Q: What is the difference between Sustainable Palm Oil and Non-Sustainable?
A: This is quite the debate these days. However, after sustained and in-depth research I have concluded that I am in agreement with the World Wildlife Federation, which both encourages and supports the development and usage of sustainable palm oil.Why?
Well, let’s take a closer look at the facts.
I am taking a sideways step for a moment with an excellent analogy – Fair Trade/Direct trade Coffee. One reason I use this analogy is that coffee is the second biggest liquid consumed in the world, save for water. Bear with me and you will see why I am making this analogy.
The URL below will give you info on coffee and deforestation/erosion etc. I highly encourage you to read it. https://ohiostate.pressbooks.pub/sciencebites/chapter/a-bitter-brew-coffee-production-deforestation-soil-erosion-and-water-contamination/
Here is a quick quote from the above URL. “For every cup of coffee consumed, it is almost certain that one square inch of rain forest was destroyed. Chemical buildup in soils and loss of forest shade are consequences of mass coffee production. This leads to chemical runoff polluting rivers, land and aquatic wildlife dying, soil eroding, and land degradation.Once lush rain forests are twisted into barren landscapes, which forever alters the ecological balance of this ecosystem. Exploitative coffee production leads to massive deforestation.”
Fair Trade/Direct Trade coffee (aka Sustainable coffee.)Here is a URL about Fair Trade and why it is so important in relation to the above statement. https://groundsforchange.com/blogs/learn/fair-trade-coffee
And a quick quote from the above URL.
“Fair trade (sustainable) certified coffee directly supports a better life for farming families in the developing world through fair prices,community development and environmental stewardship.”
Fair trade coffee plantations must meet standards for the environment and the people working on it, including fair wages, good working conditions and social/cultural fabric of the land and its people. Look for Fair Trade or Direct Trade labels.
So why this analogy? Coffee is omni-present, as is Palm oil.
Important Fact: Perhaps even the most important fact in this debate.
For argument sake, let’s say all palm oil production was to halt this very minute. As quoted from the Palm Investigations web site https://www.palmoilinvestigations.org/is-boycott-the-answer.html “Oil palm is a highly productive crop yielding more oil from less land than any other vegetable oil. If we were to switch to another oil seed crop, more land would be required to produce the same amount of oil.” Plus this tree produces two kinds of oil, both palm (from the pulp of the fruit) and palm kernel (from the seeds.)
Consumers need to understand that not all palm oil is bad. Not all palm oil is wiping out habitat and killing species. It can be farmed and produced in a responsible and ethical manner. Palm oil production has become an important source of income and a major part of the economy in the regions where it is grown, providing livelihoods for local communities and helping to lift people out of poverty. Support the brands that are sourcing responsibly and avoid those that are not. Look for sustainablepalm oil on ingredient lists.
If your ingredient list says ‘vegetable oil or fats’, it is most likely palm oil. That is why the term ‘vegetable oil’ is misleading. If you are using vegetable oil, you are using palm oil. Palm oil is part of the vegetable oil family. If a product has any saturated fats, it is most likely palm oil.
Like coffee, palm oil is not going anywhere. It is omni-present in fact. Palm oil goes by approx. 250 other names so if you think you can quickly scan a product for it, you would be sorely mistaken. You will have to look for 250 other possible names. I will list them at the bottom of this page.
Like Fair Trade/Direct Trade coffee, Sustainable Palm oil plantations must follow strict guidelines for not only land usage (including not encroaching on or cutting down existing forests) but for working conditions, fair wages and prices and development for the mostly small farm owners and their communities.
Palm oil is found in well over 50 percent of food items in stores and also in a plethora of other products including house paints, artist paints, oil pastilles, yeast for bread, ice cream, cleaning products, wax, candles,pet and animal food, lubricants,candles, pizza dough, crayons, detergent, diesel, biofuel and yes, vegetable oil. The list is endless and might be listed under ‘palm’ or perhaps under one of the other 250 names.
I see quite the equal sign between both these debates in that neither of them are going away but both can be maintained.
By the way, from what I have researched thus far, soy beans may very well be the biggest culprit in causing deforestation and species annihilation at this time. Soy milk, tofu, soybean oil, salad dressings, many packaged food items including crackers etc., animal food, particleboard, laminated plywood,
flooring, carpets, counter tops, soy crayons etc.etc. etc., all use soy-based adhesives.
