Best To Avoid Peanut Oil Altogether And Replace It With A Safe Alternative

A peanut allergy reaction can be a very frightening and dangerous thing to happen to you or your child. If you find out that someone in your family has a peanut allergy, it is best to rid your home of all peanut-based products. Not only should you dump the peanut butter, but you also want to be sure to read the labels of granola bars, snack foods, and all other foods in your home, including peanut oil.

Peanut Oil May Be 'Safe' but Best If Avoided

Many people like the flavor that peanut oil adds to foods like French fries. But the slight difference in taste is of little significance if you have a peanut allergy. Since there is no cure for this food allergy, avoiding all peanut products is the only way not to have the symptoms that can develop if you eat peanut products. According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (ACAAI), most people with an allergy to peanuts can safely eat peanut oil. This organization recommends that you ask your allergist before eating it.

There are different kinds of peanut oil, and it is not safe to eat cold-pressed, expelled, or extruded peanut oil because these oils may contain peanut protein, the substance responsible for causing peanut allergy symptoms. With so many other oils available for cooking, such as canola oil, there is no reason for most people to consume peanut oil if it might pose a health risk to them.

Canola Oil a Good Substitute for Peanut Oil

Both peanut oil and canola oil can be used for frying foods at high temperatures. Not all oils can be safely used for deep-frying. For instance, olive oil cannot be used to cook at high temperatures. If you have been using peanut oil to cook or fry foods, you can easily and safely switch to canola oil. Peanut oil is typically used to deep-fried turkeys, so it is always relevant to ask how foods have been cooked if you eat outside of your home in a restaurant or at a friend or relative's house.

Most people would never think of a peanut allergy when they are cooking with peanut oil, but if the wrong type of peanut oil is used, there is a chance of having an allergic reaction to it. Canola oil is a highly processed oil that is not known to be an allergen to most people.

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