Here's Everything You Need to Know About Peanut Oil to Decide if it's Right for Your Restaurant
Peanut oil has long been used by restaurants as a preferred fry oil to cook delicious, crispy food. It has some controversy, however. Some restaurant patrons with a peanut allergy may also be highly sensitive to or have an allergy to peanut oil. There are also mixed opinions on whether nutritionists consider peanut oil healthy or not, and it can get pretty pricey. For these reasons, it may be best to find a substitute for peanut oil to better serve your restaurant needs. Read below to see the pros and cons of peanut oil and some alternative frying oil options.
Options to Substitute for Peanut Oil
We covered a lot of healthy frying oil options in a previous blog post, but here's a quick look at some great fry oil alternatives to substitute for peanut oil:
- Vegetable
- Canola oil
- Sunflower oil
- Grapeseed oil
- Avocado oil
- Walnut oil
- Coconut oil
- Almond oil
- Safflower oil
- Animal fats like lard & ghee
There are lots of great options, but do you really need to substitute for peanut oil? Let's take a closer look.
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Is Peanut Oil Healthy?
Peanut oil contains mostly monounsaturated fats, which have been shown to help prevent heart disease and lower cholesterol. Peanut oil has tons of vitamin E, is high in antioxidants, helps lower blood sugar levels, helps strengthen the immune system, and protects against free radicals. For these reasons, many consider peanut oil healthy, but it also contains high amounts of linoleic acid, a type of omega-6 fatty acid, as well as small amounts of saturated fat called palmitic acid. These fats tend to cause inflammation in the body and may increase the risk of various diseases if consumed too often.
Nutrition Information
One serving (1 Tablespoon) of peanut oil contains:
Calories: 119
Fat: 14 grams
Saturated Fat: 2 grams
Protein: 0 grams
Fiber: 0 grams
Sugar: 0 grams
What Happens to People with an Allergy to Peanut Oil?
When someone has a peanut oil allergen, it can cause some unsafe reactions. A peanut allergy can lead to severe attacks that could lead to anaphylaxis and even death. Peanut allergies are one of the most common in children, which is why it's important to take extra precautions. However, it’s not clear whether peanut oil will cause the same severe allergic reaction. Refined peanut oil may be safer, while crude, cold-pressed, or expelled varieties could cause symptoms if someone has a peanut allergy.
Whatever oil your restaurant chooses to use, FreshFry Pods are free of allergens and can help clean and extend the life and quality of your oil. Click here to speak to a team member about how FreshFry Pods can help your business, or click here to lean why they're the best option for filtering frying oil.