In closing, since palm oil is so omni-present, I would rather support sustainable palm oil farmers then not. Unfortunately, with both palm oil and coffee alike, one has to trust and do research on their suppliers. It will never be perfect but if you find trusted sources and read your labels, you can, in both cases, make a difference.
Here are the other 250 names that palm oil falls under.
A- Z alternate names for palm oil.
Acetic and fatty acid esters of glycerol
Acetylated Monoglycerides
Alkylamidopropyl betaine
Alkyl alcohol
Alkyl betaine
Alkyl ether sulfate
Alkyl Polyglucoside
Aluminum Myristates/Palmitates
Aluminium stearate
Aluminium, calcium, sodium, magnesium salts of fatty acids
Amidopropyl betaine
Ammonium laureth sulphate
Ammonium lauryl sulphate
Amphoteric surfactant
Anionic surfactant
APG
Arachamide mea
Ascorbyl palmitate (304)
Ascorbyl stearate
Azelaic acid
Beta Carotene
Behentrimonium Methosulfate
BTMS
Butyl Myristate
Butyl stearate
Calcium lactylate
Calcium Myristate
Calcium oleyl lactylate
Calcium stearate
Calcium stearoyl lactylate
CAPB
Capric triglyceride
Caprylic acid
Caprylic / Capric Glycerides
Caprylic triglyceride
Caprylic/capric triglyceride
Caprylic/capric/stearic triglyceride
Capryloyl glycine
Caprylyl glycol
Carboxylic acid soap
Carotene (Sometimes made from palm)
Castile soap (often from palm)
Ceteareth (2-100)
Ceteareth mbsfl laurethulanate
Ceteareth mbhe laurethulanate
Cetearyl alcohol
Cetearyl ethylhexanote
Cetearyl glucoside
Cetearyl isononanoate
Cetearyl and Sorbitan Olivate
Ceteth-20
Ceteth-24
Cetostearyl Alcohol
Cetrimonium Bromide
Cetremonium Chloride
Cetyl acetate
Cetyl alcohol
Cetyl ethylhexanoate
Cetyl hydroxyethylcellulose
Cetyl lactate
Cetyl Myristate
Cetyl octanoate
Cetyl palmitate
Cetyl ricinoleate
Cetyltrimethylammonium bromide
Cetyltrimethylammonium chloride
Citric and fatty acid esters of glycerol
Cocoa butter equivalent (CBE)
Cocoa butter substitute (CBS)
Cocamide DEA
Cocamide MEA
Cocamidopropyl betaine
Coco-Caprylate
Coco Polyglucose
Cocoyl Sarcosine
Conditioning emulsifier
Decyl Glucoside
Decyl Myristate
Decyl oleate
Diacetyltartaric acid esters of monoglycerides
Diacetyltartaric and fatty acid esters of glycerol
Dicaprylyl ether
Dicocoylethyl Hydroxyethylmonium Methosulfate
Dihydroxystearic acid
Dilinoleic acid
Dipalmitoylethyl hydroxyethylmonium methosulfate
Disodium laureth sulfosuccinate
Disodium lauryl sulfosuccinate
Distilled Monoglyceride Palm
Dodecanol
Elaeis guineensis
Emulsifiers: E304, E422, E430, E431, E432, E433, E434, E435, E436, E470, E470a, E470b, E471, E472, E472a, E472b, E472c, E472e, E472f, E473, E474, E475, E476, E477, E478, E479, E480, E481, E482, E483, E493, E494, E495
Emulsifying wax
Epoxidized palm oil (uv cured coatings)
Esterquats
Esters of Myristic Acid
Ethoxylated Lauryl Alcohol
Ethoxylated Monoglycerides
Ethoxylated SMS
Ethoxylated SMO
Ethoxylated STS
Ethyl lauroyl arginate (243)
Ethyl myristate
Ethyl palmitate
Ethylene glycol diesters
Ethylene glycol monoesters
Ethylene glycol monostearate
Ethyl hexyl Esters-2
Ethylhexylglycerin
Ethylhexyl hydroxystearate
Ethylhexyl Isononanoate
Ethylhexyl Myristate
Ethylhexyl Palminate
Ethylhexyl palmitate
Ethylhexyl stearate
Ethylhexylglycerin
Etyl Palmitate
Fatty acids
Fatty acid methyl esters (FAME)
Fatty alcohol alkoxylate
Fatty alcohol sulphates
Fatty amines
Fatty isethionate
