Can you substitute peanut oil for vegetable oil in brownies?
By
Dr Anny Manrich (PhD)
Author bio
Dr Anny Manrich PhD is a food Engineer with expertise in Food Technology, Natural Polymers, Edible Films, Enzymes, and Nanotechnology. She writes and reviews content on these topics.
Dr Anny Manrich’s Highlights:
- Research and Technology at the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation
- PhD in Chemical Engineering with a focus on Biochemistry at the Federal University of Sao Carlos/ Brazil and a one-year scholarship at the Technical University of Munich/ Germany
- Bachelor of Food Engineering at the University of Campinas/ Brazil and a one-year scholarship at the Technical University of Munich/ Germany
“To solve a problem, global vision and multifactorial understanding are necessary. Therefore, in addition to expertise, one should seek multidisciplinary thinking connected with science and reality” – Dr Anny Manrich, PhD.
Professional Experience:
Dr Anny Manrich’s Experience Joining the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation, as soon as she completed her doctorate,
Dr Anny Manrich has worked on several projects, including the more than three-year partnership project with BRF, a major food producer in Brazil. As a postdoctoral fellow.
Dr Anny Manrich has also contributed to several business consultancies and research projects of the National Nanotechnology Laboratory System in areas such as food technology, fibres, films and coatings and Nanotechnology; in a very determined way, having a great team relationship, being creative and committed.
Growing concerns about the safe introduction of nanomaterials into today’s life emphasises the need to create regulatory documentation in front of characterising, using and testing them. Dr Anny Manrich worked for two years on a characterization project for nanoscale materials, with the aim of exploring their possible health effects.
Despite not having specific academic training in packaging or polymeric films, Dr Anny Manrich works at the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation in areas of edible and biodegradable films produced from agricultural waste and in the development of films with greater resistance to water, having articles published in renowned scientific journals, which demonstrates her multidisciplinary understanding and creativity.
In addition, she worked for four years as a consultant to a food company to develop a line of snacks that are healthy and that add functional ingredients, physiologically active compounds that bring health benefits, made from fruits and vegetables, enabling diet improvement, disease prevention and reduction of nutritional deficiencies.
Dr Anny Manrich participated as a member of the examination board for two Master’s exams and one PhD exam at the Department of Chemical Engineering of the Federal University of São Carlos.
Education:
- 2001 Bachelor in Food Engineering at the State University of Campinas, Brazil
- 1999 One year scholarship at the Technical University of Munich
- 2004 Master in Chemical Engineering at the Federal University of São Carlos, Brazil
- 2012 PhD in Chemical Engineering at the Federal University of São Carlos, Brazil
- 2010 One year scholarship at the Technical University of Munich
The main publications of Dr. Anny Manrich are:
Articles
Manrich, A., Moreira, F. K., Otoni, C. G., Lorevice, M. V., Martins, M. A., & Mattoso, L. H. (2017). Hydrophobic edible films made up of tomato cutin and pectin. Carbohydrate Polymers, 164, 83-91.
Mendes, J. F., Norcino, L. B., Martins, H. H. A., Manrich, A., Otoni, C. G., Carvalho, E. E. N., … & Mattoso, L. H. C. (2020). Correlating emulsion characteristics with the properties of active starch films loaded with lemongrass essential oil. Food Hydrocolloids, 100, 105428.
Norcino, L. B., Mendes, J. F., Natarelli, C. V. L., Manrich, A., Oliveira, J. E., & Mattoso, L. H. C. (2020). Pectin films loaded with copaiba oil nanoemulsions for potential use as bio-based active packaging. Food Hydrocolloids, 106, 105862.
Manrich, Anny, et al. Immobilization of trypsin on chitosan gels: Use of different activation protocols and comparison with other supports. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules 43.1 (2008): 54-61.
Manrich, Anny; Komesu, Andrea ; Adriano, Wellington Sabino; Tardioli, Paulo Waldir ; Giordano, Raquel Lima Camargo . Immobilization and Stabilization of Xylanase by Multipoint Covalent Attachment on Agarose and on Chitosan Supports. Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology, v. 161, p. 455-467, 2010.
Mendes, J. F., Martins, J. T., Manrich, A., Neto, A. S., Pinheiro, A. C. M., Mattoso, L. H. C., & Martins, M. A. (2019). Development and physical-chemical properties of pectin film reinforced with spent coffee grounds by continuous casting. Carbohydrate polymers, 210, 92-99..
