damaging the habitat, it isn't.

Gonegirl no, there is plenty of farm land where growing this crop is not doing harm but it is not being grown efficiently. If those farmers became more efficient there would be plenty but I assume that doing that would make it a bit more expensive. The action needs to be against companies who buy from non-sustainable sources not simply refusing to buy anything with it in.

crystal please show me the evidence it is not healthy, I couldn't find any when I looked briefly but you will see above what I did find.

Anja the man we spoke to last night from WWF was also 'an activist for Greenpeace' and it was what he said that prompted me to start this thread. He said palm oil is good, it is simply that we need to find out which companies are buying it from non-sustainable sources so that no more forests are destroyed.

Anna7, SueD, Pamelaj and JenniferE thanks for looking beyond the headlines and understanding the situation rather than the hype.

One point the man made was that it is really easy for Iceland to say they are getting rid of palm oil as frozen food doesn't need it. Good for them anyway to bring the destruction of the forests to our attention, just a shame they didn't go a step further and explain that not all palm oil is damaging.

Not all palm oil is damaging... maybe. But all palm oil tastes absolutely vile and does nothing whatsoever to enhance the flavour of anything its added to. Worth avoiding just for that reason alone. Palm oil in chocolate is bleurgh.

We didn’t have palm oil when I was growing up so I prefer not to have it now the devastation to not only Indonesia Malaysia but South America where not only animals but people are robbed of their land and is enough to put me off it
I shall continue to avoid it wherever I can

Nonnie sustainability certificates can be bought. The Malaysian Palm Oil company and the Malaysian government are corrupt. Until this is independently monitored by international agreement I would not trust the opinion of just one man, no matter how genuine he appears.

Just saying.

There is a huge smear campaign against the CEO of Iceland, launched by the palm oil lobby and the Malaysians. This can all be backed up by evidence online.

I think it is fine to not eat palm oil if you don't like it, nothing wrong with that but I would like someone to provide a link to something proving it is bad for us. One of my links explains why it is better for the environment if we use palm oil rather than some of the alternatives.

No, I was't just listening to one man, that conversation was the reason I started looking into this so I could find out the facts rather than the emotive headlines. I have discovered so many irrational, kneejerk posts on social media that it is clear so many people have reacted to the headlines without understanding the bigger picture. Before I boycott anything I like to ensure I am fully informed. Before removing anything from my diet I like to see the evidence that it is bad for me.

I reiterate, not all palm oil growers are harming wild life or the environment and putting the responsible ones out of business will simply cause economic issues in poor countries and won't help orangutans. We need to know which manufacturers are buying irresponsibly and boycott them.

So Iceland is (unwittingly) doing a bad thing by depriving the small farmers, who are growing the oil sustainably, of a decent living for their families. I am beginning to think it is just a sales ploy they have come up with. I think the big retailers like the ones on nonnie's list would have done some thorough checking to make sure their sources are legitimate.
I wonder if this is why the ad has been banned.

I think that Nonnie is saying we need balance in our reactions to Palm Oil. Using sustainable palm oil is probably a good compromise but I am sure that I read somewhere that the body struggles to process it, however, I can't find the link. I did find this though: www.worldwidecancerresearch.org/blog-post/new-research-links-major-component-of-palm-oil-to-cancer-spread/
It just seems to me that whatever is mass produced seems to be bad for you!

We need to check labels carefully.

Sunflower oil, like all polyunsaturated vegetable oils, is not too bad for you as long as you consume it raw; once it's been heated it develops trans fats which are definitely bad for you.

Rapeseed oil is high in monosaturates and is therefore being touted as a health product. However until recently humans couldn't consume the stuff because it contained a toxic acid. Plant breders have developed strains which produce much lower amounts of the poison, but I'm not convinced and there are reports of crops destined for humans which on testing have been found to have much higher levels.

In comparison the saturated vegetable oils such as coconut and palm look much safer. But mostly I use olive oil and butter, lard and suet, and try to avoid too much processed food.

That's a really good link Nonnie.

Isn't it about moderation? and applicable to many foods we consume and unless I knew I had an allergy to a certain food I would not stop eating it.

