In Abia State, Nigeria, people use red palm oil in nearly every pot of soup, and they keep black kernel oil in a small jar for the skin. Nobody in my village ever measured the carotenoids or vitamin E in that oil. Researchers have since measured them carefully, and the real palm oil benefits differ sharply between the four oils.
Palm oil reaches people in four main forms: red, crude, refined, and palm kernel oil, and each carries a different set of nutrients.
Red and crude oil keep the carotenoids and vitamin E of the fruit, while refining removes much of them.
Kernel oil differs again, with a chemistry closer to coconut oil than to red oil. This page sets out the full nutritional value of each oil and the benefits that published research supports.
It also flags any claims that go further than the evidence allows. The risks and concerns have a separate page of their own, linked below.
Want red palm oil that keeps its natural color and nutrients, pressed fresh on a family farm? You can order nutrient rich red oil from Ntigha on the shop page.
Table of Contents
What Are the Benefits of Palm Oil?
The benefits of palm oil are the nutritional and everyday gains each form of the oil offers, as measured by research.
Like every fat, palm oil supplies energy and helps the body absorb fat soluble vitamins. Unrefined red palm oil adds provitamin
carotenoids and vitamin E, including a form called tocotrienols that few common oils contain.
Refined palm oil keeps part of that vitamin E and gives food makers a stable fat free of trans fats.
Palm kernel oil is a lauric oil valued mainly in skin care and confectionery. The strength of evidence behind each benefit varies, and this page states it plainly.
Palm Oil Nutrition Facts
All palm oils are pure fat, so they contain no protein, carbohydrate, fiber, or cholesterol. The figures below come from USDA FoodData Central, the US government’s food composition database.
| Nutrient, per 100 g | Palm oil | Palm kernel oil |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 884 kcal | 862 kcal |
| Total fat | 100 g | 100 g |
| Saturated fat | 49.3 g | 81.5 g |
| Monounsaturated fat | 37.0 g | 11.4 g |
| Polyunsaturated fat | 9.3 g | 1.6 g |
| Vitamin E, alpha-tocopherol | 15.9 mg | 3.8 mg |
| Vitamin K | 8 µg | 24.7 µg |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0 mg |
A standard tablespoon of cooking oil weighs about 13.6 grams in total. On the USDA figures, a tablespoon of palm oil therefore gives about 120 kcal, 6.7 grams of saturated fat and 2.2 mg of vitamin E.
The US National Institutes of Health sets the adult vitamin E requirement at 15 mg a day. One tablespoon of palm oil covers roughly a seventh of that figure.
The USDA entry describes palm oil in general, without stating if it is red or refined oil. Carotenoids, the biggest difference between those two, are not listed in it.
The Nutrients That Set Palm Oil Apart
Palm fruit oil carries small amounts of compounds beyond its fats, sometimes called minor components. They make up a tiny share of the oil but most of its nutritional interest.
A 2003 review in the Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition measured these components. It reports carotenoids of about 700 to 800 parts per million in crude palm oil, and vitamin E of about 600 to 1,000.
| Minor component | Amount in palm oil, by the 2003 review | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Carotenoids | About 500 to 800 ppm | Red and orange pigments, including provitamin A beta-carotene |
| Vitamin E, tocopherols and tocotrienols | About 500 to 1,000 ppm | Fat soluble antioxidants |
| Sterols | About 300 ppm | Plant compounds related to cholesterol in structure |
| Phosphatides | About 500 to 1,000 ppm | Fat compounds that refining removes |
The Codex standard for named vegetable oils gives a wider carotenoid range for unbleached palm oil, about 500 to 2,000 mg per kg. Levels vary with the palm, the fruit and how the oil was made.
Carotenoids and Provitamin A
Carotenoids give red palm oil its color, and some of them, mainly beta-carotene, can become vitamin A in the body.
The NIH vitamin A fact sheet sets adult needs at 900 micrograms a day for men and 700 for women.
The same fact sheet notes that the body needs about 12 micrograms of dietary beta-carotene to make one microgram of vitamin A. Food carotenoids are therefore a slower route to vitamin A than ready-made forms.
Tocotrienols and Tocopherols
Vitamin E comes in eight natural forms, four tocopherols and four tocotrienols. Palm oil stands out because most of its vitamin E is tocotrienols, which few common cooking oils contain in quantity.
The 2003 review puts palm vitamin E at about 70 percent tocotrienols and 30 percent tocopherols.
The NIH notes, however, that only alpha-tocopherol counts toward human vitamin E requirements.
Fatty Acids
Palm fruit oil is roughly half saturated fat, mostly palmitic acid, with oleic acid as its main unsaturated fat. Kernel oil is far more saturated, and lauric acid leads its fats.
| Fatty acid | Palm fruit oil, Codex range | Palm kernel oil, Codex range |
|---|---|---|
| Lauric acid, C12 | Not a main fat | 45 to 55 percent |
| Palmitic acid, C16 | 39.3 to 47.5 percent | 6.5 to 10 percent |
| Oleic acid, C18:1 | 36 to 44 percent | 12 to 19 percent |
| Linoleic acid, C18:2 | 9 to 12 percent | 1 to 3.5 percent |
How each oil differs in color, taste and use, beyond nutrition, is set out in a full four oil comparison.
