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Peanut oil facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
4 gallons of 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.

History

Due to war shortages of other oils, use of readily available peanut oil increased in the United States during World War II.

Production

Country Production, 2018
(tonnes)
1  China 1,821,000
2  India 1,540,976
3  Nigeria 364,100
4  Myanmar 252,465
5  Sudan 177,800
6  Senegal 175,900
7  Guinea 110,000
8  Argentina 102,700
9  United States 97,000
10  Ghana 70,218
11  Chad 64,000
12  Brazil 63,600
Source : FAOSTAT

Uses

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.

Biodiesel

At the 1900 Paris Exhibition, the Otto Company, at the request of the French Government, demonstrated that peanut oil could be used as a source of fuel for the diesel engine; this was one of the earliest demonstrations of biodiesel technology.

Other uses

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

Quick facts for kids
Peanut oil
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy 3,699 kJ (884 kcal)
0 g
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.
Percentages estimated using US recommendations for adults.

Peanut oil is 17% saturated fat, 46% monounsaturated fat, and 32% polyunsaturated fat (table).

Properties of common cooking fats (per 100 g)
Type of fat Total fat (g) Saturated fat (g) Mono­unsaturated fat (g) Poly­unsaturated fat (g) Smoke point
Butter 80-88 43-48 15-19 2-3 150 °C (302 °F)
Canola oil 100 6-7 62-64 24-26 205 °C (401 °F)
Coconut oil 99 83 6 2 177 °C (351 °F)
Corn oil 100 13-14 27-29 52-54 230 °C (446 °F)
Lard 100 39 45 11 190 °C (374 °F)
Peanut oil 100 17 46 32 225 °C (437 °F)
Olive oil 100 13-19 59-74 6-16 190 °C (374 °F)
Rice bran oil 100 25 38 37 250 °C (482 °F)
Soybean oil 100 15 22 57-58 257 °C (495 °F)
Suet 94 52 32 3 200 °C (392 °F)
Ghee 99 62 29 4 204 °C (399 °F)
Sunflower oil 100 10 20 66 225 °C (437 °F)
Sunflower oil (high oleic) 100 12 84 4
Vegetable shortening 100 25 41 28 165 °C (329 °F)

See also

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