Red palm oil

[alaskachick]

I'm having trouble finding palm oil locally. GNC sells "Red Palm Oil". It is $12.00 for 15 fl oz. description says "nutrient dense culinary oil". Re only ingredient is "organic red palm oil". Has anyone used this? Could it be substituted for palm oil in recipes (if you don't mind a red/pink soap)?


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[Robert]

Hard to believe there's not a cheaper alternative, but if you're a hobbyist making only small amounts, it'll probably do. Whatever the extra nutrients are, they're probably present in only mg amounts.

 

[TVivian]

I bought mine at whole Foods market. It was about $5 for 12oz I think. It can be used in place of Palm oil, but don't go over 15% in your recipe because it will cause yellow lather. I made a red palm soap last week, it turned out great (there is a picture in the photo gallery). It will not make your soap red, but rather a bright yellow (think cheddar cheese) when used at 15%.. It will be a paler yellow the less you use and some on this forum have told me that the color will fade over time. Btw, my soap does lather a slight yellow.


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[roseb]

Look in the baking section of Whole Foods. Its brand name is Spectrum and it's an all veggie shortening. It's sustainable as well since its grown in Columbia on farms.

 

[Ann Miller]

Dadant's Beekeeper's supply sells palm oil in Gallons. Check them out on the internet. Ship from location closest to you. Ann Miller

 

[judymoody]

Shay and Company or Brambleberry might be closest to you (Oregon and Washington) with respect to shipping. Also check to see if Wholesale Supplies Plus's "free shipping" applies to Alaska. That could be an option.

 

[nframe]

I have used red palm oil, but at 60%! My only excuse is that I did not know any better. I should have checked on the Forum first. The soap was bright orange (more like Red Leicester cheese) but the main thing was the smell - I didn't like it at all so I grated the soap and added it to another batch of soap. Also, to cover the smell, I added aniseed EO but I put far too much and the aniseed smell was so overpowering that I banished the soap to the attic to cure. I just tried it this morning and the aniseed smell is still there, but not overpowering any longer. So be careful and good luck!

 

[kellistarr]

I've made a ton of soap with Red Palm Oil. I purchased mine several years ago, when Red Palm oil was cheap. I've experienced it all, the yellow lather, the scent that I didn't like, the fading of color. With much experimentation, I finally got it right and have made some lovely bars and lots of liquid soap, that takes on a beautiful amber like color. If you don't use too much, you can scent it just fine. It acts like regular palm oil would in a soap bar. I learned not to do too much coloring with Red Palm, it's orangy color will just distort whatever color you use. I left it as its natural color. For me, it takes about a year for the color to fade.

 

[judymoody]

I have used red palm oil, but at 60%! My only excuse is that I did not know any better. I should have checked on the Forum first. The soap was bright orange (more like Red Leicester cheese) but the main thing was the smell - I didn't like it at all so I grated the soap and added it to another batch of soap. Also, to cover the smell, I added aniseed EO but I put far too much and the aniseed smell was so overpowering that I banished the soap to the attic to cure. I just tried it this morning and the aniseed smell is still there, but not overpowering any longer. So be careful and good luck!

My very first batch of soap was very much like this! Bright orange like cheddar cheese and I also didn't care for the smell which broke through the lemongrass EO I used. I still have some of those bars!

 

[sistrum]

FYI, judging by my test subjects in the barn, mice seem to prefer red palm over white.

 

[PinkCupcake]

FYI, judging by my test subjects in the barn, mice seem to prefer red palm over white.

:-D:-D:-D Love that you have on-site testers!!