Red Palm Oil Benefits
Red palm oil is the form that keeps the most of the fruit’s natural nutrients. It is clarified but never bleached or deodorized, so its carotenoids and vitamin E stay largely in place.
Nutritional Value of Red Palm Oil
| Nutrient | What red palm oil holds |
|---|---|
| Carotenoids | About 500 to 2,000 mg per kg, by the Codex range |
| Vitamin E | High, with tocotrienols making up most of it |
| Saturated fat | Roughly half of its fat |
| Monounsaturated fat | Mostly oleic acid |
| Calories | About 120 kcal per tablespoon, like any oil |
Vitamin A Status
The strongest research evidence for red palm oil concerns its effect on vitamin A. A 2017 meta-analysis in Nutrients pooled nine randomized trials, mostly in low and middle-income countries.
It found red palm oil cut the risk of vitamin A deficiency by about 45 percent against placebo. Intakes of eight grams a day or less raised blood retinol, with no extra effect at higher intakes.
The trials compared red palm oil with vitamin A supplements and found no clear difference between them. The authors warned that samples were small and only one trial included men.
Vitamin E and Tocotrienols
Red palm oil is one of the richest food sources of tocotrienols. Research on what they do in people is active, but it remains far from settled.
A 2016 review in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences found mixed results for tocotrienols and cholesterol across human trials. It reported some promising early findings on brain lesions and cancer, but called for more studies.
Those trials mostly used concentrated supplements, not red palm oil in the diet. The review’s authors also worked for the Malaysian Palm Oil Board, which has an interest in palm tocotrienols.
Is Red Palm Oil Healthy?
Red palm oil is a nutrient-rich fat, especially for carotenoids and vitamin E. It is also roughly half saturated fat, which health bodies advise limiting.
In short, the research supports red palm oil as a good source of provitamin A where deficiency is common. Claims that it prevents heart disease, cancer or dementia go beyond current evidence.
The oil itself, from its color to its everyday uses, is profiled in red oil color and uses.
Crude Palm Oil Benefits
Crude palm oil is the raw oil straight from the press, before clarifying or refining. It holds the full natural load of carotenoids and vitamin E, the richest of any palm oil.
The 2003 review puts crude palm oil at about 700 to 800 parts per million of carotene.
That makes crude oil the starting point for both red oil and the nutrient-rich concentrates sold as supplements.
Crude oil is not usually eaten as it is, because it still carries water, fine debris and free fatty acids. Its benefit lies in what it becomes, clarified into red oil or refined for food factories.
| Point | Crude palm oil |
|---|---|
| Carotenoids | Highest of the palm oils, about 700 to 800 ppm |
| Vitamin E | About 600 to 1,000 ppm |
| Eaten directly | Rarely, since it needs clarifying first |
| Main role | Raw material for red oil, refined oil and concentrates |
Its grades and trade are covered in crude palm oil and its grades.
Refined Palm Oil Benefits
Refined palm oil gives up most of its carotenoids during bleaching and deodorizing, but it keeps a share of its vitamin E.
The 2003 review reports vitamin E falling from about 600 to 1,000 ppm to about 350 to 630 ppm after refining.
An AOCS article on red palm oil explains that standard deodorizing at about 250 to 270 degrees Celsius destroys all the carotenes.
Gentler methods can keep up to 80 percent of carotene and vitamin E, producing refined red palm oil.
| Point | Refined palm oil |
|---|---|
| Carotenoids | Removed in standard refining |
| Vitamin E | About 350 to 630 ppm retained |
| Trans fats | None, since it needs no partial hydrogenation |
| Shelf life | Long and stable |
| Taste | Neutral |
Its main everyday benefit is a stable, trans fat-free fat for frying and food making. That role grew after US regulators removed partially hydrogenated oils, the main source of artificial trans fats, from food.
What refining produces, from olein to stearin, is covered in what refined palm oil becomes.
Palm Kernel Oil Benefits
Palm kernel oil comes from the seed, so it carries little of the carotenoids found in the fruit pulp. It is pale in color, firm when cool and rich in lauric acid.
| Nutrient, per 100 g, USDA | Palm kernel oil |
|---|---|
| Saturated fat | 81.5 g |
| Lauric acid share of fats | 45 to 55 percent, by Codex |
| Vitamin E | 3.8 mg |
| Carotenoids | Very little |
Kernel oil is sometimes sold as a medium-chain fat that the body burns quickly for energy. A 2019 review in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition urges caution here.
Lauric acid, it notes, behaves partly like a medium-chain fat and partly like a long-chain fat.
That review, on coconut oil, also warned that research on pure medium-chain fats cannot be applied directly to lauric oils. The same caution applies to palm kernel oil, its close chemical relative.
Kernel oil’s best-supported value lies outside the diet, in soaps and skin creams. In my family, black kernel oil, ude aki, is made for the skin and never cooked with, as covered in kernel oil and black ude aki.
