Cottonseed oil

No E-numberFats & oilsOrigin: Plant

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Every diet

VeganYes

Cottonseed oil is a seed oil.

Gluten-freeYes

HalalYes

KosherYes

KetoYes

Cottonseed oil is a fat.

Low-FODMAPYes

The short answer

Cottonseed oil is a vegan seed oil that shows up in some snack foods and fryers. It is less common in home kitchens than canola or sunflower. The refining step is what makes it a food oil.

70/100

Use in moderation

Safe in small amounts; may bother some people or raise blood sugar.

E-numberNone

Comes fromPlant

What it doesFats & oils

Glycemic index—

Daily limitNot set

Also calledCottonseed oil, Cotton seed oil

Rules by country

🇺🇸 US FDANot evaluated as an additive

🇪🇺 European UnionNot evaluated as an additive

🇨🇦 Health CanadaNot evaluated as an additive

CaliforniaNo extra rules

Cottonseed oil is an edible oil, not an E-number. Food-grade oil is refined specifically so gossypol is reduced to trace levels. Unrefined cottonseed oil is not a grocery ingredient.

Daily limit: Experts haven’t set a number because normal food amounts are far below any level of concern.

What is it?

Cotton is grown for fiber, so the seed is a by-product. Crushers extract the oil and then refine, bleach and deodorize it. The finished oil is pale and mild, with a fatty-acid mix close to other seed oils.

Where it comes from: Cottonseed oil is extracted from the seed left after cotton fiber is ginned. The raw oil contains gossypol, a yellow pigment the plant uses against insects. Refining takes that pigment out before the oil is sold as food.

Why it’s in food

Fries chips
Extends a blended oil
Carries seasoning
Makes a pastry fat

Often found in

Potato chipsBlended frying oilSome margarinesSalad dressingsRoasted snacksCanned fish packed in oil

Also listed as: Cottonseed oil, Cotton seed oil

Health & gut impact

GossypolUnder study

Gossypol in raw cottonseed is toxic in quantity. Edible cottonseed oil is refined to remove it. That is why this page is about the refined food oil, not the crude mill oil.

Edible-oil refining of cottonseed

A fiber cropUnder study

Cotton is bred and sprayed as a fiber crop. Refining is what stands between that farm chemistry and the bottle. Buying a named food oil such as sunflower skips that extra step.

Typical use of cottonseed as a cotton by-product

What can I use instead?

Sunflower oil

Ratio: A seed oil grown to be eaten

Best for: Home frying

Canola oil

Ratio: A neutral bottled oil

Best for: Dressings

More fats & oils:

Beef tallowBeef tallow is cattle fat. It is not vegan. It is gluten-free and used for high-heat frying. Halal and kosher versions exist only when the animal and the plant are certified.Use in moderation ButterButter is a dairy fat. It is not vegan. It is gluten-free, and a normal pat is low enough in lactose that many low-FODMAP plans allow it. Peanut butter and cocoa butter are not this food.Use in moderation Canola oilCanola oil is a neutral cooking oil from low-erucic rapeseed. Canola oil is vegan and gluten-free. The old worry about erucic acid applies to industrial rapeseed, not to the canola sold as food.Generally safe Cocoa butterCocoa butter is the vegan fat of the cocoa bean. It is what makes chocolate snap and then melt. It is gluten-free and keto-friendly, and it is not a dairy butter.Generally safe

Common questions

Is the gossypol still in the oil?

In food-grade refined cottonseed oil, gossypol is removed down to traces. Crude cottonseed oil is not sold as a cooking oil.

Is cottonseed oil vegan?

Yes. It comes from a seed.

Is Cottonseed oil safe?

Use in moderation (70/100). Cottonseed oil is an edible oil, not an E-number. Food-grade oil is refined specifically so gossypol is reduced to trace levels. Unrefined cottonseed oil is not a grocery ingredient.

Is Cottonseed oil vegan?

Yes. Cottonseed oil is a seed oil.

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Scientific sources & regulatory citations

Edible-oil refining of cottonseed
Typical use of cottonseed as a cotton by-product