FP(K)O – Fractionated Palm Oil
Fractionated Palm Oil
Glycerin
Glycerin or glycerol (442)
Glycerol esters
Glyceryl cocoate
Glyceryl Dimyristate
Glyceryl distearate
Glyceryl laurate
Glyceryl Linoleate
Glyceryl monostearate
Glyceryl myristate
Glyceryl oleate
Glyceryl polymethacrylate
Glyceryl Rosinate
Glyceryl stearate
Glyceryl stearate SE
Glycol distearate
Glycol stearate
Guineesis (palm)
Hexadecanoic acid
Hexadecylic
Hexyl laurate
Hexyldecanol
Humectant 422
Humectant glycerol
Hydrated palm glycerides
Hydrogenated palm glycerides
Isoamyl Laurate
Isobutyl Myristate
Isocetyl alcohol
Isocetyl Myristate
Isocetyl stearate
Isodecyl Myristate
Isodecyl oleate
Isononyl Isononanoate
Isopropyl esters
Isopropyl isostearate
Isopropyl Myristate
Isopropyl palmitate
Isopropyl titanium triisostearate
Isostearamide DEA
Isostearate DEA
Isostearic acid
Isostearyl alcohol
Isostearyl isostearate
Isostearyl Myristate
Isostearyl neopentanoate
Isotridecyl Myristate
Lactic and fatty acid easters of glycerol
Lactylated Monoglycerides
Lauramide DEA
Lauramide MEA
Lauramine oxide
Laureth (Laureth-1, Laureth-2, Laureth-3, Laureth-5, Laureth-6, Laureth-7, Laureth-8, Laureth-9, Laureth-10, Laureth-11, Laureth-12, Laureth-13, Laureth-14, Laureth-15, Laureth-16, Laureth-20, Laureth-21, Laureth-25, Laureth-30, Laureth-38, Laureth-40, Laureth-50) source
Lauric acid
Lauroyl sarcosine
Lauryl Alcohol
Lauryl Alcohol Ethoxylates
Lauryl betaine
Lauryl dimonium hydrolysed collagen
Lauryl lactate
Lauryl glucoside (from palm)
Lauryl Myristate
Lauryl pyrrolidone
Lauryl Sarcosine
Lecithin
Lecithin Isopropyl Palm Oil
Levulinic Acid
Linoleic acid
Magnesium myristate
Magnesium stearate
Metallic salts of lactylic esters of fatty acids
Methyl Myristate
Mixed tartaric, acetic and fatty acid esters of glycerol
Mono and di-glycerides of fatty acids
Mono glycerides of fatty acids
Monoglyceride citrate
Monopalmitate
Myreth 3 Myrisrate
Myristate
Myristic acid
Myristic Cetrimonium Chloride Acid
Myristoyl
Myristyl myristate
Myristoyl Sarcosine
Myristoyl Sarcosinate
Myristyl alcohol
Myristyl myristate
N-Butyl Esters
Nonionic surfactant
Octadecanoic acid
Octyl palmitate
Octyl stearate
Octyldodecyl myristate
Octydodecyl stearate
Octyldodecyl stearoyl stearate
Oleamide MIPA
Oleic acid
Oleyl betaine
Oleyl Myristate
Oleoyl Sarcosine
Olivem 1000
Oliv-emulse
Oliv-wax LQC
OPKO – Organic Palm Kernel Oil
Palmester
Palm fruit oil
Palmitoleic acid
Palm kernel amidopropyl amine oixde
Palm kernel amidopropyl betaine
Palm kernel cake
Palm Kernel Diethanolamide
Palm kernel oil
Palm Kernel Olein
Palm Kernel Stearin
Palm oil
Palm olein oil
Palm stearine
Palmate
Palmitate
Palmitamidopropyl betaine
Palmitamidopropyltrimonium chloride
Palmitic acid
Palmitoyl acid
Palmitoyl alcohol
Palmitoyl myristyl serinate
Palm oleic acid
Palmitoyl oligopeptide
Palmitoyl oxostearamide
Palmitoyl tetrapeptide
Palmitoleic acid
Palm Methyl Ester
PBS Base
Palmolein
Palmfonate
Palmosalt
Partially hydrogenated Palm Oil
PEG-150 Distearate
Pentaerythritol tetra caprai caprylate
Pentaerythrityl tetracaprylate/tetracaprate
Pentaerythrityl tetraisostearate
Peptide complex
PG dicaprylate/caprate
PHPKO – Partially hydrogenated Palm Oil
PKO – Palm Kernel Oil
PKO fractionations: Palm Kernel Stearin (PKs); Palm Kernel Olein
PK oleic acid
Planta cleanse
Polyethylene (40) stearate (431)
Polyglycerate-60
