Palm oil and threats to a critically important food source

The oil palm, an ancient tropical tree species that originated in West Africa, has a history of centuries-long use both as a food and a medicine. Based on its higher saturated fatty acid composition, primarily palmitic acid, concerns have been flagged about its nutritional attributes. Elevation of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol effects of the associated palmitic acid is far less profound than animal sources of this fatty acid and is linked...