Food is something that we all love unconditionally. This love affair sometimes puts us in danger. The increase in weight and chronic weight-related issues like Diabetes, PCOS, kidney problems, and hair and skincare problems are the common after-effects of unhealthy food. We wake up to reality when it’s late. When our health is at stake, nothing feels right. The most important ingredient of our food is oil. Cooking oil has the highest impact on our body health, heart health, and weight. You should always be cautious about the kind of oil you use to cook your food with or just splatter on your salads. Most oils contain a lot of fats and can lead to increased weight. Well, most people these days are turning to a Keto diet for all the good reasons. It’s restrictive in nature. One of the most common diet plans people are currently going crazy about is the Ketogenic diet.
A ketogenic diet is a healthy dietary regime. Most people nowadays are following the ketogenic diet. People who follow a ketogenic diet usually go through various dilemmas. The one being the choice of keto cooking oils. We have compiled a list of some oils so that you can choose your cooking oil on a keto diet. If you are thinking about starting your keto regime or getting to a keto diet, please give our other related articles a read.
With so many cooking oils available on the market, it’s hard to know which ones are best for your health. Peanut oil is a popular oil that is commonly used in cooking, especially when frying foods. While peanut oil may have some health benefits, it also has some significant drawbacks. This article looks at peanut oil to determine whether it is a healthy or unhealthy choice, specifically in the context of a ketogenic diet.
Understanding the Keto Diet
One of the most common diet plans people are currently going crazy about is the Ketogenic diet. So why actually? Yes, it’s the results, the transformations people are getting with the Keto diet. Keto diet is a low-carb diet, moderate in proteins and at the higher end with healthy fats. How does it work? It’s proven and occurs through an induced metabolic process called ketosis. Thus, glycogen (basically sugar) is your energy source in normal conditions. The Keto diet deprives your body of carbs and in turn gets you in ketosis, a state wherein your body turns to fats for energy as it runs out of carbohydrates. This helps you lose your extra fats within no time and at the same time helps you with your chronic conditions like Diabetes Type II, PCOD, etc. A healthy thing that keto does to you is that it helps you get rid of your unhealthy snack cravings. When you want to, you can have low-carb/keto snacks, which some brands are offering right now. With keto, the choice of your cooking oils gets way more careful and healthy.
Keto Diet and Fat Consumption
A ketogenic diet is all about consuming fats, particularly healthy fats. On a well-formulated ketogenic diet where 70-80% of your daily energy comes from fat, the majority of your dietary fat should be from sources of monounsaturates and saturates. The oils need to be Saturated, Monounsaturated, Polyunsaturated (in moderation). Saturated fats are found in abundance in coconut oil, butter, ghee, and animal fats. Monounsaturated fats are found in olive oil, avocado oil, macadamia nut oil, and almonds.
Read also: Creamy Keto Dessert
What is Peanut Oil?
Peanut oil, also referred to as groundnut oil or arachis oil, is a vegetable-derived oil made from the edible seeds of the peanut plant. Though the peanut plant flowers above ground, the seeds or peanuts actually develop underground. This is why peanuts are also known as groundnuts. Peanuts are often grouped with tree nuts like walnuts and almonds, but they are actually a type of legume that belongs to the pea and bean family. Depending on processing, peanut oil can have a wide range of flavors, from mild and sweet to strong and nutty.
Types of Peanut Oil
There are several different types of peanut oil. Each one is made using different techniques:
- Refined peanut oil: This type is refined, bleached, and deodorized, which removes the oil’s allergenic components. It is typically safe for those with peanut allergies. Restaurants commonly use it to fry foods like chicken and french fries.
- Cold-pressed peanut oil: In this method, peanuts are crushed to force out the oil. This low-heat process retains more of the natural peanut flavor and nutrients than refining.
- Gourmet peanut oil: Considered a specialty oil, this type is unrefined and usually roasted, giving the oil a deeper, more intense flavor than refined oil. It is used to provide a strong, nutty flavor to dishes like stir-fries.
- Peanut oil blends: Peanut oil is often blended with a similar tasting but less expensive oil like soybean oil. This type is more affordable for consumers and is usually sold in bulk for frying foods.
Popularity and Usage
Peanut oil is widely used around the world but is most common in Chinese, South Asian, and Southeast Asian cooking. It became more popular in the United States during World War II when other oils were scarce due to food shortages. It has a high smoke point of 437℉ (225℃) and is commonly used to fry foods.
Nutritional Profile of Peanut Oil
Here is the nutritional breakdown for one tablespoon (13.5 g) of peanut oil:
- Calories: 119
- Fat: 13.5 grams
- Saturated fat: 2.3 grams
- Monounsaturated fat: 6.2 grams
- Polyunsaturated fat: 4.3 grams
- Vitamin E: 14% of the daily value (DV)
The fatty acid breakdown of peanut oil is 20% saturated fat, 50% monounsaturated fat (MUFA), and 30% polyunsaturated fat (PUFA). The primary monounsaturated fat in peanut oil is called oleic acid, or omega-9. It also contains high amounts of linoleic acid, a type of omega-6 fatty acid, and smaller amounts of palmitic acid, a saturated fat.