Milessi, T. S., Kopp, W., Rojas, M. J., Manrich, A., Baptista-Neto, A., Tardioli, P. W., … & Giordano, R. L. (2016). Immobilization and stabilization of an endoxylanase from Bacillus subtilis (XynA) for xylooligosaccharides (XOs) production. Catalysis Today, 259, 130-139.
Mendes, J. F., Norcino, L. B., Manrich, A., Pinheiro, A. C. M., Oliveira, J. E., & Mattoso, L. H. C. (2020). Development, physical‐chemical properties, and photodegradation of pectin film reinforced with malt bagasse fibers by continuous casting. Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 137(39), 49178.
Mendes, J. F., Martins, J. T., Manrich, A., Luchesi, B. R., Dantas, A. P. S., Vanderlei, R. M., … & Martins, M. A. (2021). Thermo-physical and mechanical characteristics of composites based on high-density polyethylene (HDPE) e spent coffee grounds (SCG). Journal of Polymers and the Environment, 29, 2888-2900..
Mendes, J. F., Norcino, L. B., Martins, H. H., Manrich, A., Otoni, C. G., Carvalho, E. E. N., … & Mattoso, L. H. C. (2021). Development of quaternary nanocomposites made up of cassava starch, cocoa butter, lemongrass essential oil nanoemulsion, and brewery spent grain fibers. Journal of Food Science, 86(5), 1979-1996.
Manrich, A., Martins, M. A., & Mattoso, L. H. C. (2021). Manufacture and performance of peanut skin cellulose nanocrystals. Scientia Agricola, 79.
Nascimento, V. M., Manrich, A., Tardioli, P. W., de Campos Giordano, R., de Moraes Rocha, G. J., & Giordano, R. D. L. C. (2016). Alkaline pretreatment for practicable production of ethanol and xylooligosaccharides. Bioethanol, 2(1)..
Manrich, Anny, de Oliveira, J. E., Martins, M. A., & Mattoso, L. H. C. Physicochemical and Thermal Characterization of the Spirulina platensis. J. Agric. Sci. Technol. B, v. 10, p. 298-307, 2020.
Book Chapter
Terra, I. A. A., Aoki, P. H., Delezuk, J. A. D. M., Martins, M. A., Manrich, A., Silva, M. J., … & Miranda, P. B. (2022). Técnicas de Caracterização de Polímeros. Nanotecnologia Aplicada a Polímeros, 614.
Conference Papers
Ferreira, L. F., Luvizaro, L. B., Manrich, A., Martins, M. A., Júnior, M. G., & Dias, M. V. (2017). Comparação da estabilidade de suspensões poliméricas de amido/tocoferol e quitosana/tocoferol. In: CONGRESSO BRASILEIRO DE POLÍMEROS, 14., 2017, Águas de Lindóia, SP.
Manrich, A., Hubinger, S. Z., & Paris, E. C. (2017). Citotoxicidade causada por nanomateriais: avaliação do micronúcleo. In: WORKSHOP DA REDE DE NANOTECNOLOGIA APLICADA AO AGRONEGÓCIO, 9., 2017, São Carlos. Anais… São Carlos: Embrapa Instrumentação, 2017. p. 655-658.
Manrich, Anny, et al. Immobilization and Stabilization of Xylanase by multipoint covalent attachment on Glyoxyl Agarose Support. The 31st Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals. 2009.
Manrich, Anny, et al. Application of immobilized xylanase on hydrolysis of soluble wood hemicelluloses after using microwave and organosolv pre-treatments. The 32nd Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals. 2010.
You can view some of Dr Anny’s work below and links to her professional profile.
Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Anny-Manrich-2
Scopus: https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=23103497100
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=Ea9qpr0AAAAJ
Linkedin: https://br.linkedin.com/in/anny-manrich-20693129
In this article, we will answer the question “Can you substitute peanut oil for vegetable oil in brownies?”, and what are the other substitutes for vegetable oil in brownies?
Can you substitute peanut oil for vegetable oil in brownies?
Yes, you can substitute peanut oil for vegetable oil in brownies. Just like vegetable oil, peanut oil has a very neutral flavor and makes for a great swap.
Moreover, peanut oil has a high smoke point of 230°C (3), a high content of omega 6 fatty acids and Vitamin E. But you do not want to excessively use peanut oil since it has a very unbalanced ratio of omega 6 and omega 3 fats. It also contains phytosterols, which can retard the development of atherosclerosis, lower the risk of type 2 diabetes, and reduce the risk of colorectal cancer, which is conducive to human health benefits (2).