Can I point out that vast areas have already been cleared over the last 20 years. I have driver miles and miles and miles in Malaysia and there are vast plantations as far as your eyes can see. Endless rain forests burnt off then replanted to palm oil.

Yes, the damage has already been done. But don’t kid yourself that it doesn’t continue. It does. Every day.

I actually agree about knee-jerk reactions. But this is only ‘knee-jerk’ if you are new to the issue. There are many who have been fighting this for years.

And why palm oil? So the western nations can have biscuits, bread and soap to name but three products. Try to find either without palm oil....only niche brands are without.

I couldn’t care less if it’s bad for your health. But I do care that day after day the rainforests are being burnt off, and not just in Malaysia. These are the lungs of our planet. They soak up vaste amounts of carbon dioxide.

All this talk of ‘moderation’ is fine and I understand the concept, but what is happening in practice is immoderate.

There are alternatives. They can be grown in our own country without adding air miles to transport.

And please can I repeat, there is a huge campaign underway by the palm oil lobby to discredit those who seek to call them to task. I’m sure many already pass information through a reality filter and can separate hype from the truth.

I don’t suppose anything on here will actually change people’s views but I will continue to avoid products with palm oil in them as I have for many years in the same way I avoid anything tested on animals. That is my way.

Some of the companies claiming to be using sustainable sources are in fact lying.
www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/nov/06/palm-oil-companies-ethical-report
The best thing is I think to look carefully and only buy products where using palm oil is essential. It is used in many products just to make them cheaper-like peanut butter. As for the health effects, well they will probably change anyway. It sn't that long since coconut oil was sold as a super food, now it's considered toxic.

Thanks nonnie it's the first time I've heard anything pro-palm oil, I've only read that we should boycott the oil. I'm far too lazy to read research papers.

I didn't know that about coconut oil trisher have you a link.

I think that while we only have self regulation it will be difficult to stop companies buying from non-sustainable sources. It is difficult because the communities which are deforesting would say that their livelihoods depend on it. They would put feeding their families above protecting animals and the environment. I think all we can do is put pressure on companies to buy from sustainable sources.

Nonnie
Just how much time would it take to research the origin of the palm oil in every item or foodstuff which contains it? Is it information which is in bold lettering on the item we buy? No. Palm oil goes under many names and is not easily recognised as such when reading a list of ingredients. Have you any tips as to how we can be assured that the foods or items we buy, are free from or only have palm oil from certified sources.

I don't know ^GabriellaG* why do you think I should? However I hope that pressure on the companies using this product will work, whereas boycotting all palm oil will simply ensure poor people get poorer. Of course you could read the links and then you would know of some companies which are being responsible.

I hope that this thread has set a few people thinking about what they should or should not be doing.

Palm oil is in all kinds of everyday products not just processed food.

In the move to make plastics biodegradeable, petro-chemicals are being replaced with palm oil. In the move to make us less dependant on fossil fuels we are moving to bio-fuels which are made with palm oil. Electrical products contain stearic acid which may have been derived from palm oil.

I doubt it's possible to live in the 21st century without using palm oil whether wittingly or unwittingly but we can all do small things to reduce the amount that is needed simply by consuming less of everything.

Nonnie
I thought you might have gleaned some tips after your conversation with the man from the WWF...that's all. Knowing the names of companies which use responsibly/ethically sourced palm oil does nothing to help knowing whether the chocolate I buy (or indeed any other product) contains (ir)responsibly farmed palm oil if it is not claimed to be so on the packet.
Most people will be buying food which contains it, wherever it's source so there's no good kidding ourselves that all GNers are avidly checking online and perusing the back of packets before buying anything. They're not.

I saw this on FB GG, which might help a little but it does seem to be a bit of a conundrum. webreathewhatwebuy.com/

icanhandthemback
Thanks for that Unfortunately when I clicked the link, I got the following message on my screen (see screenshot)
My online security system may not let it be shown if the certificate isn't valid.

What about using the world's most ancient oil----olive ?

Oh dear, GG. Not sure what that is all about but I wouldn't like to risk it!

EllenVannin Cost. Palm oil is the cheapest vegetable oil on the market. Around half of the palm oil produced goes into biofuel for planes, ships, motor vehicles, energy in manufacturing etc.

ican my security didn't let me open it either.