Peanut oil is a type of vegetable oil that is extracted from the seed of the peanut plant, Arachis Hypogaea. It is used in cooking as well as in skincare, hair care, and medicine production. In the United States, it is considered a major food allergen and it is mandatory for packaged food to clearly label that it consists of peanut oil.
Peanut oil is considered the perfect oil for deep-frying because it can quickly reach a high temperature. Food fried in peanut oil has a crunchy exterior and moist inside. Also, peanut oil doesn’t absorb the flavor of food that is fried in it. This is a very unique quality that allows different items that have been fried together to maintain their own taste.
Types of Peanut Oil
There are two varieties of peanut oil and both of them have unique qualities and health benefits.
Refined Peanut Oil- As the name suggests, refined peanut oil is oil that has been refined, bleached, and deodorized. The refinement process removes the allergic protein component from the peanut oil and this makes it non-allergenic. Refined oil is also perfect for frying and cooking because of its great taste, high cooking temperature, and ability to not absorb the taste of the food cooking in it.
Gourmet Peanut Oil- Gourmet peanut oil is considered a specialty oil and is not refined. Gourmet peanut oil has a lovely aromatic peanut aroma and flavor. It is also rich in Vitamin E and phytosterols, which is an antioxidant that regulates metabolic processes.
Nutritional information
Peanut oil is rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. It is a great source of Omega-6 fatty acids and antioxidants such as Vitamin E, tocopherols, phytosterols, and triacylglyceride.
Health Benefits of Peanut Oil
Diabetes- High quantities of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats help control blood sugar levels in people with diabetes.
Cholesterol- In a study conducted in 2020, controlled consumption of peanut oil was able to increase levels of HDL or good cholesterol. High-density lipoprotein or HDL cholesterol is the cholesterol that helps remove bad or LDL cholesterol from the bloodstream.
Cardiovascular health- Since peanut oil increases HDL cholesterol which removes LDL cholesterol from a person’s bloodstream, therefore, it also reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
Weight loss- Peanut oil boosts our metabolic functioning which helps contribute towards weight loss.
Rich in Vitamin E- Peanut oil is rich in Vitamin E, which acts as an antioxidant that improves our immune system and boosts metabolic functioning.
Peanut oil also has several benefits for the skin. For instance, it is rich in Vitamin E which has anti-aging properties that help minimize wrinkles, patchy skin, pigmentation, fine lines, and dark spots. It also helps combat acne-related inflammation.
Properties of peanut oil that make it suitable for frying
High smoking point- Peanut oil is preferred for frying because of its high smoke point. A high frying temperature ensures that the food cooks quickly doesn’t absorb a lot of oil, and develops a crispy exterior.
No Aroma- Refined peanut oil, which is used for frying food, has no odor. Therefore, its lack of odor doesn’t compete with the flavor of the food.
Flavour Transfer- Not only does peanut oil not pass its aroma to the food that is being fried in it, but it also doesn’t retain the flavor of the things cooking in it.
Harmful oxidation products- Peanut oil is considered a stable vegetable oil because of its relatively high saturated fatty acid content. This allows peanut oil to have extremely high heat exposure and still not form harmful oxidation products.
Peanut oil is considered one of the best vegetable oils out there because of its numerous health and cooking benefits. Because of its high smoking point and lack of aroma and taste, peanut oil is considered the best cooking oil. And on the other hand, nutritionists and health experts call it a healthy oil because it is rich in Vitamin E and polyunsaturated and monounsaturated oils.
