Peanut oil, also known as groundnut oil or Arachis oil, is one of the most popular oils used in cooking and deep frying. Its popularity owes to the fact that it has a high smoke point that enables it to withstand high heat. It also has other benefits such as having vitamin E which is a great antioxidant.
In this article, we’ll look at the different versions of peanut oil. We’ll look at roasted peanut oil vs. peanut oil. Is peanut oil the same as roasted peanut oil? If they are different, what makes them different? Let’s take a look at all these versions of peanut oil.
What is Roasted Peanut Oil?
As the name suggests, roasted peanut oil is obtained from roasted peanuts. Due to this, the oil has more flavor than peanut oil. It tastes like roasted peanuts but not as strong as other roasted oils therefore relatively neutral. The resultant color is amber. It also has a low smoking point making it unsuitable for deep frying. In addition, it is quite costly compared to peanut oil and not as easy to find in grocery stores.
Roasted Peanut Oil vs. Peanut Oil
Type of Peanut
Peanut oil is made from peanuts that are steamed rather than roasted.
Flavor
The difference in peanuts results in distinction in their flavor. Roasted peanut oil tastes like roasted peanuts but peanut oil is usually neutral making it suitable for cooking different meals.
Color
Another difference is evident in the color. While roasted peanut oil is mostly amber, peanut oil is usually pale yellow.
Cost
Due to its scarcity, roasted peanut oil is more expensive compared to peanut oil. Peanut oil is readily available in stores and relatively cheaper compared to roasted peanut oil.
Smoke Point
Roasted peanut oil has low smoke points while peanut oil is known to be one of the oils with very high smoke points. This makes peanut oil suitable for deep frying while roasted peanut oil can be used for raw or low heat requirements.
What is Cold Pressed Peanut Oil?
Cold-pressed oils are extracted through a method that does not involve heat treatments. Rather, the constant average pressure is used to obtain the oil. The oil is obtained by applying pressure to crush the groundnuts at room temperature. Without heat, more nutrients in the resultant oil are retained. Therefore, cold-pressed peanut oil has more nutritional benefits.
Is cold-pressed peanut oil good for cooking? Some people ask this question because cold-pressed peanut oil is made without heat. Well, the answer is yes. It can be used for cooking food that mostly requires low or medium heat. This is especially if you want to retain the nutrients, otherwise, you can use it even for frying since it has a high smoke point.
Cold Pressed Peanut Oil vs. Regular Peanut Oil
Nutrient Levels
Regular peanut oil is obtained in methods that involve using heat which leads to the loss of many nutrients, antioxidants, and vitamins among others. This does not mean that regular peanut oil is devoid of nutrients, however, the level of nutrients found in cold-pressed peanut oil is higher than in regular peanut oil.
Natural Properties
Since cold-pressed peanut oil only involves pressing the groundnuts, the resultant oil is as close to natural as possible. From the aroma, the texture and natural nutrients are retained.
On the other hand, regular peanut oil is as neutral as possible since the refining process removes much of the taste and the aroma.
Conclusion
Is peanut oil the same as roasted peanut oil? We’ve seen that these two oils are different in flavor, smoke point, and cost, among others. We’ve also seen that cold-pressed peanut oil has the most nutrients since the method enhances the conservation of nutrients making it very rich. You can now freely choose your preferred peanut oil conveniently.