Read also: Peanut Butter Powder Nutrition
Benefits of Peanut Oil
Peanut oil is high in vitamin E but also rich in omega-6 fats. It has also been linked to some health benefits, including reducing certain risk factors for heart disease and lowering blood sugar levels in people with diabetes.
Excellent Source of Vitamin E
Peanut oil is an excellent source of vitamin E. Just one tablespoon of peanut oil contains 2.12 mg of vitamin E, 14% of the recommended daily value. Vitamin E is actually the name for a group of fat-soluble compounds that have many important functions in the body. Vitamin E’s main role is to function as an antioxidant, protecting the body from harmful substances called free radicals. Free radicals can cause damage to cells if their numbers grow too high in the body. They have been linked to chronic diseases like cancer and heart disease. What’s more, vitamin E helps to keep the immune system strong, which protects the body from bacteria and viruses. It is also essential for red blood cell formation, cell signaling, and the prevention of blood clots. This powerful antioxidant may reduce the risk of heart disease and certain cancers and may even prevent age-related mental decline.
A 2023 systematic review concluded that vitamin E helps reduce fasting blood glucose and improves HgbA1c and insulin resistance in people living with diabetes.
May Reduce Heart Disease Risk
Peanut oil is high in both monounsaturated (MUFA) and polyunsaturated (PUFA) fats, both of which have been researched extensively for their roles in reducing heart disease. There is good evidence that consuming unsaturated fats can lower certain risk factors associated with heart disease. For example, high levels of LDL cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood have been linked to a greater risk of heart disease. Many studies have shown that replacing saturated fats with MUFAs or PUFAs may reduce both LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
A large review published in 2017 by the American Heart Association suggests that reducing saturated fat intake and increasing your monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat intake could lower the risk of heart disease by as much as 30%. Another review of 21 meta-analyses concluded that reducing saturated fat intake potentially lowers heart disease risk but does not affect mortality. Some of these studies compared reduced saturated fat intake with higher saturated fat intake, and others compared saturated fat intake with unsaturated fat intake. Additional studies are needed to clarify the effects of saturated fat on the cardiovascular system in a conclusive way. While peanut oil contains a good amount of polyunsaturated fats, many other nutritious options are higher in this type of fat, such as walnuts, sunflower seeds, and flaxseeds.
Read also: Peanut Butter Keto Recipe
May Improve Insulin Sensitivity
Studies have shown that monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats may improve blood sugar management in people with diabetes. Consuming any fat with carbohydrates helps slow the absorption of sugars in the digestive tract, leading to a slower rise in blood sugar. However, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, in particular, may play a bigger role in blood sugar management.
In a 2023 cross-sectional study that included over 7500 adults, researchers found that a high dietary intake of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats could protect against the risk of developing insulin resistance and lower blood sugar levels. Additionally, replacing saturated fat and carbs with polyunsaturated fat significantly improved insulin secretion in these subjects. Insulin helps cells absorb glucose and keeps your blood sugar from getting too high.
Drawbacks of Peanut Oil
Although there are some evidence-based benefits to consuming peanut oil, there are also some potential drawbacks.
High in Omega-6 Fats
Peanut oil is very high in omega-6s and lacks omega-3s. In order to eat a more balanced ratio of these essential fatty acids, limit your intake of oils high in omega-6s, such as peanut oil. Omega-6 fatty acids are a type of polyunsaturated fat. They are essential fatty acids. This means you must get them through the diet because your body cannot make them. Along with the better-known omega-3 fatty acids, omega-6 fatty acids play a critical role in proper growth and development and normal brain function. While omega-3s help fight inflammation in the body that can lead to several chronic diseases, omega-6s tend to be more pro-inflammatory.
Although both of these essential fatty acids are crucial to health, modern-day diets tend to be too high in omega-6 fatty acids. In fact, the typical American diet can contain 14 to 25 times more omega-6 fatty acids than omega-3 fatty acids. Experts suggest this ratio should be closer to 1:1 or 4:1 for optimal health. Omega-6 intake has skyrocketed over the last few decades, along with rates of inflammatory diseases like heart disease, obesity, inflammatory bowel disease, and cancer.
May Be Prone to Oxidation
The high amount of polyunsaturated fats in peanut oil, along with its use as a high-heat oil, makes it more prone to oxidation. Oxidation is a reaction between a substance and oxygen that causes free radicals and other harmful compounds to form. This process commonly occurs in unsaturated fats, while saturated fats are more resistant to oxidation. Polyunsaturated fats are the most susceptible to oxidization due to their higher amount of unstable double bonds. Simply heating or exposing these fats to air, sunlight, or moisture can ignite this undesirable process.
The free radicals created when peanut oil becomes oxidized can damage the body. This damage may even lead to premature aging, certain cancers, and heart disease. Other, more stable oils and fats are available on the market for high-heat cooking, including avocado oil, safflower oil, and sesame oil. These are much more resistant to oxidation than peanut oil. Although peanut oil is advertised for its high smoke point, it may not be the best choice.