The Four Oils Compared
| Oil | Key nutrients | Best supported benefit | Strength of evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red palm oil | Carotenoids, tocotrienols, tocopherols | Improving vitamin A status where deficiency is common | Moderate, from randomized trials |
| Crude palm oil | The fullest carotenoid and vitamin E load | Raw material for red oil and concentrates | Strong on composition, not eaten directly |
| Refined palm oil | Part of its vitamin E | Stable, trans fat-free fat for cooking and food | Strong on composition and stability |
| Palm kernel oil | Lauric acid, little vitamin E | Skin care and confectionery uses | Limited for diet benefits |
Skin and Hair
Many people apply red palm oil to skin and hair, and kernel oil goes into soaps and creams. Research on these cosmetic uses is limited, so this page makes no claims about them.
What people do with red oil, and what little evidence exists, is covered in red oil in skin care and red oil in hair care.
Palm oil’s uses in soaps, cosmetics, fuels and chemicals belong to palm oil in industry, rather than to this page on nutrition.
Claims That Go Too Far
Palm oil attracts bold health claims, and many of them outrun the research.
| Claim | What the evidence shows |
|---|---|
| Palm oil is cholesterol free, so it is good for cholesterol | All plant oils are free of cholesterol, but saturated fat can still raise blood cholesterol |
| Red palm oil prevents heart disease | No trials show this, and findings on cholesterol are mixed |
| Tocotrienols cure cancer or dementia | Early trials used supplements, and results are not conclusive |
| Red palm oil boosts immunity | No strong human evidence supports this broad claim |
| Palm kernel oil burns fat like MCT oil | Lauric acid behaves only partly like a medium-chain fat |
| More red palm oil means more vitamin A | Trials found no extra benefit above about eight grams a day |
The other side of the ledger, from saturated fat to refining contaminants, is set out in the risks and concerns in full.
Cholesterol gets its own page in palm oil and blood cholesterol, and kernel oil in the research on kernel oil risks.
How palm oil stacks up against olive, soybean and other oils is covered in palm oil against other oils.
What Research Shows About Palm Oil Benefits
Research on palm oil benefits centers on carotenoids, vitamin E and the differences that processing makes. Five sources stand out for anyone weighing the four oils against each other.
USDA data put palm oil at about half saturated fat, with 15.9 mg of vitamin E per 100 grams.
The 2003 review found about 700 to 800 ppm of carotene in crude oil and about 70 percent tocotrienols in palm vitamin E.
The 2017 meta-analysis found red palm oil cut the risk of vitamin A deficiency by about 45 percent. The 2016 tocotrienol review found promising but inconclusive results in human trials.
The AOCS article showed standard refining destroys carotenes, while gentler methods keep up to 80 percent. The 2019 review cautioned against treating lauric oils as pure medium-chain fats.
These findings have clear limits worth stating plainly for every single reader. The vitamin A trials were small, and tocotrienol trials mostly used supplements.
Two key reviews came from authors linked to the palm oil industry.
Conclusion
The four palm oils share one fruit but have very different nutritional value. Red and crude oil carry the most carotenoids and vitamin E, refined oil keeps part of the vitamin E, and kernel oil is a firm, lauric fat.
The strongest proven benefit is red palm oil’s help with vitamin A, where deficiency is common.
Bolder claims about heart disease, cancer, or immunity still lack solid evidence from human trials.
Choose the oil that fits your kitchen, and read the risks page before deciding how much belongs in your diet.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the main health benefits of palm oil?
Red palm oil supplies provitamin A carotenoids and vitamin E, including tocotrienols. Trials show it can improve vitamin A status, while other claimed benefits remain unproven so far.
Is red palm oil healthier than refined palm oil?
Red palm oil keeps its carotenoids and more vitamin E, which refining strips away. Both are roughly half saturated fat, so neither is a free pass on that.
What nutrients are in palm oil?
Palm oil is pure fat, about half saturated, with vitamin E and, in red oil, carotenoids. It contains no protein, carbohydrate, fiber or cholesterol, according to USDA data.
Does palm kernel oil have the same benefits as red palm oil?
No, palm kernel oil comes from the seed and holds very little carotene or vitamin E. It is mostly saturated lauric fat, valued in skin care and confectionery.
Sources for this article were last reviewed by the author in October 2026.
Disclaimer. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical or nutritional advice. The author is not a registered dietitian or medical professional. Where the research on health effects is mixed or contested, this is stated clearly in the article. Consult a qualified healthcare provider before making significant dietary changes.
Chimeremeze Emeh is a tropical crop farmer and chemical engineer from Ntigha, Isiala Ngwa North LGA, Abia State, Eastern Nigeria, specializing in palm oil and cassava, with over 30 years of hands-on experience growing, harvesting, and processing red palm oil. He runs community engagement workshops for rural farmers in Ntigha focused on palm tree care, and operates Palm Oil Pathway as a registered agribusiness and sells red palm oil in 1L, 2L, 3L, and 25L packaging. Built around red palm oil production. He is also the founder of Cassava Pathway, a CAMA-registered agribusiness founded in 2024, where he applies the same tropical farming expertise to cassava flour and starch production.