Groundnut is the single largest source of edible oils in India and constitutes roughly 50% of the total oilseed production. India grows nine million tons of groundnut (1).
Other substitutes for vegetable oil in brownies
Butter or margarine
Butter or melted margarine is an excellent alternative for vegetable oil in brownies. However, this substitute will result in more aery brownies. If you like cakey brownies, this option is the best.
Butter is an animal fat made from churning milk or cream, contains 80–81% butter fat, 16–18% water and 1–1.5% curd (protein, lactose and minerals) and 0–1.5% salt. Butter is popular to use in cake products because of its sensory properties, nutrients value and naturalness of consumers’ mind. The creaming properties of butter are relatively poor and it may require the supplement with an emulsifier in order to get the best qualities. Margarine is made by partially hydrogenated soybean oil, has 79% fat, saturated fat and trans-fat content of 19.6% and 6.6% of total fat content, respectively. Margarine is water in oil emulsion with butter-like texture, adding salt, colorants and vitamins to provide sensory quality and nutritional value close to butter. The composition of margarine is similar to butter, but the mixture of oils, milk solid, water, salt and functionality of different margarine are various. Margarine may contain an emulsifier to aid the dispersion and stability of the water phase (4).
For fudgy and dense brownies, vegetable oil is usually preferred. Increase the baking time of the brownies by about 2 minutes if you opt for this substitute.
Canola oil
Canola oil is extracted from genetically modified plants but it is said to protect your heart due to a high content of omega 3 fatty acids, a-linolenic acid (ALA), which may favor the cholesterol decrease and to reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality (5).
The neutral flavor of canola oil makes it a good substitute for vegetable oil. Unlike peanut oil or olive oil, canola oil will not interfere with the flavor of your brownies.
Olive oil
Olive oil also makes for a good substitute for vegetable oil in brownies. But it is important which type of olive oil you use as a substitute. Virgin or extra virgin olive varieties won’t be a favorable option because both have a distinct flavor.
Light or extra light versions of olive oil are highly processed, due to which they have a very neutral taste that will not meddle with the flavor profile of your brownies.
Apart from oleic acid, olive oil contains a number of bioactive compounds such as polyphenols which are especially prominent in virgin and extra-virgin olive oil and potent scavenger of superoxide radicals and inhibits LDL oxidation. Extra virgin olive oil is regarded to be the genuine driver of the Mediterranean diet and was found to be associated with a 26% reduced risk of all-cause mortality in Spanish study (9).
Applesauce
This sweet condiment adds moisture and tenderness to your brownies when used in place of vegetable oil. You can replace every cup of oil with a 3 quarter cup of applesauce and a slight reduction in the amount of sugar.
This is because the applesauce contains added sugars and we do not want to make the brownies extra sweet.
In a study, applesauce was used as a fat replacer to produce cookies. The results showed that applesauce can be a successful substitute of fat in chocolate chip cookies. Replacing butter with applesauce improves the nutritional value of chocolate chip cookies. Maintaining a proper balance between applesauce and fat is important for an acceptable cookie texture, because cookies tend to become softer in texture with an increase in applesauce (6).
Yogurt
This may sound like an unfit substitute but it is not. Plain yogurt added to brownies in place of vegetable oil provides the fat it needs for tenderness and moisture.
Do not use flavored yogurt as it may disrupt the flavor profile of your brownies. Moreover, yogurt has enormous health benefits. It is a rich source of proteins, probiotics, and calcium.
Yogurt is the food produced by culturing cream, milk, partially skimmed milk, or skim milk alone or in combination with a bacterial culture that contains the lactic acid-producing bacteria Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus. Optional ingredients such as Vitamin A and D, dairy ingredients, flavors, colors, stabilizers may be included. Before inclusion of bulky flavors, the yogurt contains not less than 3.25% milk fat, not less than 8.25% milk solids not fat, and has a titratable acidity of not less than 0.9% expressed as lactic acid (7).
Avocado oil
Avocado oil is a bit expensive than any other substitute but it is worth it. Because avocado oil is a super healthy substitute for vegetable oil in brownies.
Moreover, it is a rich source of healthy fats and vitamin E. Avocado oil can withstand high frying and baking temperatures without releasing any toxic substances due to its high smoke point of 250°C (8).
