Peanut Oil (Groundnut Oil)

Peanut Oil (Groundnut Oil): Nutrition and Complete Cooking Guide

Peanut oil — pressed from whole peanuts (Arachis hypogaea) — is produced in significant quantities across Asia (particularly China, India, and West Africa) and in the United States (Virginia, Carolinas), where it has been used as a cooking oil since at least the nineteenth century. There are two commercially important forms: refined peanut oil (virtually flavourless, high smoke point, the standard product for frying) and cold-pressed or roasted peanut oil (intensely flavoured, used as a finishing and flavouring oil in Chinese and Southeast Asian cooking). China is the world's largest peanut oil producer and consumer. In West Africa, groundnut oil (as peanut oil is known there) is the primary cooking fat across large areas of the continent. In the American South, peanut oil is the traditional choice for Thanksgiving deep-fried turkey and for Southern fried chicken.

Nutritional Value and Fat Composition

Peanut oil provides 884 kcal and 100 g of fat per 100 g, with 16.9 g of saturated fat. The fat is approximately 47% monounsaturated (oleic acid), 32% polyunsaturated (linoleic acid), and 17% saturated — a balanced profile. The smoke point of refined peanut oil is approximately 225–230°C — very suitable for deep-frying. Importantly: refined peanut oil is generally considered safe for those with peanut allergy as the refining process removes the proteins responsible for allergic reactions; cold-pressed peanut oil retains these proteins and is unsafe for those with peanut allergy.

How to Use Peanut Oil

Refined peanut oil is excellent for deep-frying, stir-frying, and high-heat cooking — stable, flavour-neutral, and with an excellent smoke point. Use for deep-frying chips and chicken. Toasted/roasted peanut oil: add a small amount to finish stir-fries, noodle dishes, and Southeast Asian preparations — it has intense character comparable to toasted sesame oil. West African-style groundnut stew uses peanut oil for cooking the base aromatics.