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Peanut oil

Peanut oil is made from the nuts of the peanut plant. Peanut oil is used in the production of medicine.

Peanut oil is used to lower cholesterol levels and prevent heart disease. It is also used to reduce appetite and aid weight loss. Some people use peanut oil to prevent cancer. Peanut oil is sometimes applied directly to the skin for arthritis and joint pain, dry skin, eczema, scalp crusting and dandruff without hair loss, and other skin disorders that cause dandruff. Rectally, peanut oil is used in creams and medicated oils to treat constipation. Pharmaceutical companies use peanut oil in various products for internal and external use. In the industrial manufacturing sector, peanut oil is used in skin care products and baby care products.

Sometimes the cheaper soybean oil is added to peanut oil.

How does peanut oil work?

Peanutoil is rich in polyunsaturated, healthy fatty acids, which are believed to help prevent heart disease and lower cholesterol levels, and low in saturated, unhealthy fatty acids. However, animal studies have shown that peanut oil can clog arteries, increasing the risk of heart disease.

How effective is peanut oil?

There is not enough scientific data to say how effective peanut oil is for lowering cholesterol, preventing heart disease, preventing cancer, reducing appetite, applied rectally to treat constipation, applied to the skin to treat arthritis and joint pain, applied to the skin to treat scaling and dandruff on the scalp, and applied to the skin to treat dry skin and other skin problems.

Further scientific research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of peanut oil in these applications.

Safety and side effects

Peanut oil is safe for most people in medicinal quantities when taken orally, applied to the skin and applied rectally.

Precautions and warnings

Pregnancy and lactation: Peanut oil is safe for pregnant and lactating women in the amounts found in food, but there is not enough information on the safety of larger amounts used medicinally. For this reason, pregnant and breastfeeding women should limit themselves to normal dietary amounts.

Allergies to peanuts, soybeans and related plants: Peanut oil can cause serious allergic reactions in people who are allergic to peanuts, soybeans and other members of the Fabaceae plant family.

Interactions

At this time, there is no information on interactions of peanut oil with medications or supplements.

Dosage

An appropriate dosage of peanut oil depends on various factors such as age, health status and others. At this time, there is insufficient scientific data to determine appropriate dosage ranges for peanut oil. For this reason, you should follow the dosage instructions on the label and/or consult a doctor or pharmacist before use.

References

  1. Bardare M, Magnolfi C, Zani G. Soy sensitivity: personal observation on 71 children with food intolerance. Allerg Immunol (Paris) 1988;20:63-6.
  2. Eigenmann PA, Burks AW, Bannon GA, et al. Identification of unique peanut and soy allergens in sera adsorbed with cross-reacting antibodies. J Allergy Clin Immunol 1996;98:969-78.
  3. Electronic Code of Federal Regulations. Title 21. Part 182 -- Substances Generally Recognized As Safe. Available at: http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=ecfr&sid= 786bafc6f6343634fbf79fcdca7061e1&rgn=div5&view= text&node=21:3.0.1.1.13&idno=21
  4. Kritchevsky D, Tepper SA, Klurfeld DM. Lectin may contribute to the atherogenicity of peanut oil. Lipids 1998;33:821-3.
  5. Kritchevsky D. Cholesterol vehicle in experimental atherosclerosis. A brief review with special reference to peanut oil. Arch Pathol Lab Med 1988;112:1041-4.
  6. la Vecchia C, Negri E, Franceschi S, et al. Olive oil, other dietary fats, and the risk of breast cancer (Italy). Cancer Causes Control 1995;6:545-50.
  7. Sobolev VS, Cole RJ, Dorner JW, et al. Isolation, Purification, and Liquid Chromatographic Determination of Stilbene Phytoalexins in Peanuts. J AOAC Intl 1995;78:1177-82.
  8. Stampfer J, Manson JE, Rimm EB, et al. Frequent nut consumption and risk of coronary heart disease study. BMJ 1998;17:1341-5.