Is Peanut Oil Keto-Friendly?
Keto is a high-fat low-carb diet. Based on that definition, any cooking oil or fat is technically keto-friendly. However, not all sources of fat are created equal. When you’re on a ketogenic diet, you need to be selective with the oils you consume. Peanut oil falls short of the standard for a keto-friendly oil. Peanut oil falls short of the standard for being qualified as a keto-friendly oil. Including peanut oil in your keto diet can have some adverse effects on your health.
The Omega-6 Issue
The high amount of omega-6 fats that peanut oil contains may not be a good thing. These fats tend to cause inflammation and have been linked to various health problems. Too much omega-6 in particular is not well-tolerated by our digestive tract.
Moderation is Key
However, you can still consume peanut oil in moderation.
Peanut Butter vs. Peanut Oil: A Key Difference
The difference in processing is what makes peanut butter keto-friendly but not peanut oil. Peanut butter comes from peanuts. This difference in processing is what makes peanut butter keto-friendly but not peanut oil. Peanut oil falls short of the standard for a keto-friendly oil. This difference in processing is what makes peanut butter keto-friendly but not peanut oil. The answer lies in the processing. The only other ingredient in most peanut butter is salt.
The Role of Processing
Most animal fats, including lard and tallow, are rendered. That means the fat is melted over low heat until all the proteins solidify and any water evaporates. Seed or vegetable oils are usually extracted by expeller pressing and the addition of chemicals (solvents).
Better Alternatives for Keto Cooking Oils
Here is a complete list of best cooking oils one can consume while doing Keto. Here’s a table of the best fats and oils to consume on a ketogenic diet:
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Packed with antioxidants and strong flavor, additional virgin olive oil is unrefined and negligibly handled. Because of its low smoke point, utilize additional virgin olive oil for low-heat cooking, plunges, and dressings. With a low smoke point and an incredibly healthy amount of monounsaturated fats and antioxidants, extra virgin olive oil is a cold-pressed, unrefined oil that retains much of the flavor and nutrients of the olives from which it is extracted. Extra virgin olive oil does have a low smoke point, however, so try not to use it for high-heat cooking or frying. Instead, incorporate it in your dressings, marinades, and keto-friendly snacks. Olive oil is pretty close to ideal in its fatty acid composition.
- Coconut Oil: Coconut oil is comprised of medium-chain triglycerides that have been appeared to help in boosting digestion and invigorating ketosis. In light of its high centralization of lauric corrosive, coconut oil is strong at room temperature and has a more drawn out timeframe of realistic usability than most unsaturated cooking oils. It likewise may have antibacterial and antifungal advantages. Coconut oil is a favorite among keto adherents because it’s relatively inexpensive and high in MCTs, some of which the liver can convert into ketone bodies quickly to be used for energy. Note that coconut oil is solid at or below room temperature but liquefies when warm. As far as the oil’s heat resistance is concerned, coconut oil has a relatively low smoke point of just 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Extracted from the fruit of coconut palm trees, coconut oil is a keto-friendly cooking oil high in saturated fat and of a similar consistency to butter. Its medium-chain triglycerides help speed up the metabolism and induce ketosis in moderate doses.
- Avocado Oil: This is the best keto frying oil as it has a high smoke point at around 520 degrees Fahrenheit!! Numerous individuals use it for frying, roasting, baking, and so on. Moreover, it just has about a 12% PUFA(Polyunsaturated unsaturated fats) constitution, which is certainly on the lower end range of vegetable oils. Extra-virgin avocado oil is made by cold-pressing the pulp of the avocado fruit to extract its oil. We often use avocado oil for frying, grilling (as a spray), or satuéing. High in both monounsaturated fats and antioxidants, avocado oil is a mild, versatile vegetable oil with an extra healthy dose of vitamins A, E and D, as well as proteins and potassium. Not only does this oil deliver a hearty amount of fatty acids beneficial to your keto diet, but it also enhances nutrient absorption and helps promote better cholesterol levels. With an incredibly high smoke point, avocado oil is ideal for cooking in almost any style, including frying, grilling, roasting, sauteing, and searing.
- MCT Oil: MCT oils are great for your everyday fat intake since it effectively changes over to ketones. This is the reason MCT oil is king with regards to keto dieting.
- Red Palm Oil: Red palm oil is derived from reddish pulp fruit produced by palm trees. High-quality and responsibly-harvested palm oil (palm kernel oil or red palm oil) is an excellent choice for high-heat cooking, baking and deep frying. We use palm oil (palm shortening, to be specific) for baking. The problem with palm oil is that it’s often harvested irresponsibly, especially in developing countries. So if you purchase palm products, make sure they carry a certification that attests to their harvesting method.
- Other Animal Fats: Duck fat is a tasty alternative for medium and medium-high heat cooking. The main reason why I like using duck fat is its flavor. Additionally, duck fat contains about 50% monounsaturated fatty acids in the form of oleic acid. Lard is rendered pork fat and it makes everything taste good - including veggies you wouldn’t touch otherwise. Tallow is rendered beef fat.