lovesouthernsocial.com

Peanuts, which are such a delicious snack, can also be turned into vegetable oil

The peanut plant (Arachis hypogaea L.), belonging to the family Fabaceae, is originally from South America. Its seeds, which also bear the name peanut, and are very famous, grow below the surface of the soil (about 5 cm to 10 cm) and are rich in oils and proteins, and can be consumed raw. The tasting began to be appreciated by indigenous people, but currently the cultivation takes place in various parts of the world.

• Peanuts: benefits and risks

The plant is small, has pointless leaves and yellowish flowers, and is considered an herbaceous legume. Seeds are spawned within "pods". The pod is the capsule, or shell, that we break to consume and use the seed inside (which is the peanut). The seed is made up of about 25% proteins and 50% lipids. Some fatty acids (oleic, linoleic and palmitic), metals (zinc, magnesium and calcium), vitamin E and omega 6 are present in peanuts.

Peanuts are of great importance in cooking. It is consumed as a snack, it can be part of the preparation of seasoning, sweets, and the oil made from the seeds can even be used as biodiesel, according to studies.

obtaining

Peanuts are rich in fatty acids and unsaturated fats (the main components of vegetable oil), which can be obtained through two methods: mechanical pressing and solvent extraction.

Through the mechanical pressing method, the beans are ground and cold pressed, thus resulting in raw peanut oil, which has a brown appearance, and after being well filtered, a clear and yellowish liquid is obtained.

Using the solvent extraction method, the beans are immersed in hexane and heating (under reflux) is maintained for a certain time, which varies according to the amount of beans. After total reflux, the solution is filtered and undergoes a distillation process - the final product will be the extracted peanut oil, clear and yellowish.

• Vegetable oils: extraction, benefits and how to acquire

Applications and benefits

Peanut oil has two main applications: cooking and cosmetic.

cuisine

As a vegetable oil, peanut oil can be used in cooking as an oil for frying food, and it does not provide a peanut taste or odor to the food. Its use is indicated mainly for being rich in vitamin E, omega 6 and fatty acids, helping to reduce LDL levels, the bad cholesterol. These components act against the layers of fat that form in the veins and arteries, lowering blood pressure and preventing clogging.

Peanut oil has an interesting property when heated. Normally, vegetable oils end up starting to degrade their nutrients when they reach a temperature around 180ºC, however, peanut oil only presents degradation around 220ºC, preserving more nutrients. Therefore, it is recommended as a frying oil.

cosmetics

Some people say that peanut oil is considered an "anti-aging" oil. In fact, peanut oil has healing and antioxidant actions, which help in the regeneration and nourishment of the skin, thanks to the presence of vitamin E. It is recommended to dilute peanut oil in water and apply it to the skin.

care

Peanuts can be allergic to many people. It is among the eight foods responsible for 90% of food allergies (beef milk, eggs, soy, wheat, peanuts, nuts, fish and shellfish) and that can induce anaphylactic shock (which is life-threatening). In Brazil, there are still no epidemiological surveys of peanut allergy, however, in several countries, such as the United States, one in 70 children is considered to have peanut allergy.

Due to the huge problem of allergy, many schools in the United States have banned the use of peanuts, and have imposed a handwashing routine for their students. Depending on the degree of the child's allergy, some may not even come into skin contact with peanut oil.

To give you an idea, a 19-year-old American boy, Cameron Fitzpatrick, died after eating a cookie that was made with peanut oil, in 2013. The cookie didn't smell or taste like peanuts, but only the presence of the oil in his revenue was enough to cause death.

Peanut oil is great and has great benefits, but it's important to know if people who come in contact with it have any allergies.

You can find various vegetable oils at eCycle store!