Vegans often dislike palm oil not because it's animal-derived (it's a plant oil), but due to the devastating environmental and ethical consequences of its production, primarily widespread deforestation for plantations, leading to massive habitat loss for endangered species like orangutans, tigers, and elephants, and contributing to climate change, plus concerns about labor exploitation. While technically vegan, many vegans boycott it because it conflicts with vegan principles of minimizing harm to animals and the planet, even if some sustainable options exist.
For Ethical Vegans palm oil is NOT vegan because it is linked to such widescale deforestation and has put so many species on the brink of extinction. Therefore, this means that animal species are being harmed as a DIRECT result of obtaining palm oil.
Nutella contains sustainable palm oil, 100% certified segregated RSPO (separated from conventional palm oil along the whole supply chain) with) 99.5 % traceability of the plantations they source from. They also work on reforming the palm oil industry with POIG (Palm Oil Innovation Group).
Palm oil has been and continues to be a major driver of deforestation of some of the world's most biodiverse forests, destroying the habitat of already endangered species like the Orangutan, pygmy elephant and Sumatran rhino.
The simple answer to the question is that as olive oil does not contain animal products, yes olive oil is in theory vegan-friendly. Some vegans, however, avoid using it because of the impact olive oil production has on the environment. Just how much of a detrimental impact it has, is up for debate.
Miley Cyrus stopped being strictly vegan because she experienced health issues, feeling malnourished and that her brain wasn't functioning properly after six years on the diet, leading her to reintroduce fish and omegas for better brain function, though she still values animal welfare. She noted feeling "much sharper" and healthier after adding animal products like fish back into her diet, which was a difficult transition emotionally, but a necessary one for her body.
Vegetable fats in vegan cooking – variety and taste
From olive oil to coconut oil, there is a wide variety of products suitable for different dishes and cooking methods.
Palm oil is in around 50% of supermarket foods, but Australian law does not require it to be labelled as an ingredient. You can choose any product made by the brands featured in this guide knowing they either use no palm oil at all or 100% Segregated Certified Sustainable Palm Oil, the choice is yours.
McDonald's leads in palm oil use but not in commitments
Despite signing on to the non-binding New York Declaration on Forests in September reiterating the global importance of forests, McDonald's palm oil policies do not protect forests.
At Ferrero, we use palm oil to enhance the rich taste and creamy texture of our products, as well as to extend their shelf life and quality when consumers store our products at home. As it is an important ingredient, we have been working for a long time to source our palm oil responsibly.
Palm oil has been scientifically shown to protect the heart and blood vessels from plaques and ischemic injuries. Palm oil consumed as a dietary fat as a part of a healthy balanced diet does not have incremental risk for cardiovascular disease.
Peanut butter and Nutella are popular spreads, but in terms of nutrition, peanut butter has the edge. Made from ground peanuts, peanut butter is high in protein and healthy fats, while Nutella is more like chocolate frosting, full of sugar and fat but with little nutrition.
Hershey's Kit Kat Crisp Wafers in Chocolate contain sugar, wheat flour, cocoa butter, nonfat milk, chocolate, refined palm kernel oil, lactose (milk), milk fat, contains 2% or less of: soy lecithin, PGPR (emulsifier), yeast, artificial flavour, salt, and sodium bicarbonate.
6 Palm oil does not contain trans fat, but it is high in saturated fat, which means it can boost unhealthy cholesterol and triglycerides and raise the likelihood of heart disease. Still, it is less saturated—or healthier—than oils and shortenings high in trans fat.
Cadbury can make chocolate without palm oil — they do it in New Zealand and Australia — but here in the UK, Europe and South Africa they are using palm oil. 💔 Every 4 days, 3 British dairy farmers go out of business because companies make choices like this.
When choosing a cooking oil, it's best to choose an oil high in poly and/or mono-unsaturated fats, which are heart-healthy fats derived foods such as olives, seeds, nuts and vegetables. Olive oil, which is high in monounsaturated fats, is a particularly beneficial choice for heart health.
The oils which should be avoided for cooking are oils like soybean, corn, canola, sunflower, and safflower. These oils have unstable fats and will decimate the nutritional properties of your food.
Anti-inflammatory oils include algae oil, extra virgin olive oil, and avocado oil — all rich in oleic acid and antioxidants. Inflammatory oils like soybean, corn, and generic vegetable oils are high in omega-6 fats and often used in processed foods.
What common products contain palm oil? Apart from the majority of soaps, cleaners and shampoos on the market containing palm oil, many people are shocked to learn that Arnott's Tim Tams also contain palm oil. In fact, palm oil is so widely used in consumer products that it is increasingly difficult to avoid.
From farm to finger, Australia's Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) restaurants, switched in 2012 from imported sustainable palm oil to 100 per cent Australian-grown high oleic canola oil, to cook their legendary 'finger licking' golden fried chicken and chips.
All of ALDI's exclusively branded products containing palm (kernel) oil adhere to strict standards of responsible production as set by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). The aim of sustainable palm oil is to protect animals, the environment and the people who live and work in palm-oil producing countries.
Yes, olive oil is a plant-based ingredient with zero animal products and is therefore completely fine for vegans to eat.
Cardiologists advise avoiding coconut oil because it's extremely high in saturated fat (around 90%), which significantly raises LDL ("bad") cholesterol, increasing the risk of heart disease, despite claims of potential HDL ("good") cholesterol benefits. While some fats in coconut oil might act differently, the overall effect is negative for heart health, making healthier unsaturated fats from oils like olive, canola, or avocado much better choices for cholesterol and cardiovascular health, say experts from institutions like the Mayo Clinic, Harvard Health, and the Australian Heart Foundation.
They do not contain high fructose corn syrup, are free of saturated fats and cholesterol, plus they are vegan. Coconut water is Mother Nature's elixir and one of the most versatile tropical drinks out there, amazing by itself and as a base for mixed drinks.