Clearing Up the Vitamin E Controversy - What is the Best Vitamin E to Take?

Vitamin E is arguably the most important antioxidant utilized by the body. It protects the body from harmful free-radical damage, and plays an important role in protecting cell membranes because it helps neutralize free radical molecules before they enter the cells.

Vitamin E assists in protecting the lungs, liver, eyes, and arteries. It is a key factor in the normal function of the immune system. Studies have also suggested that it helps lowers cholesterol. This vitamin is commonly the most misunderstood due to its characteristics and different forms. 

Many ask:

What is the best vitamin E to take?

The answer is actually a combination of several different forms of Vitamin E.

Many people view Vita. E as a single entity. However, it is actually a family of eight different compounds, whose sub-categories are named Tocopherols and Tocotrienols. Each of these two sub-categories of Vit. E is further broken down into alpha, beta, gamma, and delta forms.

The most heavily studied form of Vit. E is d-alpha tocopherol. While d-alpha tocopherol is considered the most biologically active form of Vita. E inside the body, newer studies are concluding that gamma-tocopherol has powerful antioxidant capabilities as well. Gamma-tocopherol is thought to be a perfect complement to the d-alpha form.

Studies are also suggesting that in certain systems, the other forms of Vitamin E, Tocotrienols, may be even more powerful antioxidants than the heavily studied tocopherol forms. Tocotrienols may also help reduce cholesterol levels and may have beneficial effects on cardiovascular health.

Now that we understand what exactly Vit. E is, we must now consider what types of Vit. E to look for when choosing a product. Consider Vitamin E product that has all eight forms of the vitamin in it, as each from has its own unique and beneficial properties. The thing to understand is that all eight forms work together synergistically to provide a greater overall effect than any single form by itself.

When choosing a Vitamin E product, make sure that it comes from natural sources - NEVER CHOOSE A PRODUCT THAT CONTAINS SYNTHETIC VITAMIN E IN THE FORM OF VITAMIN E ACETATE! Studies have shown that this form is actually not good for your health (if you can recall, in the last year, there was a large study broad casted all over the media which stated that "Vitamin E" may be bad for your health. What the media failed to tell consumers was that synthetic Vit. E Acetate is bad for you, not all forms of Vita. E, as this was the form used in the study.)

Finally, make sure that the majority form of Vit. E contained in the product is d-alpha tocopherol (unesterified vitamin E). The Tocotrienols should come from palm oil, as palm oil has the optimal alpha-beta-delta-gamma form ratio compared to other Tocotrienols sources.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1754452

Malaysia's Palm BioDiesel Development Chronology

RTP Bio-Oil As a Renewable Power Source

Renewable energy is a form of energy which comes from natural resources such as wind, rain, tides and geothermal heat, where the source of energy can be reproduced. It also can come from agricultural waste or feedstock which later can be converted into value-added products. A distinct example of renewable energy is bio-oil, a product that derived from oil palm biomass through a chemical process.

Bio-oil produced from RTP™ can economically replace the current transportation fuel, as it can be used to fuel a turbine and specific diesel engines to produce power. It also can replace natural gas, and/or coal in boilers, in either co-fired or sole fuel configuration. As a renewable energy product, it is economical without subsidy at today's fossil fuel prices. It can be referred as an economical RTP bio-oil, which can replace the current fuel based on similar characteristics to fuel machines.

To date, oil palm biomass has been major source in producing biofuel. Lots of research has been conducted in order to convert the biomass into biofuel, notably biodiesel. Not only the oil from the oil palm is used but fronds, empty fruit bunches and palm kernel shells harvested from oil palm plantations were proposed into conversion to renewable energy. By using both the biomass from the plantation as well as the processing residues from palm oil production (fibers, kernel shells, and palm oil mill effluent), bio-energy from palm plantations can have an effect on reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

By using palm biomass to generate renewable energy, fuels and biodegradable products, the balance of energy and greenhouse emissions is improved. Oil palm plantations incinerate biomass to generate power for palm oil mills. In efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, scientists treat palm oil mill effluent to extract biogas which later can be used as energy source for various products.

After purification process, biogas can substitute for natural gas for use at factories. One example on biogas production is anaerobic treatment of palm oil mill effluent results in the production biomass degrading bacteria that produce methane, a form of biogas. It plays an important role in methane production which leads to the production of biogas as renewable fuel.

Conversion of waste into wealth has been garnering attention since it is economical and helps to solve environmental problems. Agricultural waste for example oil palm biomass has been used to create another source of energy, that is safer, cost-effective and efficient in terms of the performance. It also can reduce the cost of production since it is a continuous process.

