#palmoilfree — Public Fediverse posts

Knowledge is power 📚🦉 #Research shows when #consumers 🛍️🛒are given clear information about #palmoil 🌴🪔 they will choose #palmoilfree products. Learn more about how you can #Boycottpalmoil 🌴🩸💀🙊🚫#Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetectives https://palmoildetectives.com/2022/06/06/want-to-avoid-palm-oil-you-need-a-palm-oil-free-label/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=Palm+Oil+Detectives&utm_campaign=publer

Knowledge is power 📚🦉 #Research shows when #consumers 🛍️🛒are given clear information about #palmoil 🌴🪔 they will choose #palmoilfree products. Learn more about how you can #Boycottpalmoil 🌴🩸💀🙊🚫#Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetectives https://palmoildetectives.com/2022/06/06/want-to-avoid-palm-oil-you-need-a-palm-oil-free-label/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=Palm+Oil+Detectives&utm_campaign=publer

Knowledge is power 📚🦉 #Research shows when #consumers 🛍️🛒are given clear information about #palmoil 🌴🪔 they will choose #palmoilfree products. Learn more about how you can #Boycottpalmoil 🌴🩸💀🙊🚫#Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetectives https://palmoildetectives.com/2022/06/06/want-to-avoid-palm-oil-you-need-a-palm-oil-free-label/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=Palm+Oil+Detectives&utm_campaign=publer

Knowledge is power 📚🦉 #Research shows when #consumers 🛍️🛒are given clear information about #palmoil 🌴🪔 they will choose #palmoilfree products. Learn more about how you can #Boycottpalmoil 🌴🩸💀🙊🚫#Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetectives https://palmoildetectives.com/2022/06/06/want-to-avoid-palm-oil-you-need-a-palm-oil-free-label/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=Palm+Oil+Detectives&utm_campaign=publer

Wash your hands knowing you're not using #palmoil 🧐🫧 ALL PALM OIL is linked to #ecocide and #deforestation. "Sustainable" palm oil is a big fat greasy #greenwashing lie. Go #PalmOilFree and #BoycottPalmOil 🌴🩸☠️💩💰🚜🔥🚫#Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetectives https://palmoildetectives.com/2021/02/11/palm-oil-free-soap/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=Palm+Oil+Detectives&utm_campaign=publer

Saola Pseudoryx nghetinhensis

Saola Pseudoryx nghetinhensis

IUCN Red List Status: Critically Endangered (CR)

Location: Vietnam and Laos

The Saola is an extremely rare #antelope species is restricted to the Annamite Mountains along the border of Laos and Vietnam. In Vietnam, they occur in Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Thua-Thien Hue and Quang Nam provinces. In Laos, they have been recorded in Xieng Khouang, Bolikhamxay, Khammouan, Savannakhet and Xekong provinces, generally within remote wet evergreen forests.

The elusive #Saola is one of the rarest and most mysterious animals on Earth. Described as Southeast Asia’s ‘unicorn’, this Critically Endangered #antelope is facing imminent #extinction due to indiscriminate snaring, illegal hunting, and #deforestation. No Saolas survive in captivity, and their numbers in the wild are estimated at fewer than 100. They are collateral victims of the region’s rampant #bushmeat and illegal wildlife trade, with their decline accelerated by roads, logging and expanding human access. Use your wallet as a weapon. To help the world’s rarest antelope and make sure you avoid all wildlife products, be #Vegan and choose #palmoilfree items. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife

https://youtu.be/Y6mnFEbNmsM

Known as the ‘Asian #Unicorn’ the #Saola is like a wild #cow or #antelope 🐮🩷 They face unparalleled threats including #deforestation. Only around 100 now remain alive 😭 Be #Vegan for them 🥦 #Boycottpalmoil 🌴🩸☠️🔥🧐⛔️ #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-beE

Shy, elusive and gentle #Saolas 🐮🐄 have beautiful facial markings. Known as Asian #Unicorns they’re the rarest hoofed #mammal alive. Just a handful remain. Fight for them when you shop, be #vegan and #Boycottpalmoil 🌴🚫 #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-beE

Appearance & Behaviour

The Saola is a curious looking #ungulate often described as being antelope-like in appearance, yet they are more closely related to wild cattle. They have a sleek, chocolate-brown coat, with striking white markings on the face and long, gently curved horns that can grow up to 50 centimetres for both sexes. These parallel horns have earned them the nickname the ‘Asian Unicorn.’

