Is Red Palm Oil the Same as Palm Oil?

[Carl]

I noticed many recipes call for Palm oil.

I can't seem to find this locally anywhere. But there are a few places that have red palm oil (such as Wegmans and Whole Foods).

Is this the same thing? I noticed that the soalcalc program does not have an entry for Red Palm, but does for Palm.

Thanks ahead of time!

 

[shunt2011]

No red palm will make bright yellow soap. Whole Foods generally carries Spectrum shortening. It’s actually palm oil. If you have a Kroger near you they too carry it. Some restaurant supply companies may as well. If not opposed to lard it makes awesome soap.

 

[Carl]

Thanks!!
That is awesome info. A quick web search shows that even WalMart. carries that. Maybe I can get some locally now.

Are there any other brand names of the same stuff?

 

[TeresaGG]

No... not the same thing.

No red palm will make bright yellow soap. Whole Foods generally carries Spectrum shortening. It’s actually palm oil. If you have a Kroger near you they too carry it. Some restaurant supply companies may as well. If not opposed to lard it makes awesome soap.

And yes.
Red palm oil can be used in soap. Typically it is used in small portions for the color it lends the soap. I don't know if it has the same SAP value as palm. If it does have the same SAP then it should be safe to use regular palm oil in the calculator when using red palm oil.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

Is this the same thing? I noticed that the soalcalc program does not have an entry for Red Palm, but does for Palm.

Yup! You can sub one for the other. I've used palm, red palm, and Spectrum 100% palm oil (vegan) shortening (found in the baking aisle) in the same recipe and they soap the same. I like to use red palm when I'm going for a rich golden orange color. I buy it at an African grocery store and it has a bit of a smokey odor and black (carbon) residue at the bottom of the jug that requires a watchful eye while pouring.

 

[earlene]

I've made soap with red palm oil and I didn't like it. Too much red palm causes orange bubbles and lather pretty much throughout the life of the soap. It also has a distinct odor that I don't smell in any of the white palm oils and this odor persists even in the soap I made 2 years ago (I still have a couple of bars). I bought it in a glass jar, so you can see any separation, but in heat it tends to melt and sort of separate out solids from liquid.

 

[Arimara]

I've made soap with red palm oil and I didn't like it. Too much red palm causes orange bubbles and lather pretty much throughout the life of the soap. It also has a distinct odor that I don't smell in any of the white palm oils and this odor persists even in the soap I made 2 years ago (I still have a couple of bars). I bought it in a glass jar, so you can see any separation, but in heat it tends to melt and sort of separate out solids from liquid.

I threw those soaps out. The red palm oil was too much for me to deal with and that smell was just awful.