Palm Oil is one of the most popular ingredients in the world, it's found in more than half of consumer packaged goods in the US from popular nut butters to cookies. This is due to the fact that the ingredient is shelf stable and cheap to produce.
But the ingredient is extremely controversial. A recent post comparing Hella to a popular nut butter created by @Shape brought up the subject of palm oil and the reasons why it isn't the most ethically sourced ingredient in the market.
Below, we’ve listed some of the reasons why Palm Oil does NOT pass our BUBBLE Approval Process:
1. The commercial production of palm oil has contributed to the burning and deforestation of rainforests in tropical countries like Indonesia where forests are being cleared at a rate of about one football field per 25 seconds.
2. According to a 2017 article by the NYT, the demand for palm oil has contributed to the decline in the population of orangutans by 80% in Borneo, an island in Southeast Asia and one of the main suppliers of palm oil.
3. Fires ignited to make way for more Palm Oil plantations, produces harmful CO2 that contributes to climate change and affects the health of the producer country’s indigenous people.
4. Lastly, although palm oil is a great source of antioxidants, it also contains a high amount of saturated fats that can potentially lead to heart diseases.
As consumers, you have the chance to vote with your dollar and show the food industry that sustainability is not an optional choice.
Learn more about BUBBLE and our mission to make important changes to shake up the food industry!