Highly secretive and shy, Saolas are rarely seen even by local indigenous people, and much of what we know comes from a handful of camera-trap images and village interviews. Saolas are solitary ungulates or found in small groups and may use scent glands to mark their territories. Saolas appear to favour lower altitudes during the dry season and may migrate with seasonal changes in water and vegetation.

Threats

Widespread snaring and indiscriminate hunting

The primary threat to Saola survival is indiscriminate snaring across their forest habitat. These wire snares are set to catch a variety of animals like wild pigs, civets and muntjacs, but Saolas are frequently caught as bycatch. Because Saolas are not specifically targeted, their deaths often go unnoticed or unreported. The sheer density of snares—sometimes thousands per square kilometre—means that even extremely rare species like the Saola are at constant risk of entrapment.

Bushmeat and traditional medicine trade

Despite not being valued specifically for their meat or body parts, Saolas are still victims of Southeast Asia’s booming wildlife trade. They are often killed and consumed locally or caught up in snares set for animals more widely traded or consumed for bushmeat and medicinal purposes. The expansion of disposable income and demand for wild meat and medicinal wildlife products in Vietnam and China is driving this crisis. Villagers report a sharp drop in sightings, indicating Saolas are being wiped out as collateral damage in this unregulated trade.

Road construction and increased human access

The rapid expansion of roads such as the Ho Chi Minh Road and the East-West Economic Corridor has fragmented Saola habitat and created unprecedented access for poachers. These roads allow motorbikes and trucks to transport wildlife quickly to urban markets, making illegal hunting more efficient. The increased accessibility also brings in thousands of forest product collectors who opportunistically snare wildlife. Road development directly and indirectly fuels the extinction of Saolas by opening up remote refuges once safe from exploitation.

Deforestation for monocultures like palm oil

Although hunting is the most immediate threat, habitat loss is an intensifying danger due to shifting agriculture, logging, mining and hydropower development. The Annamite forests are being carved up into ever smaller fragments, making it harder for Saola populations to remain connected. Forest blocks under 100 km² are likely uninhabitable for Saolas, who depend on large tracts of wet evergreen forest with low human disturbance. As development pressures mount, remaining habitat is also degraded by noise, pollution and human presence.

Ineffective protected area management

While Saolas occur in several designated protected areas, most of these offer little real protection from hunting. Enforcement is weak or absent, and many parks are under pressure from the same road construction and development projects that threaten unprotected forests. In some cases, protected areas themselves have become conduits for illegal activities like poaching and logging. Without strong enforcement and dedicated anti-snare patrols, protected status does little to ensure Saola survival.

Population isolation and low genetic diversity

Saola populations are now so small and fragmented that individuals may be isolated from one another for breeding. The species’ naturally low densities and secretive behaviour are further compounded by habitat fragmentation and snaring. This isolation increases the risk of inbreeding and local extinctions. If individuals can no longer find mates or suitable territory, the population could collapse without ever being noticed.

Climate and ecological constraints

Saolas are highly specialised to wet evergreen forests, which are rare and shrinking. Their apparent absence from degraded or secondary forests suggests they may be intolerant of even moderate ecological change. Unlike more adaptable species such as pigs or muntjacs, Saolas do not seem able to survive in altered landscapes. As climate patterns shift and dry seasons become more severe, even their last refuges may become inhospitable.

Rising wealth fuelling wildlife demand

Contrary to assumptions that poverty drives biodiversity loss, it is rising wealth and urban demand that most endanger Saolas. Affluent consumers in Vietnam and China are fuelling the demand for exotic meats and traditional medicine, spurring illegal hunting. The status-driven consumption of wildlife products—rather than subsistence need—is a primary force behind the escalating poaching crisis. Until demand is curbed at the source, rare species like the Saola will continue to vanish.

Geographic Range

The Saola is found exclusively in the Annamite Mountains along the border of Laos and Vietnam. In Vietnam, they are recorded from Nghe An to Quang Nam provinces. In Laos, they occur in Xieng Khouang, Bolikhamxay, Khammouan, Savannakhet and Xekong provinces.