Premium Renewable Energy (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., also known as PRE Malaysia focuses on the production of bio-oil from oil palm biomass as a source of green renewable energy.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5420299

Rapid Thermal Processing to Convert Oil Palm Biomass Into a Premium Renewable Energy Source

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Rapid Thermal Processing or "RTP™" is a process which adds value to biomass. In this particular case, it can be used to convert oil palm biomass into bio-oil, which can then be served to other purposes such as a renewable source of energy. Large-scale experiments have shown that the quality and yield of the resulting bio-oil is so viable, it can be considered as a premium renewable energy. Among the intended uses being renewable transport fuels. This method of producing a renewable source of energy is based on the introduction of heat to efficiently convert oil palm biomass to produce high value products. The result is a premium renewable energy source which can be used for various purposes including power generators, green diesel and can even replace jet fuel.

The conversion of oil-palm biomass through RTP™ technology in producing a renewable energy source of fuel such as bio-oil is currently under research and development. Such pyrolysis technology exists, and has operated on a long-term commercial basis which converts the solid biomass to liquid in less than two seconds. The result is simply renewable energy from oil palm biomass. Basically, it is a fast thermal process where the biomass is introduced into a vessel and rapidly heated to 500 deg C by a tornado of hot sand and then rapidly cooled within seconds. It generates a relatively high yield (up to 75% per weight of biomass) of pourable, liquid "bio-oil" from residual forestry or agricultural product, in this case oil palm biomass. Pyrolysis technology exploits the thermo-chemical process of decomposing organic material at elevated temperatures in the absence of oxygen. It typically occurs under pressure and operates at high temperatures (above 430 deg C).

This process is the basis of several methods that are being developed for producing premium renewable energy from oil palm biomass. The process is self-sustaining as it is economical, where the byproducts produced from this process are used to generate much of the heat and power required to operate the unit. It produces very little byproducts: notably char which is consumed internally to generate the required heat for the rapid thermal process; and gas, which can be used for drying the incoming biomass or for heating integration into the overall facility. From here it is clear that rapid thermal processing in converting oil palm biomass into a premium renewable energy source provides an answer to the energy debate. The resulting clean renewable energy can be used to replace fossil fuels without the expense of changing the infrastructure of fuel engine technology, like the issue with bio-diesel. Faiz Suberi is currently a consultant for Premium Renewable Energy (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. Also known as PRE Malaysia, they focus on the production of bio-oil from oil palm biomass as a source of green renewable energy.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5118670

Palm Kernel Oil - A Good Household Remedy for Children's Ailments

From the recent trend of medicinal research, which has to do with plants and their extract, and the results obtained and published so far, one can say that nature (God of creation) has bestowed on man all he has need of. Palm kernel oil for instance, is used in African (Nigeria) medicine to treat a number of ailments that affect infants- such as convulsion. Every little plant we see around us is likely to contain one or more substance (components) that is a likely cure one or more ailments. Although research has shown some of them to be poisonous. For instance, there is a claim by the Yoruba's in Nigeria- West Africa, that the roots of maize can be used as a poison.

Palm Kernel oil (PKO), which is obtained from Oil palm tree is the second oil that can be extracted from the tree. While palm oil is extracted from the mesocarp- the fleshly cover of the oil palm seed, PKO is extracted from the endocarp- the nut itself after breaking. Of all the about 200 edible oils, PKO and Coconut oil (CNO) are the only two that contains lauric acid, hence they are called lauric oil. Both palm oil and palm kernel oil are obtained from the same tree known as- Elaeis guineensis. The two trees producing PKO, CNO and Palm oil are also similar in that they are both called palms, even though they of different species. Traditionally, the production of PKO involves the following: the nuts obtained after palm oil production is cracked to obtain the kernels, the kernels are then heated in a clean pot until the oils are extracted from the kernels, and the oil is then poured out (decanted) from the pot into clean bottles for use or sale. In some part of Nigeria 750ml of the oil cost N200 Nigerian currencies, which is about 1.5 U.S dollars. The oil obtained is dark min color.

PKO can be used to treat ailments like cold, catarrh, cough, convulsion, skin infection and stomach upset among others disorders that affect children (as well as adults).

• For catarrh, cold and convulsion, particularly in children; simply rub the oil all over the child's body consistently- say thrice a day for about 7 days and be sure the ailment will be gone in about 10 days. In the course of doing this evidence abound that the skin of such child will be prevented from being infected by some skin pathogens.

• For cough and stomach upset/ disorder, taking a 5ml twice daily orally will suppress the cough and stomach disorder. In addition to this is the fact that it serves has a purgative, this may not be unconnected with the oily nature of the extract although the phytochemical constituents may also be responsible for this effect.

• Lastly, though like a superstitious believe is the claim of its use in some parts of Akwa-Ibom in Nigeria, as a repeller of witches. The claim is that when burned the aroma of the oil drives away witches.

In conclusion, the traditionally extracted Palm Kernel Oil is of great medicinal value not only for children but also for adults, and it's healing potential for the ailments mentioned earlier is an indication of its antimicrobial properties for the microbes causing some of those ailments.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6286908

Fuel Properties of Normal & Low Pour Point Palm BioDiesel