Last but not the least, avocado oil, unlike hazelnut or peanut oil, has a very neutral flavor profile that will not meddle with the chocolatey goddess of your brownies.
Sunflower oil
Since vegetable oil is a blend of plant oils, sunflower oil is one of its major ingredients. It is a rich source of Vitamin E and has a neutral flavor profile. This makes sunflower oil a very suitable alternative to vegetable oil in brownies.
Sunflower oil serves as excellent phenolic antioxidants, which account for about 1%–4% of the total mass chlorogenic acid. It also contains phytosterols, which help in the alteration of cholesterol synthesis, thereby reducing the cholesterol level in the serum through cholesterol excretion (10).
Best vegetable oil substitutes for baked goods
The thermal stability of a vegetable oil could be defined as the ability of the oil to resist permanent changes due to the effects of heat. Depending on the environment, in the presence or absence of air, thermal oxidative or thermal degradation products may be distinguished. Different types of vegetable oils exhibit significant differences in the composition of the thermally decomposed oil. The main thermal degradation products of vegetable oils are straight chain alkanes and alkenes, carboxylic acids, aldehydes, alkenes and alkadienes, alcohols and aromatic compounds (11).
When you are frying food, you have to consider the smoke point of the frying oil. But baking does not involve exposing the oil at high temperatures as in frying. Therefore, our alternatives for vegetable oil in baked goods are plenty.
Canola oil, safflower oil, coconut oil, and olive oil are some of the best swaps for vegetable oil in baking. Melted butter or even butter, browned melted butter is another excellent choice. To make the low-fat baked items, use unsweetened applesauce instead of oil.
Best vegetable oil substitutes for dressings, vinaigrettes, and mayonnaise
Vegetable oil is a top pick for dressing, vinaigrettes, and mayonnaise due to its neutral flavor and excellent emulsifying properties. If you are making dressings or mayonnaise at home, no heat is involved and you have more control over what goes in the dressing or sauce.
Try experimenting with a blend of canola and safflower oil. If you do not have a tight budget, you can also go with walnut oil, sesame oil, extra version olive oil or pistachio oil, etc.
Conclusion
In this article, we answered the question “Can you substitute peanut oil for vegetable oil in brownies?”, and what are the other substitutes for vegetable oil in brownies?
Was this helpful?
References
1.-
Nayak, Akshata, H. Lokesha, and C. P. Gracy. Co-integration of Groundnut Markets in India with Special Reference to Karnataka State. Curr. J. Appl. Sci. Technol, 2020, 39, 14-22.
2.-
Huang, Ying, et al. Quality evaluation of oil by cold‐pressed peanut from different growing regions in China. Food Sci Nutr, 2022.
3.-
Sanders, Timothy. Groundnut oil. Vegetable Oil in Food Technology: Composition, Properties, and Uses. FD Gunstone (Eds). Blakckwell Publishing. Oxford UK. 2002, 231-243.
4.-
Pancharoen, S., Leelawat, B. & Vattanakul, S. Using texture properties for clustering butter cake from various ratios of ingredient combinations. Food Meas, 2019, 13, 34–42.
5.-
Stricker, Hans, et al. Canola oil decreases cholesterol and improves endothelial function in patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease–a pilot study. Artery Res, 2008, 2, 67-73.
6.-
Hayek, Saeed A., and Salam A. Ibrahim. Consumer acceptability of chocolate chip cookies using applesauce as a fat (butter) substitute. Emir J Food Agri, 2013, 159-168.
7.-
Igoe, Robert S. Dictionary of food ingredients. Springer Science & Business Media, 2011.
8.-
Woolf, Allan, et al. Avocado oil. Gourmet and health-promoting specialty oils. AOCS Press, 2009. 73-125.
9.-
Schwingshackl, Lukas, and Georg Hoffmann. Monounsaturated fatty acids, olive oil and health status: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies. Lipid health dis, 2014, 13, 1-15.
10.-
Adeleke, Bartholomew Saanu, and Olubukola Oluranti Babalola. Oilseed crop sunflower (Helianthus annuus) as a source of food: Nutritional and health benefits. Food Sci Nutr, 2020, 8, 4666-4684.
11.-
Gomna, Aboubakar, et al. Review of vegetable oils behaviour at high temperature for solar plants: Stability, properties and current applications. Solar En Mat Solar Cells, 2019, 200, 109956.
