With growing confusion around which cooking oils are truly healthy, the ongoing podcast series aims to help Indian households make informed, science-based choices. An episode that features nutritionist SakshiLalwani, who clarifies everyday concerns about cooking oil selection, label reading and safe cooking practices. The episodes blend relatable food conversations with evidence-led insights on fats, nutrition and the important role palm oil plays in Indian kitchens.
In the first Episode, Sakshi explains the basics of palm oil, a plant-based oil extracted from the fruit of the oil palm tree. She breaks down how palm olein is naturally trans-fat free, stable at high temperatures, and contains Vitamin E tocotrienols and, the red palm oil contains beta-carotene, a source of provitamin A. She highlights palm oil’s balanced fatty acid mix (around 50% saturated, 40% monounsaturated and 10% polyunsaturated fats) and emphasizes that smart cooking habits, not the elimination of any one oil, are key to healthier meals.
In the next Episode, she unfolds the increasing appearance of “No Palm Oil” labels and explains how these tags are largely marketing-led, designed to create a perception of being healthier without reflecting true nutritional value. She advises listeners to look beyond front labels, check the ingredients list, and understand what oils are used as a replacement when palm oil is removed.
The series highlights that palm oil, when used as part of a balanced diet, contains beneficial compounds such as tocotrienols and carotenoids (in red palm oil), which are powerful antioxidants. Food science shows that palm oil is stable at high temperatures, resistant to oxidation, neutral in flavour, has a long shelf life, less chances of forming harmful compounds as compared to other vegetable oils, and is naturally trans-fat free and does not need to go through the process of partial hydrogenation. It also absorbs less oil into food, leading to crisp and evenly fried dishes.
Sakshi reinforces the ICMR–NIN Dietary Guidelines (2024), which recommend keeping visible fats to 25–30 g per person per day and rotating different plant-based oils to maintain a balanced fatty acid profile. Within this approach, palm oil is positioned as one of several suitable options for everyday Indian cooking.