Peanut oil is also known as Groundnut oil or Arachis oil, is vegetable oil with a mild taste. This oil comes from the seeds of peanuts. There are types of oil that have a strong peanut taste and smell similar to that of sesame oil. Peanut oil became popular after World War II due to a lack of nutrients. This oil is usually used in American, Chinese, South Asian, and Southeast Asian dishes for culinary purposes in general and to give food flavor, but to add flavor roasted peanut oil is used.
Peanut oil consists of a monounsaturated fat known as oleic acid or omega-9. It also contains high amounts of linoleic acid, a type of omega-9 fatty acid, and small amounts of palmitic acid, a type of saturated fat.
The color of the crude oil is dark reddish yellow and sometimes brown
The color of the refined oil is golden and has an acceptable guest smell, and it is one of the non-drying oils
The kernels contain 45-55% of oil
Physical properties of peanut oil:
| Constants | Value |
| Specific Density (25°) | 0.910 – 0.915 |
| Refractive Index | 1.467 – 1.470 |
| The Iodine Number | 84 – 100 |
| Melting Point | 13 |
| Saponification Number | 188 – 195 |
Peanut oil smoke point :
Approximate = 232 °C
Is peanut oil good for cooking?
Peanut oil is one of the best oils with a high smoke point that can be used in cooking
Composition of fatty acids in peanut oil:
| Fatty acid | % |
| Myristic acid C14:0 | Traces |
| Palmitic acid C16:0 | 4 – 7 |
| Stearic Acid C18:0 | 2 – 5 |
| Oleic Acid C18:1 | 12 – 34 |
| Linoleic Acid C18:2 | 17 – 24 |
| linolenic acid C18:3 | 35 – 60 |
| Arachidic acid C20:0 | 0.3 – 1 |
| Gadoleic acid C20:1 | Traces |
Peanut plant
Or the Sudanese pistachio, its scientific name (Arachis hypogea), which is an annual plant of the legume family, and its fruits are in the form of pods with a woody shell that is easy to break, containing edible seeds inside that can be eaten fresh or roasted. It is native to the tropics of South America. One of the nuts that grow underground, unlike other nuts that grow on trees, and it’s currently an important crop in China and India. The peanut plant is 1 foot (about 30 centimeters) to 3 feet (about 90 centimeters) high and has small, yellow flowers and peduncles that curve into the soil so that its elongated pods (each containing two or three pods) mature underground.
Peanuts contain oleic acid. citric acid; Linoleic Acid Palmitic Acid Peanuts are also a rich source of plant proteins, in addition to a group of important B vitamins, such as riboflavin and folate. Vitamin E. And a group of antioxidants.
Homemade method for extracting oil from peanuts
Commercially, peanut oil can be obtained by refining or cold pressing the seeds. However, there is a simple and affordable home method for making peanut oil:-
We need (3 cups of raw peanut seeds, 3 tablespoons of warm water, a blender).
How to prepare: –
First – the shells of the peanut seeds must be removed and cleaned well, use warm water.
Secondly – put the peeled seeds in a blender with spoons of warm water, mix until it becomes like peanut butter.
Third – Transfer the mixture to a container with a lid, and refrigerate it for 24 hours, this period is sufficient for the oil to rise to the top of the mixture. From this process, you will get at least one cup of oil.
Fourth – Separate the oil and filter it in a container with a tight lid, and cool it.
Types of peanut oil
The different methods of extracting peanut oil led to its different types, which can be summarized as follows:
- Refined Peanut Oil:
A suitable and safe oil for people who are allergic to peanuts. In this method, the smell and color are removed from peanut oil, and it is also used for frying purposes.
- Refrigerated peanut oil:
It is used to obtain delicious and delicious dishes, as this method preserves the nutrients and taste of the peanuts, and in this process, the peanuts and nuts are subjected to pressure without high temperatures to obtain the oil.
- Gourmet peanut oil
This type of pistachio oil is one of the distinctive types of pistachio oils, where the grains are roasted before obtaining the oil to give the oil a better flavor and density than the refined oil. It is added to many dishes to give it a delicious and useful flavor, such as the fried potato dish.
- Peanut oil mixture
Because of its high cost, peanut oil is sometimes mixed with other oils of similar flavor and less cost, such as soybean oil, to obtain a lower oil price and at the same time contain the flavor of peanut oil.
Benefits of peanut oil
The diversity of elements and components of peanuts, led to the diversity of its uses and benefits for the body or in food, and the methods used to extract the oil from the peanuts led to the preservation of these ingredients and their nutritional value as they are, so when using peanut oil we get the same benefits found in the bean seeds themselves, Among these benefits are:-
Reduce blood pressure and prevent heart disease.