Polyglycerol esters of fatty acids
Polyglycerol esters of interesterified ricinoleic acid
Polyglycerol-2 oleyl ether
Polyglyceryl-3 dilisostearate
Polyglyceryl-3 Palmitate
Polyglyceryl-4 isostearate
Polyglyceryl-4 laurate
Polyglyceryl-4 oleyl ether
Polysorbate 60 or polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monostearate
Polysorbate 65 or polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan tristearate
Polysorbate 80 or polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monoolate
Polysorbate-20
Polysorbate-40
Polysorbate-60
Polysorbate-65
Polysorbate-80
Polysorbate-85
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
Potassium Myristate
Potassium stearate
Propanediol dicaprylate
Propylene Glycol Alginate
Propylene glycol esters of fatty acids
Propylene glycol laurate
Propylene glycol monoester
Propylene Glycol Myristate
Propylene glycol stearate
Retinyl palmitate
Saponified elaeis guineensis
Saturated Fatty acid
Sleareth
SLES
SLS
sodium alkyl sulfate
Sodium cetearyl sulphate
sodium cocoyl glycinate
Sodium cocoyl isethionate
Sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate
Sodium Dodecyl Sulphate (SDS or NaDS)
Sodium Isostearoyl Lactylaye
Sodium lactylate; sodium oleyl lactylate; sodium stearoyl lactylate
Sodium laurate
Sodium laurel
Sodium laureth sulfate
Sodium laureth sulphate
Sodium laureth – 1 sulphate
Sodium laureth – 2 sulphate
Sodium laureth – 3 sulphate
Sodium laureth-13 carboxylate
Sodium lauroyl lactylate
Sodium lauryl
Sodium lauryl ether sulphate
Sodium lauryl glucose carboxylate
Sodium Lauryl Lactylate/Sulphate
Sodium lauryl sulfate
Sodium lauryl sulfoacetate
Sodium lauryl sulphate
Sodium lauroyl sarcosinate
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Sodium Myristate
Sodium palm kernelate
Sodium palm kerneloyl isethionate
Sodium palmate
Sodium palmitate
Sodium polyarylsulfonate
Sodium stearate
Sodium stearoyl Fumarate
Sodium stearoyl glutamate
Sodium stearoyl lactylate
Sodium Trideceth sulphate
Solubiliser PS20
Sorbitan Caprylate
Sorbitan Cocoate
Sorbitan Diisostearate
Sorbitan Distearate
Sorbitan ester
Sorbitan isotearate
Sorbitan laurate
Sorbitan monoglyceride
Sorbitan monolaurate
Sorbitan monopalmitate
Sorbitan monostearate (491)
Sorbitan oleate
Sorbitan olivate
Sorbitan palmitate
Sorbitan sesquioleate
Sorbitan trioleate
Sorbitan tristearate
Sorbitan tristearate (492)
Sorbitan triglyceride
Stearalkonium chloride
Stearalkonium hectorite
Stearamide MEA
Stearamidopropyl dimethylamine
Steareth-2
Steareth-7
Steareth-10
Steareth-20
Steareth-21
Stearic acid
Stearic acid or fatty acid (570)
Stearoyl sarcosine
Stearyl alcohol
Stearyl dimethicone
Stearyl heptanoate
Stearyl Stearoyl Stearate
Stearyl tartarate
Stearyltrimethylammonium Chloride
Stearoyl lactic acid
Stearoyl Sarcosine
Steartrimonium chloride
Succinylated monoglycerides
Sucrose esters of fatty acids
Sucrose stearate
Sucroseesters of fatty acids
Sulphonated Methyl Esters
Surfactant CCG
Taxanomic
TEA-lauryl sulphate
TEA-stearate
Tetradecyloctadecyl Myristate
TMP esters
Tocotrienols (Vitamin E)
Tocopherols (Vitamin E)
Tocopheryl linoleate
Triacetin
Triacetin (1518)
Tribehenin
Tricaprylin
Tricaprylyl Citrate
Tridecyl Myristate
Trifluoroacetyl Tripeptide-2
Tristearin
Veg-emulse
Vegetable emulsifier
Vegetable glycerin
Vegetable Oil
Vitamin A palmitate
Yeast with 491
Zinc Myristate
Zinc stearate