Palm oil in Lay's chips may be replaced. Will they now become healthy?

Your favourite Lay’s might soon get a little healthier. PepsiCo India reportedly kickstarted trials last year to replace palm oil with sunflower oil in its Lay’s chips.

This comes amid a backlash over the usage of cheaper, unhealthy ingredients in packaged food items in India.

Let’s take a closer look.

Lay’s to switch palm oil

As per an Economic Times (ET) report, PepsiCo India is testing a combination of sunflower oil and palmolein to replace the blend of palm oil and palmolein used in its Lay’s potato chips.

“There are often different recipes for foods or drinks in different countries, which is attributed to several factors such as local preferences, manufacturing capabilities, ingredient availability and market dynamics. Ingredients are listed on every product we sell in India, allowing consumers to make conscious decisions about their purchases,” a PepsiCo India spokesperson said in a statement, as per India Today.

The spokesperson said that they started “trials of a blend of sunflower oil and palmolein oil in certain parts of our portfolio last year, becoming one of the few players in the food industry in India to do so”.

Palmolein is the liquid fraction obtained through the refining process of palm oil.

In the United States, PepsiCo uses “heart healthy” oils like sunflower, corn and canola oil in Lay’s snacks.

Pepsico uses ‘heart healthy’ oils like sunflower, corn and canola oil in Lay’s. AFP File Photo

“Our chips are cooked in oils that may be considered heart healthy. Sunflower, corn and canola oils contain good mono- and polyunsaturated fats, which can help lower LDL bad cholesterol and maintain HDL good cholesterol as part of a calorie controlled diet,” PepsiCo says on its US website.

In India, the American multinational company is also planning to slash salt content in its snacks to less than 1.3 mg of sodium per calorie by 2025, reported ET.

Apart from chips, palm oil is used in salty snacks, biscuits, chocolates, noodles, bread and ice cream in India.

Criticism of palm oil

Packaged food companies have come under scanner after nutritionists and social media influencers have flagged that these firms use cheaper or less healthy ingredients in their products in developing countries, compared to their items in the US and Europe.

Influencer Revant Himantsingka, who runs an Instagram page called foodpharmer, wrote on X last month about “foreign companies using cheaper ingredients in India”.

Reacting to the report about the change in palm oil for Lay’s, he said, “Last month, I made a video showcasing how Lay’s India uses palm oil but Lay’s USA does not use Palm oil!”

Himantsingka added, “After a lot of public pressure, Lays India has set a public statement that they have begun the process to replace palm oil in their Lays!”

“After Lays stops palm oil, it will also put pressure on all other brands like Bingo, Haldiram to potentially replace palm oil! This is a major victory for the health of all Indians!”

The influencer shot to fame last April when he pointed out that every 100 g of Bournvita contains 50 g of sugar. He said the brand claims its drink has several health benefits but contains high sugar levels.

After the social media uproar, Cadbury reduced the amount of added sugar by 14.4 per cent.

Palm oil vs sunflower oil

Sunflower oil is considered a healthier alternative to palm oil.

Sunflower oil is high in polyunsaturated fat. It has some monounsaturated fat and a lower concentration of saturated fat, making it a “heart-healthy” option.

As per Live Science, “Sunflower oil is an excellent all-purpose oil because it can withstand high cooking temperatures, so it can be used for roasting, frying and deep-frying.”

The oil is high in vitamin E. However, it contains more omega-6, which if not balanced with omega-3s, could lead to an excess inflammation in the body, Time magazine reported.

Palm oil has a higher concentration of saturated fats. It is inexpensive as palm trees can be produced at a low cost. Palm oil is produced in Southeast Asia and Africa, where labour costs are cheaper as compared to other parts of the world.

The oil, which is semi-solid at room temperature, is rich in vitamin E and antioxidants.

Workers gather oil palm fruits at a factory in Sepang outside Kuala Lumpur, on 29 April 2009. Reuters File Photo

According to Harvard Medical School, palm oil, palm kernel oil and coconut oil have saturated fats that enhance “bad” LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, both of which increase the risk of heart disease.

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What cooking oils are healthy?

Nutrition experts suggest that vegetable oils that are naturally liquid at room temperature such as olive oil and canola oil are healthier options, as per Harvard Medical School.

Olive oil, particularly the extra virgin kind, is one of the healthy oils for cooking food.

Avocado oil is rich in monounsaturated fat and oleic acid and low in polyunsaturated fats. It can be used to cook at higher heat, making it a good option for sautéing, grilling, roasting or putting in salad dressings, noted Live Science.

Canola oil is derived from rapeseed plants. It has a relatively high amount of monounsaturated fats and also contains polyunsaturated fats. Canola oil has a high smoke point and the least amount of saturated fats among cooking oils.

Other healthy cooking oils are sesame oil, peanut oil, grapeseed oil and coconut oil.

With input from agencies