Thanks to the presence of monounsaturated fats, when used, it helps reduce blood pressure and protect the heart from any health problems.
Helps the body relax and is useful to get rid of bone and joint pain.
It is used as a massage oil when doing a body massage, as it gives the body a feeling of comfort and relaxation, and when maintaining the process of using it in the massage, it helps reduce bone and joint pain, gives the body activity and protects the skin from disease.
Having a healthy life helps blood flow properly to all parts of the body. It also reduces the occurrence of contractions and stretching of the muscles of the body and reduces the contractions that occur in the blood vessels, which contributes to a life free of health strikes.
Protecting the eye from injury Because peanut oil contains vitamin E in a large proportion, it prevents the eye from developing cataracts.
Strengthening the immune system as it protects the body by fighting viruses and bacteria, and helps prevent blood clots.
Strengthening the body contributes to obtaining strong muscles and bones because it contains proteins in a large proportion.
Regulating the level of sugar Regulates the level of sugar in diabetics as it contains monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats, and helps slow the absorption of sugar in the digestive tract.
Protecting the digestive system from disease, it helps prevent the digestive system from developing constipation, stomach ulcers, and diarrhea.
Peanut oil benefits for hair:
When using peanut oil for hair, we get many benefits and excellent results, the most important of which are: –
Helps prevent hair loss, treat it from damage and increase its density.
The use of peanut oil helps to get rid of dandruff on the scalp, by making a mixture of (peanut oil, drops of lemon, and drops of tea tree oil), putting the mixture on the scalp for two hours, then washing it with shampoo and water.
It contains several important and useful nutrients, which help in treating weak hair and obtaining strong hair.
It contains amino acids that help hair follicles to grow, and peanut oil stimulates blood circulation in the scalp.
Peanut oil benefits for skin:
In addition to its many benefits and various areas of use, peanut oil helps in obtaining impressive and satisfactory results when used and applied to the skin and body,
Among the most important results and benefits that we get when using it for the skin: –
Treating skin infections, including psoriasis and eczema, because it contains antioxidants that reduce redness and swelling that appear on the skin.
- It contains a very large percentage of vitamin E, which regenerates skin cells, which makes you get more youthful skin and the absence of early signs of aging.
- Because it contains potassium and magnesium in high proportions, it helps in obtaining bright and supple skin, and peanut oil helps stimulate blood circulation.
- Its use purifies the skin from toxins, as it contains fiber in a large proportion, which contributes to the elimination of toxins in the pores and harmful substances.
- Moisturizer for dry skin because it contains amino acids.
- The oil contains a high percentage of vitamin C, which stimulates the production of collagen in a large proportion and gets rid of dead cells, and helps to get rid of pimples and acne.
Peanut oil uses
In addition to the possibility of eating its beans fresh, or roasted and salted, there are many uses for peanut or peanut oil, which make it one of the most important natural organic oils, and here are some easy ways to use it:
- Peanut oil is one of the most popular types of oils used in the kitchen, as it can be used in frying, sauteed in oil, or as a light addition to dishes.
- The use of peanut oil in some baked goods, such as biscuits.
- Peanuts can also be used in aromatherapy.
- It works as a massage oil to revitalize the body, which helps relieve joint and muscle pain.
- Paint the face area with a mixture of drops of peanut oil and drops of lemon, to eliminate acne.
- Helps protect the skin from blackheads.
- Peanut oil is used as a moisturizer for both normal skin and dry skin.
- It works as a treatment for the problem of dandruff, when mixed with a few drops of tea tree oil and lemon juice, and then applied to your scalp. Leave it 2-3 hours and rinse with water and shampoo.
- Increases hair thickness, also helps reduce protein loss, adds moisture to split ends, and rejuvenates damaged hair.
- Moisturizing the lips, use a soft toothbrush on your lips for 3-4 minutes, wipe it with a cotton pad dipped in warm water until it becomes soft, then massage peanut oil on your lips
- Peanut oil in soap industry: It is used in making soft soap known as silver soap, and it is also used in granular soap, and it can be mixed with other oils to form a better quality soap, such as mixing it with palm kernel oil and coconut oil.
Peanut oil substitute:
Some people may be allergic to peanuts, which also means that they will be allergic to peanut oil
According to the US Food and Drug Administration FDA, peanuts are among the 8 most major food allergens “milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, and soybean”
For this reason, many people are looking for a substitute of peanut oil, and there are several oils that can replace peanut oil, including:
1- Walnut oil
2- Almond oil
3- Safflower oil
4- Canola oil
5- Sunflower oil