Their historical range has shrunk drastically, and they are now believed to be confined to fewer than 10 forest blocks, with an estimated area of occupancy likely under 1,000 km². They are absent from small forest fragments and likely restricted to remote, difficult-to-access areas with lower hunting pressure.

Diet

The Saola is a #herbivore and a browser, feeding mainly on tender leaves, shoots, and possibly fruit. Their diet likely consists of foliage from forest understorey plants, but detailed studies are lacking due to the species’ extreme rarity and secretive nature.

Mating and Reproduction

Very little is known about Saola reproduction. Local reports suggest they give birth to a single calf, and births may occur in the summer. Their generation time is thought to be longer than that of sympatric species like muntjacs or pigs, with lower reproductive output. No captive births have ever occurred.

FAQs

How many Saolas are left in the wild?

Estimates suggest there are fewer than 100 individuals remaining in the wild, with a likely number of under 250 mature individuals (IUCN SSC, 2020). No confirmed sightings have occurred since 2013, and the vast majority of reports come from indirect sources such as camera traps or local accounts.

Do Saolas make good pets?

Absolutely not. Saolas are wild, elusive, and cannot survive in captivity. Every individual removed from the wild brings them closer to extinction. Keeping or capturing Saolas is illegal and a direct threat to their survival.

Why are Saolas so rare?

Saolas are not specifically targeted, but they are frequent victims of indiscriminate snaring, which is widespread in their range. The pressure from hunting is compounded by habitat fragmentation, road construction, and increased human encroachment, leaving them with few undisturbed refuges.

What is being done to protect Saolas?

Efforts include the Saola Working Group’s use of camera traps, dung analysis and local knowledge to pinpoint remaining populations. Conservationists are advocating for snare-removal programmes and more effective protected area management, but without a captive breeding programme or large-scale investment, Saolas remain perilously close to extinction (Wilkinson & Duc, 2016).

What type of forest do Saolas live in?

They are found in wet evergreen forests with minimal dry season, primarily on the Vietnamese slopes of the Annamite Mountains. These habitats are cooler, cloud-covered and have high year-round rainfall, creating a niche Saolas are uniquely adapted to. Unfortunately, such habitats are increasingly fragmented and degraded.

Take Action!

Saolas are being driven to extinction by snares and the relentless pursuit of wild meat and medicine. Every product you buy that contributes to forest loss—like those made with palm oil—accelerates their disappearance. Support local communities leading conservation efforts in Vietnam and Laos. Reject all exotic animal products. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife #Vegan #BoycottMeat

Protect Saolas by going vegan and boycotting palm oil in the supermarket, it’s the #Boycott4Wildlife

Support the conservation of this species

This animal has no protections in place. Read about other forgotten species here. Create art to support this forgotten animal or raise awareness about them by sharing this post and using the #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife hashtags on social media. Also you can boycott palm oil in the supermarket.

Further Information

Wilkinson, N. M., & Van Duc, L. (2016). Rank aggregation of local expert knowledge for conservation planning of the critically endangered saola. Conservation Biology, 30(6), 1098–1107. https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.12853

IUCN SSC Asian Wild Cattle Specialist Group. (2020). Pseudoryx nghetinhensis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T18597A22195870. Retrieved from https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/18597/22195870

Wikipedia. (n.d.). Saola. Retrieved 6 April 2025, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saola

How can I help the #Boycott4Wildlife?

Take Action in Five Ways

1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.

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2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.

Wildlife Artist Juanchi Pérez

Mel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings

Anthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao

Health Physician Dr Evan Allen

The World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert

How do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy

3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.

https://twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status/1526136783557529600?s=20

https://twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status/1749010345555788144?s=20

https://twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1678027567977078784?s=20

4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.

5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here

Learn about other animals endangered by palm oil and other agriculture

Gursky’s Spectral Tarsier Tarsius spectrumgurskyae

Sunda Flying Lemur Galeopterus variegatus

Western Parotia Parotia sefilata

Capped Langur Trachypithecus pileatus

Mountain Tapir Tapirus pinchaque

Tucuxi Sotalia fluviatilis

Learn about “sustainable” palm oil greenwashing

Read more about RSPO greenwashing

A 2019 World Health Organisation (WHO) report into the palm oil industry and RSPO finds extensive greenwashing of palm oil deforestation and the murder of endangered animals (i.e. biodiversity loss)

Terrifying Tale of Halloween: Palm Oil Ecocide in Your Treats!

