Is Palm Oil Bad for You? What the Research Actually Says

Palm oil is not straightforwardly bad for you—the evidence is more nuanced than that. It is high in saturated fat (about 49% by weight), which was historically linked to cardiovascular disease, but palm oil also contains significant amounts of vitamin E and beta-carotene, and some research suggests its effects on LDL cholesterol differ from other saturated fats. Whether it's harmful depends heavily on how much you consume, what it replaces in your diet, and how the oil was processed.