Groundnut oil is derived from, well, groundnuts and is an important source of energy in our diet, meeting specific nutritional requirements. It works well with a wide variety of foods, which is a good thing because it contains heart-friendly MUFA (monounsaturated fatty acids) – the thing that lowers the level of bad cholesterol in our body without lowering the levels of good cholesterol. Throw in some omega-6 fatty acids and you have quite the ideal cooking oil. Groundnut oil is also low in saturated fats and high in unsaturated fats. Its high smoking point means the oil holds on to its nutritional content at higher temperatures. One gets the picture. The question is: how do the various brands fare against one another on the parameters that matter? Health claims made by brands and communicated via multiple media often leave the consumer confused about the best/better buy— and those who are not confused will pick any that is available in the market.