Palm oil has a balanced composition of fatty acids, in which the level of saturated fatty acids is almost equal to the level of unsaturated fatty acids. Palmitic acid (44% -45%) and oleic acid (39% -40%) are the main constituents, together with linoleic acid (10% -11%) and only trace amounts of linolenic acid. The low level of linoleic acid and the virtual absence of linolenic acid make the oil relatively resistant to oxidative breakdown.