We know palm oil as the deep colored liquid that has a unique taste. There are different types of palm oil that can be used in dishes that have their own characteristics. Here are four of them.
- Palm oil
This type of palm oil comes from the fruit of the palm that is found in dense and humid rainforests. This crude oil contains vitamin E, carotenoids (pigmentation that makes a fruit red, yellow, or orange), and antioxidants. It is also known as red palm oil.
- Palm kernel oil
This comes from the seed or grain and has a composition similar to that of coconut oil. It is eighty percent saturated with a minimal amount of monounsaturated fat. A monounsaturated fat is a molecule that has an unsaturated carbon bond. These fats tend to turn liquid at room temperature, but begin to solidify once cooled. Coconut oil does this too.
- Fractionated palm kernel oil
This is the most processed version of palm kernel oil where all the liquid has been removed. It is mainly used to make protein bars and other sweets that require oil or fat.
- White palm oil
This is a refined, bleached and deodorized oil or RBD. All properties and characteristics, including its color and antioxidant properties, have been removed by this refined, bleached and deodorized process. This version of the oil is used to make food without changing the taste too much. Add a solid fat and binder so that the food substance remains intact.
Palm oil is extracted through an ancient mechanical process. This is the best process for the palm fruit in order to avoid high temperatures and pressures that will cause a valuable loss of the characteristics of the cooking oil. The mechanical process involves pressing the grains to release the liquid within. No centrifuges or chemicals have been used to extract the oils, as these two processes damage quality and taste.
Using palm kernel liquid as a cooking oil can give your food a unique flavor. Palm oil does not taste generic and it often feels like the inside of the mouth is covered with the liquid hours after ingesting it.
It’s an acquired taste that not many people are used to. Most people are not used to the unique taste. The average person who eats candy and protein bars will not taste this oil in the product due to how refined and saturated it has become through the extraction process.