This #Halloween, as you revel in terrifying tales and creepy costumes, remember that the most terrifying tale of all isn’t enjoyable folklore—it’s the horrifying truth about palm oil. This ingredient causes #deforestation, #ecocide, #humanrights abuses and #indigenous land-grabbing. The production of #palmoil casts a dark shadow over our planet, as it can only be grown on destroyed tropical rainforests. So-called “sustainable” palm oil used by the world’s biggest food brands like Nestle, Mondelez, Hersheys, Ferrero and Mars is a complete greenwashing lie. So don’t buy any of it! All palm oil threatens the very existence of wildlife, polluting our air and water, accelerates climate change, and tramples on the rights of indigenous communities worldwide. This Halloween, take action and use your wallet as a weapon. 🌍🌳🦍 #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife

https://youtu.be/Hccw9zCh9pw

What is #Halloween’s most terrifying tale? #Palmoil #greenwashing 🧐💰🤑👿 #ecocide contained in your favourite #chocolate ☠️🌴🪔☠️ and #candy! Take action for #wildlife when you #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2023/10/18/halloweens-most-terrifying-tale-palm-oil-greenwashing-and-ecocide-in-your-treats/

DYK so-called “sustainable” #palmoil is a #greenwashing lie that still causes #deforestation?🤯 Learn how to #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife this #Halloween 🎃👻🪦 Instead enjoy #palmoilfree and #vegan treats and #candy @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2023/10/18/halloweens-most-terrifying-tale-palm-oil-greenwashing-and-ecocide-in-your-treats/

Palm oil is commonly used in Halloween candies and treats for one reason only – it is cheap to manufacture.

The production of palm oil has severe environmental and social impacts. Deforestation and ecocide caused by palm oil production threatens wildlife habitats, contributes to air pollution and water pollution, is strongly linked to climate change, and infringes on the rights of indigenous peoples all over the tropical world.

A 2019 World Health Organisation (WHO) report into the palm oil industry and RSPO finds extensive greenwashing of palm oil deforestation and the murder of endangered animals (i.e. biodiversity loss)

Although proponents of palm oil claim that it helps farmers to earn a living wage, a 2021 report by Chain Reaction Research found that the world’s biggest brands earn the lion’s share of profit from palm oil, 66% or more of gross profit flows back to the world’s biggest FMCG companies such as Nestle, Unilever, Hersheys and Colgate-Palmolive. In contrast, almost 0% of profit flows back to farmers themselves.

The Problems with Palm Oil

Palm Oil Detectives is a website that gathers together evidence from dozens of different sources in order to clearly show the elaborate and widespread greenwashing of so-called “sustainable” palm oil. Take a look at the 10 forms of “sustainable” palm oil greenwashing to see how this works, using a network of zoos and fake NGOs in order to push the narrative of “sustainable” palm oil to consumers.

Research: Certifying Palm Oil as “Sustainable” Is No Panacea

University of Michigan research reveals that RSPO certification is associated with deforestation and human rights abuses in Guatemala. Boycott palm oil! The…

Certification Schemes Fail to Stop Palm Oil Deforestation

71 rights groups warn that certification schemes like RSPO and FSC fail to stop deforestation and abuses. Learn why they are called…

RSPO member SIAT leaves Nigerian farmers without food. Leases their illegally taken land for €1.23 Euros per hectare, per year

A 5-month investigation by Elfredah Kevin-Alerechi and Kevin Woke of Sahara Reporters reveals how RSPO member SIAT Nigeria Limited is involved in…

Greenwashing Tactic 9: Partnerships, Sponsorships and Research Funding

Greenwashing Tactic 9. Corporations use NGOs, Zoo partnerships, sponsorships, and research funding to give an industry or brand a ‘green image.

This website also provides evidence in the form of many research papers and reports from many non-profits (those organisations not partnered with the palm oil supply chain). These reports expose the immense corruption, ecocide and greenwashing in the palm oil industry along with its human rights abuses, violence, land-grabbing and animal cruelty – all associated with RSPO members supposedly using “sustainable” palm oil.

