Red palm oil for LCHF?

[vit90]

I have just bought a tub of unrefined red palm oil and used it for a veg stir fry at lunch, flavoured with curry powder and it was very nice indeed (1tbsp red palm oil + veg = less than 300 calories and very little carbs). I read that it has a carrot-like taste but didn't notice this, even before I added the curry spice.

Am going to experiment some more but if anyone has some good suggestions I'd be keen to learn.

One thing - don't make my mistake; I bought the KTC brand as it was cheap in my local Asian store (£1.89 for 500ml) but I have subsequently learned that it's sourced from Far East Asian countries where there are big concerns over sustainability and deforestation of, among other things, orang utan habitat. I wouldn't have bought it if I had known this. The packaging is a bit iffy as well (no security seal and no nutritional information on the label). The same store sells African red palm oil which is only slightly dearer and I will try that next time as there are no big concerns about environmental sustainability with red palm oil in this part of the world (the palm in question is indigenous there too).

 

[JTL]

I'd never heard of it before yesrerday when I was presented with a bottle of Carotino oil.
25% red palm 75% rape seed.
It was a present off an old lady my wife takes shopping.
Last week it was a bottle of Crabbies alcoholic ginger beer.
Not tried the oil yet but it boasts omega 3 and 6 on the label.
Isn't 6 a bit questionableIsn't rapeseed a bit questionable?

 

[vit90]

I looked at Carotino and it's a great piece of marketing but I don't know if it is cold pressed rapeseed oil. Anyway Aldi sells cold pressed rapeseed oil for the same price (£2 for 500ml) so am content with that. Rapeseed oil does contain Omega 6 and it is an essential nutrient but we typically consume far too much according to expert advice. The Omega 3 to 6 ratio in rapeseed oil is about ideal according to the experts. Most concern about rapeseed oil is directed at the highly refined form that you often find in inexpensive vegetable oils.

 

[vit90]

Been experimenting some more with red palm oil and I think it works well but not as a primary flavour. Cooking with it does change the taste to a more palatable semi-savoury veggie flavour but I did taste some of the un-cooked oil and it was a strong, slightly peppery, concentrated carrot and celery flavour. I've used it a couple of times with stir-fried veg, the first time with a little cold-pressed rapeseed oil and the second with butter and both times the result was nice enough. It won't be for everyone but I am already imagining what this oil can complement. The African red palm oil is sold in bottles rather than tubs and so seems to be just about liquid at room temperature while the KTC stuff which is from the Far East is solid at room temperature - a bit like the consistency of butter.Once I have used up the KTC tub I will try the African version.

 

[vit90]

Cooked a kind of vegetable stew (onions, mushrooms, a little sliced carrots, leeks, curly kale, baby sweetcorn, sliced peppers, red cabbage and a can of chopped tomatoes flavoured with salt, pepper and ground coriander) using red palm oil and coconut oil to sauté the onion and mushrooms and this was served with some Basa (farmed catfish white fish fillets from Vietnam - an Aldi frozen cheapie) and a few medium sized prawns. I liked it - my wife didn't!

 

[RuthW]

Palm oil gives me horrendous diarrhea. I love the taste but three days later I get a cracking headache and then the runs for several days. If you have any kind of IBS or tendency to it, I suggest caution.