Peanut Oil

Peanut Oil

Peanut oil, also known as groundnut oil or arachis oil, is a vegetable oil derived from peanuts. The oil usually has a mild or neutral flavor. but, if made with roasted peanuts, has a stronger peanut flavor and aroma. It is often used in American, Chinese, Indian, African and Southeast Asian cuisine, both for general cooking, and in the case of roasted oil, for added flavor. Peanut oil has a high smoke point relative to many other cooking oils, so it is commonly used for frying foods.

Description

Unrefined peanut oil is used as a flavorant for dishes akin to sesame oil. Refined peanut oil is commonly used for frying volume batches of foods like French fries and has a smoke point of 450 °F/232 °C.

Peanut oil, as with other vegetable oils, can be used to make soap by the process of saponification. Peanut oil is safe for use as a massage oil.

Composition

Its major component fatty acids are oleic acid (46.8% as olein), linoleic acid (33.4% as linolein), and palmitic acid (10.0% as palmitin). The oil also contains some stearic acid, arachidic acid, behenic acid, lignoceric acid and other fatty acids.

Nutritional content

Peanut oil
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy	3,699 kJ (884 kcal)

Carbohydrates	0 g

Fat	100 g
Saturated	17 g
Monounsaturated	46 g
Polyunsaturated	32 g

Protein	0 g

Vitamins	Quantity %DV^†
Vitamin E	105% 15.7 mg

Minerals	Quantity %DV^†
Zinc	0% 0.01 mg

Other constituents	Quantity
Cholesterol	0 mg
Selenium	0.0 mcg
Fat percentage can vary.
Units μg = micrograms • mg = milligrams IU = International units