Palm oil is an edible oil derived from the reddish pulp of the fruit of oil palm trees. It is widely used in commercial food products, especially baked foods, and for frying because of its low cost, ability to withstand high temperatures and as a purported healthier alternative to hydrogenated oils and animal fats. It is also used in numerous other products including soap and cosmetics and as a biofuel, and accounts for about a third of the oil produced from oil crops worldwide.
However, palm oil has been attracting increasing concern in many countries due to the massive destruction of tropical rainforests, particularly in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Nigeria, that it has been causing and to the harsh conditions for the palm oil plantation workers. Although some organizations have claimed to provide or use 'sustainable' and 'ethical' palm oil, such claims have been criticized as greenwashing. There are also indications that consuming palm oil in food may be unhealthy and contribute to cardiovascular diseases, although more research needs to be done.