When you’re on the keto diet, fats are important. While most people are drawn to extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil, not many people know very much about peanut oil. Is peanut oil keto-friendly? Let’s take a look.
What is Peanut Oil?
Peanut oil is made from the ground-up seeds of a peanut plant. The seeds are crushed, processed, and refined into oil. It has a mild nutty flavor that tastes great and helps give food a crunchy texture. Peanut oil is cheap, and its high smoke point makes it ideal for frying.
Is Peanut Oil keto?
Yes, peanut oil is keto, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a good choice for anyone on a keto diet. Keep reading to learn more.
How many carbs does Peanut Oil have?
Peanut oil doesn’t have any carbs, but it’s important to understand that carbs are not the only thing to consider in keto. You also need to consider the health benefits of each food to make sure you’re giving your body everything it needs while you’re in ketosis.
What are the other nutritional benefits of Peanut Oil?
There are a few nutritional benefits to eating peanut oil. For example, it’s high in vitamin E, but there are plenty of reasons to avoid it.
What are the downsides of Peanut Oil?
There are a lot of reasons why peanut oil is not good for you. When you consider how many alternative oils there are out there, it’s best to avoid this one. It has a lot of saturated fat, including monounsaturated fat. Saturated fats are not good for heart health, and eating too many can cause problems.
First, peanut oil can cause oxidative damage. It oxidizes when you heat it, which can cause a lot of damage, including inflammation, obesity, and cancer.
Peanut oil has a high amount of omega-6s, which makes it harder to have a good ratio between omega-3s and omega-6s.
How to eat Peanut Oil on keto
You should avoid eating peanut oil when on keto if possible. Although there may be some minor nutritional benefits, there are a lot of risks. If you want to use peanut oil, do so in moderation, or use an alternative.
Some of the best alternatives to keto are as follows:
- Coconut oil. Coconut oil is plant-based and is a good option if you’re looking for an oil to bake with. It has a low smoke point, which means that it will begin to produce a lot of smoke at a low temperature, making it unsuitable for frying.
- Olive oil. Olive oil is considered one of the healthiest oils available. If you want the best type of olive oil possible, choose extra virgin as it’s extracted on the first press of the olives.
- Avocado oil. This oil is extracted from avocados and has a rich flavor that works well with pan-frying and sauteing. One downside to avocado oil is that it’s very expensive.
- Butter. Butter isn’t technically an oil, but it can be used in the same way as oil when cooking. Butter browns easily, so it’s not good for high-heat cooking. It adds a rich flavor to food and is ideal for dishes that cook over longer periods.
- Other oil options are sesame oil, canola oil, vegetable oils, palm oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, and MCT oil. Just be sure you do your research to choose the best oil for you.
Final Thoughts
Technically, peanut oil is keto-friendly, but offers little nutritional benefits and comes with a lot of health risks. Instead of using peanut oil, try one of the options we outlined above.