Greenwashing: Manufacturing consumer demand for palm oil

Since its inception two decades ago, the global certification for palm oil the RSPO continues to promote “sustainable” palm oil. Yet not one of its supply chain members has actually eradicated deforestation or human rights abuses from their palm oil supply chains. This constant promotion of the palm oil industry in spite of evidence of its ongoing failures is clear evidence of the RSPO’s greenwashing.

The global demand for palm oil contributes significantly to deforestation, particularly in countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, Brazil, Colombia, Nigeria and Uganda. These regions are rich in biodiversity, and the loss of their rainforests impacts numerous species non-human beings of all shapes and sizes. This includes not only the poster child for palm oil ecocide – the three orangutan species, but also rare and endangered plants and animal species.

From the smallest insect to the most magnificent elephant, to exquisite and vibrantly coloured birds – all are under threat by palm oil’s relentless growth across all tropical regions of the world. Indigenous peoples with their unique cultures, customs and languages are also endangered by palm oil expansion as well.

The #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife movement starts with you

If this terrifying tale of palm oil has alarmed you, the good news is – there are actions you can take.

One powerful and effective way to help rare animals, plants and indigenous peoples is to use your wallet as a weapon and boycott palm oil. By learning how to identify palm oil in products and choosing products that are palm oil free, you can contribute to reducing demand for this destructive commodity.

A great place to start is by searching for palm oil-free alternatives on this website and also by promoting the #Boycottpalmoil and #Boycott4Wildlife on movement on social media.

Remember, every purchase you make has an impact. This Halloween, support the wildlife you love and use your wallet as a weapon.

Download your free Halloween infographic here

Learn how to boycott palm oil this Halloween in America, the UK and Australia

The reality of these chocolate and confectionery brands is the spookiest story you will ever hear this Halloween Learn how to boycott with handy lists for the US, Uk and Australia. Discover the spookiest story of #Halloween 🎃👻💀: “sustainable” #palmoil is not sustainable! Major brands continue to buy #palmoil infused with #ecocide. Make sure you…

Ultra-processed Foods: Trashing Health and The Planet

Our world is facing a huge challenge: we need to create enough high-quality, diverse and nutritious food to feed a growing population – and do so within the boundaries of our planet. This means significantly reducing the environmental impact of the global food system. Below is information about how you can identify ultra processed foods containing palm oil and other harmful ingredients in order to avoid them – for your own health and the health of the planet.

#Palmoil and #meat are ultra-processed unhealthy foods that are harmful to health and harmful to the planet. Here’s how to avoid them. Be #vegan for the animals, #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife

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Ultra processed foods containing #palmoil #meat and #dairy are harmful to health and linked to chronic disease and mortality. Here’s how to avoid them for environmental and #health reasons #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife

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There are more than 7,000 edible plant species which could be consumed for food. But today, 90% of global energy intake comes from 15 crop species, with more than half of the world’s population relying on just three cereal crops: rice, wheat and maize.

The rise of ultra-processed foods is likely playing a major role in this ongoing change, as our latest research notes. Thus, reducing our consumption and production of these foods offers a unique opportunity to improve both our health and the environmental sustainability of the food system.

Food agriculture is a major driver of environmental damage and ecocide

Agriculture is a major driver of environmental change. It is responsible for one-third of all greenhouse gas emissions and about 70% of freshwater use. It also uses 38% of global land and is the largest driver of biodiversity loss.

While research has highlighted how western diets containing excessive calories and livestock products tend to have large environmental impacts, there are also environmental concerns linked to ultra-processed foods.

The impacts of these foods on human health are well described, but the effects on the environment have been given less consideration. This is surprising, considering ultra-processed foods are a dominant component of the food supply in high-income countries (and sales are rapidly rising through low and middle-income countries too).

Our latest research, led by colleagues in Brazil, proposes that increasingly globalised diets high in ultra-processed foods come at the expense of the cultivation, manufacture and consumption of “traditional” foods.

How to spot ultra-processed foods

Ultra-processed foods are a group of foods defined as “formulations of ingredients, mostly of exclusive industrial use, that result from a series of industrial processes”.

