JAKARTA – Most of people may think that palm oil has only given economic and environmental benefits to humans. But actually, it also has benefits for human health.

The native plant of Africa can indeed prevent cancer disease in human body. “Many people don’t know that the palm oil is originally red, indicating it is rich in nutrients and vitamins,” the Indonesian Palm Oil Society (MAKSI) Chairman Darmono Taniwiryono told participants of a palm oil talkshow.

Darmono said in Indonesia the palm oil is mostly processed into cooking oil through the process of bleaching. But in Africa, it is used and consumed in its original red and original viscosity that keeps its richness in nutrients and vitamins.

“The original red palm oil is superfood that contains tocotrienols vitamin E which has health property to prevent cancer. Besides, it also has other health property as antioxidant,” said Darmono.

The oil palm plantation fund management board’s (BPDPKS) Fund Planning and Management Director Kabul Wijayanto said that palm oil has also proven its many economic benefits to Indonesian economy. “Our palm oil industry plays a very important role in our national economy. It directly employs more than 16 million workers, and indirectly employs around 22 million workers,” he said.

According to him, as the palm oil sector has played a very important role to the national economy as the biggest contributor to the state income, it is very important for the young generation—from Z generation to the millenial generation and to X generation, to continue the development of palm oil industry, especially to secure Indonesian food resilience in the future.

“The young generation should realize the important role of palm oil in our national development. It is the mainstay of our national economy,” he said during the GenSawit Talkshow on ‘The Role of Palm Oil for Indonesia’, which was organized by BPDPKS in Kota Surakarta, Central Java, on Saturday (09/03/2024). (*)

Source: sawitkita.id