Many people consider peanut oil a great and healthy choice. Not only does it have a distinctive taste, but it also packs many health benefits such as strengthening the immune system and fighting heart diseases.
Nevertheless, it is crucial to have a moderate intake of peanut oil. Chiefly, peanut oil is very rich in omega 6 fats, that if you have too much of it, it might lead to an imbalance of your omega 3:6 ratio and risking your overall well-being.
It is imperative to know all about peanut oil uses and benefits, but also its risks. Plus, you ought to add peanut oil substitutes to your diet. However, because peanut oil is actually costly, you might want to get more affordable and quite healthy alternatives.
What Are the Various Types of Peanut Oil?
Peanut oil was initially extracted in South America, where it was of widespread use by Incas in Peru. Nowadays, it is primarily produced in India, China, and the USA.
It is extracted from Arachis hypogaea; a low growing plant from the Fabaceae (Leguminosae) family.
One of the particular characteristics of this sort of nuts, is that they grow under the ground, hence the referral as groundnuts.
This good oil has a unique sweet taste and a pleasant scent, which makes not only a great cooking ingredient but also an efficient cosmetic element.
There are various types of peanut oil:
- Roasted Peanut Oil: this type has the darkest color and the heaviest taste, making it an excellent addition to salad dressings, sauces, and marinades. If you’re one to use your Salad Dressing Shaker and Salad Spinner often, you’ve probably used this type before.
- Refined Peanut Oil: this type has a neutral taste and characterized by a very light color. Impurities, allergens and its heavy scent are eliminated to meet particular uses.
- Cold pressed Peanut oil: this is the healthiest type. It also has a rich and pleasing aroma and a deep yellow color.
What Is Peanut Oil Good For?
Peanut oil is ideal to add over your meals and mix with your favorite dressing sauce. Although we advise you to consume it fresh and not for cooking, some people actually prefer it for frying. They are not utterly mistaken. In fact, peanut oil has a high smoke point, which guarantees a crispy with a soft inside frying effect that a lot of people like. Additionally, food fried in peanut oil will keep its original flavor. This is explained by the fact that it doesn’t take in any food flavors. Hence, even if you fry different kinds of food at the same time, you can be sure their flavors will not mix or vanish.
Apart from its cooking benefits, peanut oil is also ideal for aromatherapy and massage. It energizes the body and helps fight acne. So, if you are struggling with pimples, peanut oil can do wonders to your skin. Adding some drops of lime juice to peanut oil to makes up an easy and effective facial mask. With time and consistency, your skin will get remarkably better. Thanks to its richness in Vitamin E, peanut oil highly protects the skin from extreme conditions and hinders premature aging.
It is also great for hair treatment especially if you have dandruff. Here is another quick beauty tip that can tremendously improve your hair quality: mix peanut oil with some lemon juice and a few drops of Tea tree oil in a Juicer, use the mixtureregularly as a hair mask, and in the long run, it will reduce dandruff and regenerate and thicken your hair. Maybe it’s time to get your Teapot and Teapot Warmers.
In case you cannot find peanut oil anywhere, or you are allergic to peanuts, but still want to enjoy all these benefits at an affordable price, we have prepared for you a list of 7 great substitutes of peanut oil. Prepare your Kitchen Oil Sprayers, chef!
Best Peanut Oil Substitutes
Now we’ll show you our picks for the 7 best peanut oil substitutes!
#1 – Grape Seed Oil:
Grape seed oil is very much like peanut oil with a high smoke point and a neutral flavor. Its major problem is the high price. Many expert chefs use it for frying and swear by its cooking wonders, but preparing a meal could cost you a lot of money since you would need a considerable amount of oil. Hence, it is not the best option to fry food in grape seed oil. However, you can still use it for sautéing in your Sauté Pans and searing.
#2 – Sunflower Oil
CAUTION: Allergies related to sunflower are as abundant as peanut allergies, so, it is essential to make sure you don’t have any distresses before using it.
If you don’t have peanut oil in your kitchen, sunflower oil is the best alternative to deep fry your food in your Deep Fryer. It has a high smoke point that is determined around 450 degrees. It is extracted from sunflower seeds and has a neutral taste. It is considered a good alternative for butter too so you can use it for baking as well. Maybe it’s time to renovate your Bakeware Set and Baking Tools.