They typically contain cosmetic additives and little or no whole foods. You can think of them as foods you would struggle to create in your own kitchen. Examples include confectionery, soft drinks, chips, pre-prepared meals and restaurant fast-food products.

In contrast with this are “traditional” foods – such as fruits, vegetables, wholegrains, preserved legumes, dairy and meat products – which are minimally processed, or made using traditional processing methods.

While traditional processing, methods such as fermentation, canning and bottling are key to ensuring food safety and global food security. Ultra-processed foods, however, are processed beyond what is necessary for food safety.

Australians have particularly high rates of ultra-processed food consumption. These foods account for 39% of total energy intake among Australian adults. This is more than Belgium, Brazil, Columbia, Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico and Spain – but less than the United States, where they account for 57.9% of adults’ dietary energy.

According to an analysis of the 2011-12 Australian Health Survey (the most recent national data available on this), the ultra-processed foods that contributed the most dietary energy for Australians aged two and above included ready-made meals, fast food, pastries, buns and cakes, breakfast cereals, fruit drinks, iced tea and confectionery.

What are the environmental impacts?

Ultra-processed foods also rely on a small number of crop species, which places burden on the environments in which these ingredients are grown.

Maize, wheat, soy and oil seed crops (such as palm oil) are good examples. These crops are chosen by food manufacturers because they are cheap to produce and high yielding, meaning they can be produced in large volumes.

Also, animal-derived ingredients in ultra-processed foods are sourced from animals which rely on these same crops as feed.

The rise of convenient and cheap ultra-processed foods has replaced a wide variety of minimally-processed wholefoods including fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, meat and dairy. This has reduced both the quality of our diet and food supply diversity.

In Australia, the most frequently used ingredients in the 2019 packaged food and drink supply were sugar (40.7%), wheat flour (15.6%), vegetable oil (12.8%) and milk (11.0%).

Some ingredients used in ultra-processed foods such as cocoa, sugar and some vegetable oils are also strongly associated with biodiversity loss.

What can be done?

The environmental impact of ultra-processed foods is avoidable. Not only are these foods harmful, they are also unnecessary for human nutrition. Diets high in ultra-processed foods are linked with poor health outcomes, including heart disease, type-2 diabetes, irritable bowel syndrome, cancer and depression, among others.

To counter this, food production resources across the world could be re-routed into producing healthier, less processed foods. For example, globally, significant quantities of cereals such as wheat, maize and rice are milled into refined flours to produce refined breads, cakes, donuts and other bakery products.

These could be rerouted into producing more nutritious foods such as wholemeal bread or pasta. This would contribute to improving global food security and also provide more buffer against natural disasters and conflicts in major breadbasket areas.

Other environmental resources could be saved by avoiding the use of certain ingredients altogether.

Demand for palm oil (a common ingredient in ultra-processed foods, and associated with deforestation in Southeast Asia) could be significantly reduced through consumers shifting their preferences towards healthier foods.

Reducing your consumption of ultra-processed foods is one way by which you can reduce your environmental footprint, while also improving your health.

Kim Anastasiou, Research Dietitian (CSIRO), PhD Candidate (Deakin University), Deakin University; Mark Lawrence, Professor of Public Health Nutrition, Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, Deakin University; Michalis Hadjikakou, Lecturer in Environmental Sustainability, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, Engineering & Built Environment, Deakin University, and Phillip Baker, Research Fellow, Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, Deakin University, Deakin University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

ENDS

Take Action in Five Ways

1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.

• Twitter
• Facebook
• Instagram
• WordPress
• YouTube
• Mail
• Mastodon

Sign Up

2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.

Wildlife Artist Juanchi Pérez

Read more

Mel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings

Read more

Anthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao

Read more

Health Physician Dr Evan Allen

Read more

The World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert

Read more

How do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy

Read more

3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.

https://twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status/1526136783557529600?s=20

https://twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status/1749010345555788144?s=20

https://twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1678027567977078784?s=20

4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.

5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here

#BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #brandBoycotts #consumerBoycott #consumerRights #dairy #deforestation #diet #health #meat #News #PalmOil #palmOilDeforestation #palmOilFree #palmoil #plantBasedDiet #vegan #veganism