Peanut oil is a popular type of cooking oil that is often used in frying, baking, and other types of food preparation. It has a peanut flavor and odor, along with its neutral taste and aroma that makes it an all-purpose cooking oil.
Is cooking with peanut oil bad for you? It is safe for cooking, but it’s important to remember that peanut allergies are a medical condition that can result in life-threatening anaphylactic reactions.
The peanut oils used in foods and cosmetics aren’t recommended for peanut-allergic individuals because they may cause allergic reactions or even deaths in some cases.
In this blog post, we will basically know about the health benefits and risks of consuming peanut oil.
Cooking With Peanut Oil Good or Bad?
To understand and come to a decision about if peanut oil is bad for you, some things need to be considered and taken into account. These are given below:
Nutrition Facts of Peanut Oil
According to the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, peanut oil has significantly more polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats per 100 grams than any other edible vegetable oil.
A large share of peanut oil is made up of mostly monounsaturated fats (up to 50%). Peanut oils also contain omega-6 fatty acids, which studies have shown to be good for the heart if they are balanced out with enough omega-3 fatty acids.
This high concentration of healthy fats makes peanut oil an ideal addition to your diet if you’re looking for ways to lose weight or replace saturated fats with healthier alternatives.
One tablespoon of peanut oil contains about seven percent of the recommended daily value for vitamin E, which is eight percent of the daily value for omega-6 fatty acids.
The recommended amount of omega-63 fatty acids is between three and nine percent of the daily value, so peanut oil gets a pretty good rating in that department.
Like peanut butter, peanut oil is high in resveratrol antioxidants and beta-sitosterol which support heart health.
It also contains plant sterols that block the absorption of cholesterol in the gastrointestinal system. Peanut oil is an excellent source of phytosterols that help to reduce blood cholesterol levels.
Peanut oil also contains folic acid, propionic acid, saccharic acid, palmitic acid and stearic acid.
However, peanut oils are highly refined products that go through very high heat treatments which can strip them of important nutrients and fatty acids. This process also makes peanut oils prone to oxidization by free radicals.
LEARN MORE: Refined Vs Unrefined Peanut Oil
Peanut Oil Health Benefits
The peanut plant is an expensive crop that has been found to have many health benefits. It contains unsaturated fats along with proteins and carbohydrates, but peanut oil can also be processed in order to make it fluid for cooking purposes. Some health benefits are:
- Research has shown peanut oil may help prevent cardiovascular disease due to the presence of monounsaturated fats which are associated with health improvements in cholesterol levels and heart health.
- Peanut oil is also said to help control diabetes by reducing the risk of insulin resistance which can lead to type 2 diabetes.
- It is also known peanut oil has anti-cancer properties, peanut oil includes several antioxidants that are thought to have cancer preventative effects.
- The peanut plant including peanut seed, peanut leaf, and peanut root is commonly used in traditional medicine to help with stomach problems, peanut oil is also thought to promote the growth of healthy bacteria within the gut.
- It is thought peanut oil can also increase metabolism and weight loss by increasing your body’s ability to burn off excess fat.
- It is also thought peanut oil can help with pain relief, peanut oil contains the amino acid arginine which helps regulate catecholamine levels, allowing the body to maintain an analgesic effect.
- Peanut oil can help balance your hormones and peanut oil also contains serine which research has shown to help stabilize the activity of enzymes.
- It is thought peanut oil can support brain health by reducing oxidative stress, peanut oil contains resveratrol that may reduce brain inflammation and peanut oil also promotes neural health.
- Peanut oil is actually thought to be good for your skin as it contains plenty of antioxidants that can help to protect your skin from free radicals and peanut oil also helps with collagen production which means peanut oil can help prevent fine lines and wrinkles from forming.
- Research has found peanut oil may benefit your skin health by reducing the risk of skin cancer, peanut makes up over half of peanut oil’s fatty acids and research has shown peanut oil contains lauric acid which is known to have anti-bacterial effects.
- Peanut oil is also thought peanut oil provides relief from menstrual cramps, peanut oil benefits by providing essential fatty acids which are linked to reducing inflammation.
- It is thought peanut oil can help with hair loss by providing the nutrients required to aid the growth of hair cells in the hair follicles. But peanut oil can also help to stop hair loss, peanut oil is known to reduce the risk of losing your hair due to its antioxidant properties.
LEARN MORE: Can You Mix Peanut Oil and Vegetable Oil?
Peanut Oil Health Risks
Despite all the health benefits, peanut oil safety has been questioned due to peanut allergy concerns. There are many potential health risks associated with peanut oil consumption such as:
- Although peanut oil can benefit health, peanut oil’s high-calorie content means it should be used in moderation. Peanut oil’s high-calorie content is one of the peanut oil health risks. It has a caloric value of 119 Kcals per tablespoon and peanut oil can increase calorie intake.
- Peanut oil health risks also include peanut allergy concerns, because peanut is one of the most common food allergies. About 2% of children and 1% of adults have peanut allergies, which can lead to peanut shock or even death if not treated immediately. It can cause an allergic reaction if it comes in contact with skin or mucous membranes.
- Another peanut health risk is digestive problems, such as heartburn and stomach pain, because peanut oil’s high-fat content may cause indigestion that could lead to other issues.
LEARN MORE: Roasted Peanut Oil Vs Peanut Oil
Conclusion
Even though peanut oil represents a better choice than many other types of cooking oils, switching to peanut oil may be of little benefit if peanut allergy concerns are an issue.
It is important to be aware of peanut oil health risks in order to avoid peanut oil dangers. Consumption of peanut oil should be kept in moderation. If you don’t have allergies, peanut oil is a flavorful alternative.