Sunflower oil is a healthy option; it is high in vitamin E and omega-6 fatty acid and has a low amount of saturated fat. Plus, this type of oil is rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which will help you to reduce and control dangerous cholesterol levels.
#3 – Canola Oil
Even though canola has a lower smoke point than peanut oil, which is estimated at 400 degrees, it is still quite high and relevant to guarantee deeply fried and tasty food. We recommend blending the two types of oils for cooking; it would give impressive results and enhanced flavors!
Both types of oil are rich in monounsaturated fats, which will help you to control your poor cholesterol level in a better way. On the other hand, they will aid you to boost the level of beneficial cholesterol and sustain a healthy balance.
Canola oil is primarily rich in essential omega 3 fatty acids, while peanut oil mainly has high levels of omega 6 fatty acids. Therefore, combining the two ingredients in your diet would be very advantageous.
#4 – Safflower Oil
Safflower plant falls in the same category as the sunflower plan, so the oil extracted from it has similar traits as the sunflower oil. Safflower oil is mainly flavorless; hence, you can use it for searing, sautéing, supplementing your salad and even deep frying.
Its high rate of omega 6 fatty acids makes it a significant element that hinders the risk of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. It also has a high smoke point, which prevents it from solidifying when reserved in low temperatures, like the olive oil.
#5 – Vegetable Oil
Vegetable oils are mostly a combination of other original oils like canola, corn, or palm oil. It is seldom a natural extraction from plants and often contains synthetic additives and some chemicals of doubtful quality.
So, unless your budget is too tight to get a high-end oil, vegetable oil is not the healthiest option you can have. It is still an excellent alternative to peanut oil though.
To determine the healthiest vegetable oil possible, always check the label and be sure that the levels of saturated fats are not exceedingly high. The highest quantity of saturated fat per 100 grams of oil mustn’t exceed 20 grams. Anything above that limit is significantly unhealthy. Therefore, vegetable oils should not be your essential cooking ingredient, and we recommend you to use it only when you lack better options.
#6 – Walnut Oil
Walnut oil is ideal if you want to substitute peanut oil while enjoying a nutty scent and taste.
Unluckily, it is not intended for high-temperature cooking as it becomes bitter tasting, and it is quite expensive. It is rather suitable for salad dressings and sauces and makes an excellent adding to fish!
Walnut oil is an exceptionally healthy ingredient; it is high in antioxidants and essential fatty acids, which help reduce the risk of heart diseases and slow down the aging process.
#7 – Almond Oil
It is true that almond oil is costly, but it provides numerous benefits to your overall health. It is mostly used to make cosmetic products especially for the hair. Yet, thanks to its rich composition in both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, it is a beneficial ingredient that sustains a healthy rate of cholesterol, in addition to the omega-3 fatty acids that prevent heart illnesses.
You can even use it to make up effective skin treatments thanks to its richness in Vitamin E. It is mainly useful in psoriasis or eczema conditions; you just have to apply it on the infected areas of your body, and it will soothe the irritations.
You can find two types of almond oil available in the market: Pressed almond oil that is cheap and chiefly convenient for cooking and frying, yet deficient in nutrients. Or the refined type, which is an excellent addition to your sauces, salads, or any cold dishes.
Our Final Thoughts
Unless you have nut-related allergies, you should absolutely opt for peanut oil once in a while. It is a great element for cooking as well as cosmetic treatments. You can also easily replace it with other valuable alternative oils while enjoying the same health and cooking benefits.
After reviewing all the types of oils listed above, it is good to tell that you have a wide range of choices, but bear in mind that oil should be consumed in moderate amounts. Otherwise, excessive quantity in your diet might have major drawbacks to your well-being.
Try to cut on deep-fried food and use these valued oils to make healthy and delicious salads instead, in the long run; you will sustain a good diet and a sound body! Alternatively, you can add healthy oils to your Canned Enchilada Sauce, Alfredo Sauce, or even Canned Pizza Sauce.
We are grateful for you to have read this article, and we hope to take part of your healthy diet journey!
While you’re here, be sure to check out our kitchen product reviews!
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