In my understanding (I m not an expert), it doesn’t contain cholesterol, but is high in saturated fatty acids which have the effect of raising the amount of cholesterol in the bloodstream. Unsaturated fats have the effect of lowering the amount of cholesterol in one s blood. The World Health Organisation says that there is convincing evidence that Palm Oil increases levels of heart disease. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palm_oil#Blood_cholesterol_controversy There seems to be a certain amount of disinformation out there. On this site, http://www.scienceinafrica.co.za/2005/september/redpalmoil.htm the article implies by its title ‘Can Red Palm Oil Protect the Heart?’, and stylistically within it, that the oil is good for your heart generally. However, what it actually says it that it can be good for a heart in protecting it from further damage during reperfusion immediately after a heart attack. Presumably, not having the heart attack in the first place would actually be the best way to protect your heart. There seem to be plenty of other reasons for avoiding a world-wide increase in consumption of this oil as its production is causing deforestation. http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/forests/palm-oil Edit: Razzz R and Augusta I, who asked this question, would appear to be one and the same person.