My diet:

Safflower oil

No E-numberFats & oilsOrigin: Plant
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Every diet

VeganYes

Safflower oil is a seed oil.

Gluten-freeYes
HalalYes
KosherYes
KetoYes

Safflower oil contains no carbohydrate.

Low-FODMAPYes
The short answer
Safflower oil is a vegan, gluten-free seed oil with a light taste. Standard safflower is one of the richest linoleic oils in the grocery store. High-oleic safflower is the one sold for high-heat cooking.
Generally safe

Fine for most people at normal amounts.

E-numberNone
Comes fromPlant
What it doesFats & oils
Glycemic index—
Daily limitNot set
Also calledSafflower oil, High-oleic safflower 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

Safflower oil is a food oil, not an additive with a code. As with sunflower, the breed named on the label changes the fatty acids.

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

What is it?

The seed is small and hard. Refiners press or extract it, then deodorize the oil used in bottled blends. The unrefined oil is rarer and tastes more of the seed.

Where it comes from: Safflower oil is pressed from the seeds of the safflower thistle. The traditional oil is very high in linoleic acid. High-oleic safflower oil is a later variety, richer in oleic acid.

Why it’s in food

  • Lights a dressing
  • Fries at high oleic grades
  • Softens a baked good
  • Fills a supplement capsule

Often found in

Bottled oilMayonnaiseSnack crackersRoasted chickpeasSalad kitsSome margarines

Also listed as: Safflower oil, High-oleic safflower oil, Linoleic safflower oil

Health & gut impact

Linoleic versus oleicUnder study

A bottle that does not say high-oleic is the linoleic oil. Both are food. They are not interchangeable if you bought one for its fatty-acid profile.

Breeding of high-oleic safflower

A thistle, not a spice dyeBenefit

The cooking oil comes from the seed. Safflower petals used as a color are a different ingredient and do not carry this fat.

Botany of Carthamus tinctorius

What can I use instead?

Sunflower oil

Ratio: The nearest match in taste and use

Best for: Dressings and chips

Canola oil

Ratio: A milder everyday oil

Best for: Sautéing

Related

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 moderationButterButter 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 moderationCanola 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 safeCocoa 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 safflower oil the same as sunflower oil?

No. They are related only in the way all seed oils are related. Safflower is a thistle. Sunflower is a different plant.

Which safflower oil should a high-heat recipe use?

The one labeled high-oleic. The traditional linoleic oil is better kept for cold dressings.

Is Safflower oil safe?

Generally safe (86/100). Safflower oil is a food oil, not an additive with a code. As with sunflower, the breed named on the label changes the fatty acids.

Is Safflower oil vegan?

Yes. Safflower oil is a seed oil.

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Scientific sources & regulatory citations
  • Breeding of high-oleic safflower
  • Botany of Carthamus tinctorius