• cursed fruits the palm oil problem
  • cursed fruits the palm oil problem
  • cursed fruits the palm oil problem
  • cursed fruits the palm oil problem
  • Why is palm oil controversial?
  • Palm oil has become controversial because of its impact on rainforests. As oil palm trees grow best around the equator, palm oil deforestation has seen large areas of tropical rainforest cleared to make room for plantations. The largest losses occur in southeast Asia, especially on Borneo where it has become the leading cause of deforestation.
  • Why is oil palm a problem?
  • The problem is that oil palm, a non-native plant originally from West Africa, prefers dry land. As plantations expanded across Riau, North Sumatra and Central Kalimantan from the 1990s, canals were built to drain the land, putting peatlands at risk.
  • Is palm oil destroying tropical forests?
  • Jes Aznar for The New York Times Palm oil — the ubiquitous ingredient for all things spreadable, from toothpaste to ice cream — is now the commodity consumed by Americans that contributes most to the loss of tropical forests.
  • Why is phasing out palm oil so hard?
  • Phasing out palm oil has been hard for many brands because palm oil provides unique characteristics that are challenging to reproduce with other vegetable oils. In general, palm oil comes in two forms: Palm Oil (extracted from the flesh of the oil palm fruit) and Palm Kernel Oil (extracted from the seed of the oil palm fruit).
  • Is palm oil bad for the environment?
  • This is an issue that has serious impacts for people — and the environment. Palm oil is the most consumed oil in the world. And if you eat packaged foods today, you’re very likely consuming refined palm oil — whether you know it or not. In fact, about 50% of the packaged foods in your typical supermarket contain palm oil.
  • Can palm oil be swapped for something else?
  • Just swapping palm oil for something else will not solve the problem and will most likely result in more deforestation and biodiversity loss, bringing us to the palm oil problem. The oil palm is perennial and evergreen – trees last for about 25 years, and the fruit can be harvested once every ten days – enabling year-round palm oil production.