Palm oil is a reddish-orange oil extracted from the pulp of the fruit of the African palm which originated from the Elaeis guineensis tree of West Guinea. It has been used for more than 5,000 years. Although it is native to western Africa it is extensively cultivated in other tropical countries. The fruits are arranged in large bunches, each of which may carry up to 20 pounds of fruit. The oval shaped fruits are 1 to 2 inches long and an inch or more in diameter. The fruits of the African palm contain between 30 and 70 percent of nondrying oil. The seeds of the fruit, the seed kernels also contain oil.