Please, please watch this short video from You Tube. It’s just one minute and 31 seconds long. Please, please, please watch it.
I don’t know about you, but this video made me cry and I vowed that I’d share it on the blog here.
If you don’t know anything about Palm Oil, maybe I can help just a tiny bit and give you a little information:
Palm Oil is harmful is to animals if eaten, obviously causing a problem to marine life, and a vet here in the UK even had to save the lives of 5 dogs (<— LINK will open in another window for you) after they ingested some on the beach.
Palm oil is a type of vegetable oil derived from palm fruit grown on oil palm trees, and it’s one of the most unsustainable industries in the world.
Causing mass deforestation around the world (specifically Africa, Asia, and America, but mostly Indonesia and Malaysia), palm oil growth is destructive to the environment and the habitats of many now-endangered species, as well as the homes of native communities. Because of huge demand; it’s in everything.
More than 50% (yes, you read that right – more than FIFTY PER-CENT) of the items on sale in your grocery stores, contain Palm Oil.
Most of the time, it’s a completely unnecessary ingredient, but it’s so hard to find alternatives to products that don’t contain it. But at least if we’re all made aware, we can try our hardest to avoid it…
10 things you’re probably buying which contain Palm Oil and you didn’t realise it …
1. BREAD
Most loaves of bread you buy at the supermarket will contain palm oil, so next time you go for your weekly shop, check the ingredients carefully, or even better – buy bread from the counter or a local baker and actually ask them for the list of ingredients they use!
2. CRISPS – (‘Chips’ for our American readers)
It makes sense that making crisps requires some kind of oil, but sadly most of them use palm oil. The packet will likely say ‘vegetable oil’ though, so be aware (this is another commonly used name for Palm Oil). The best thing is to look for crisps that expressly use an oil like olive, sunflower or coconut, or find savoury crunchy snacks that don’t contain any oil at all!
3. MARGARINE
Margarine is a commonly used substitute for butter and dairy spreads, but even though you’re doing a good thing by avoiding the dairy industry, most of these products contain palm/vegetable oil. Try substituting margarine in recipes with coconut oil, or olive oil.
4. VEGAN CHEESE
Same as above, many of the dairy substitutes sadly seem to contain palm oil in some form. Keep an eye out on the ingredients and shop sustainably; many vegan cheeses come in plastic packaging and contain loads of random additives! (One of the reasons I don’t eat Vegan cheese!)
5. SOAP
Many supermarket soaps seem to contain palm oil for some reason, buy from local artisans, or brands that use only natural ingredients who don’t test on animals.
6. ICE CREAM
I have no idea why there needs to be palm oil in ice cream… odd that! Not all brands do, so always check the label.
7. PIZZA BASES
Many supermarket oven pizzas or ready-made pizza bases contain palm/vegetable oil in the base. But again, check the label because not all will.
8. INSTANT NOODLES
A staple for all budgeters and quick-lunch-addicts alike, vegan or otherwise. They’re probably not great for our health anyway. Oh and yes, this includes Supernoodles, Pot Noodles and Tesco Instant Noodles (for readers in the UK).
9. SHAMPOO
As with the soap (mentioned above), try to support ethical/environmental brands when buying personal care/beauty products. Places like Lush and the Body Shop are good places to start.
10. CHOCOLATE
Palm oil in chocolate is a more rare occurrence, but still something to check on the ingredients labels. It can be easy to avoid, so why buy it by accident?
It’s almost impossible to never buy anything with palm oil in it, but if we all are made aware of the issues and try our very best to cut down on palm oil purchases and avoid it where we can, then maybe we can each make a small difference. All those small differences will add up to a BIG difference.
BE A PART OF THE DIFFERENCE!
LINKS: (all will open up in another window for you)
Palm Oil is Everywhere. Here’s what to do about it.
My BIG thanks to Anna at ‘The Cornish Life’ for help in putting this post together in a short way, as I’m totally unable to ‘do’ short because words just keep tumbling out of my head and my fingers are compelled to share those words! tsk tsk.
Have a truly blessed rest of your day, my wonderful friend. Thank you so much for coming, reading, and BIG THANKS particularly for watching the short video at the head of this post. Be a part of the difference. Alone we can achieve a small thing. Together, we can change the world!
Sending you much love, from me in my corner, to you in yours.
The Art of Cobwebs 