The oil palm yields palm oil, a versatile edible vegetable oil used widely in food, cosmetics and household products such as cooking oil, margarine and baked goods.
Choosing the right palm oil can feel overwhelming. You may be weighing sustainability, ingredient lists, nutrition labels and price. To help, this guide evaluates top palm oil brands across key criteria—ingredients, consumer feedback, nutrition, brand reputation and value—so you can pick the best option for cooking, skincare or soap making.
Read on for the top picks and what makes each one stand out.
How to choose the best palm oil
- Ingredients: Look for products with a short, clear ingredient list. The best palm oils contain 100% palm oil with no artificial additives or unnecessary preservatives.
- Consumer feedback: Reviews and testimonials reveal real-world performance—flavor, texture, shelf life and how well a product works in recipes or skincare formulations.
- Nutrition: Check nutrition facts for trans fat and cholesterol. Most high-quality palm oils have zero trans fat. Compare calories and fat breakdown if nutrition is a priority.
- Track record: Brands with consistent quality, transparent sourcing and good customer service are safer bets. A positive history often reflects reliable manufacturing and quality control.
- Price and value: Balance cost with quality. Buying the cheapest option isn’t always economical in the long run; choose a product that offers good taste, purity and performance for the price.
Below are 12 recommended brands ranked by those criteria, with notes on what each one is best for.
Top 12 palm oil brands
| Overall Rank | Brand | Best for |
| 1 | Omnl Red Palm Oil | Overall |
| 2 | Traverse Bay Bath and Body Palm Oil | Soap making |
| 3 | Okonatur 100% Sustainable Organic Palm Oil | Sustainable |
| 4 | Essential Depot Store Palm Oil | Buying in bulk |
| 5 | Praise Red Palm Oil | Salted |
| 6 | Nutiva Organic Fair Trade Certified Red Palm Oil | Organic |
| 7 | Chanty Manteca De Corojo Palm Oil | Body oil |
| 8 | Medpark Farms Africa Red Palm Oil | Budget-friendly |
| 9 | Legacy Foods Palm Kernel Oil | Black palm kernel oil |
| 10 | Velona USDA Certified Organic Red Palm Oil | Cooking and cosmetics |
| 11 | Botanical Beauty Organic Palm Oil | Versatile (cooking, candy, skincare) |
| 12 | Soapeauy Organic RBD Cold Pressed Palm Oil | Soap making |
#1 Best Overall: Omnl Red Palm Oil
Omnl is selected as the best overall pick for its natural flavor profile and lack of artificial additives. It performs well in cooking and traditional recipes where authentic red palm oil flavor is desired.
Ingredients: 100% Pure Unrefined Red Palm Oil
#2 Best for Soap Making: Traverse Bay Bath and Body Palm Oil
Traverse Bay Bath and Body is formulated for soap makers, producing good lather and bar hardness when used with coconut or other oils. It’s designed for external use and soap formulation rather than table use.
Ingredients: Organic palm oil
#3 Best Sustainable: Okonatur 100% Sustainable Organic Palm Oil
Okonatur is a strong choice for eco-conscious buyers. Labeled as 100% sustainable and organic, it aims to minimize environmental impact while delivering the familiar flavor and color of red palm oil.
Ingredients: 100% Organic Palm Oil
#4 Best for Buying Bulk: Essential Depot Store Palm Oil
Essential Depot Store is ideal for bulk purchases. It provides a cost-effective option for cooks, small businesses and soap makers who need larger quantities without sacrificing standard quality.
Ingredients: 100% Palm Oil
#5 Best Salted: Praise Red Palm Oil
Praise Red Palm Oil is blended with salt for a savory edge, making it a convenient choice for cooks who prefer a lightly seasoned oil for certain regional dishes.
Ingredients: Red palm oil, salt
#6 Best Organic: Nutiva Organic Fair Trade Certified Red Palm Oil
Nutiva is notable for its organic and Fair Trade certifications. It’s a good pick if you want a certified organic red palm oil and prefer brands with social and environmental commitments.
Ingredients: Unrefined red palm oil
#7 Best Body Oil: Chanty Manteca De Corojo Palm Oil
Chanty Manteca De Corojo is labeled for topical use and works well as a natural moisturizer. It’s suited to body care routines where a traditional, plant-based oil is preferred.
Ingredients: Palm Oil
#8 Best Budget-Friendly Option: Medpark Farms Africa Red Palm Oil
Medpark Farms Africa provides a wallet-friendly red palm oil that maintains decent quality for everyday cooking and traditional recipes.
Ingredients: 100% Unrefined Red Palm Oil
#9 Best Black Palm Kernel Oil: Legacy Foods Palm Kernel Oil
Legacy Foods offers black palm kernel oil, a specialty product with a distinct flavor profile. It’s a good option for cooks seeking unique ingredients and traditional preparations that call for kernel oil.
Ingredients: Tree ripe palm fruit
#10 Best for Cooking and Cosmetics: Velona USDA Certified Organic Red Palm Oil
Velona is USDA certified organic and marketed as suitable for both culinary and cosmetic uses. This versatility makes it convenient for households that use one product for multiple purposes.
Ingredients: Red palm oil
#11 Botanical Beauty Organic Palm Oil
Botanical Beauty is a refined, raw cold-pressed palm oil suitable for cooking, candy making and skincare. Cold-pressed processing can preserve natural color and aroma desirable in certain culinary and cosmetic applications.
Ingredients: Elaeis guineensis (organic)
#12 Soapeauy Organic RBD Cold Pressed Palm Oil
Soapeauy caters to soap makers with an organic RBD cold-pressed palm oil intended for quality soap production. Its processing aims to balance performance in soaps with organic sourcing.
Ingredients: 100% palm oil
Comparing palm oil brands: nutrition facts
Below is a summary of nutrition facts where available. Most edible red palm oils are similar in calories and saturated fat content. Many labels report zero trans fats and no cholesterol. Note that brands marketed for skincare or soap making may not include nutrition information, since they are intended for external use.
| Per 1 Tbsp | Calories | Total fat (g) | Saturated fat (g) | Trans fat (g) | Polyunsaturated fat (g) | Monounsaturated fat (g) | Cholesterol (mg) |
| Omnl | ? | ? | ? | 0 | ? | ? | 0 |
| Traverse Bay Bath and Body | For external use only | ||||||
| Okonatur | 120 | 14 | 7 | 0 | ? | ? | 0 |
| Essential Depot | 110 | 12 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Praise | 120 | 14 | 7 | 0 | ? | ? | 0 |
| Nutiva | 130 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 1.5 | 6 | 0 |
| Chanty | For external use only | ||||||
| Medpark Farms | 126 | 14 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 0 |
| Legacy Foods | ? | 14 | 7 | 0 | ? | ? | 0 |
| Velona | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? |
| Botanical Beauty | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? |
| Soapeauy | For external use only |
Note: “?” indicates information not provided on the product label or unclear data. Always check the current product label for the most up-to-date nutrition and ingredient information before purchase or use.