My diet:

Soybean oil

No E-numberFats & oilsOrigin: Plant
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Every diet

VeganYes

Soybean oil is pressed from soybeans.

Gluten-freeYes
HalalYes
KosherYes

Soybean oil is plant. Soy is kitniyot for some Passover customs.

KetoYes

Soybean oil is fat.

Low-FODMAPYes
The short answer
Soybean oil is the everyday vegetable oil in a lot of American packaged food. It is vegan. Highly refined soybean oil is usually tolerated by people with a soy allergy, which is why the label sometimes never says soy.
Generally safe

Fine for most people at normal amounts.

E-numberNone
Comes fromPlant
What it doesFats & oils
Glycemic index—
Daily limitNot set
Also calledSoybean oil, Soya 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

Soybean oil is a food, not an E-number. In the United States, highly refined soybean oil is exempt from the soy allergen declaration. Cold-pressed or expeller soybean oil is not exempt, and a soy-allergic person should read that distinction.

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

What is it?

The refined oil is pale and mild. Hydrogenating it fully turns it hard. Hydrogenating it only part of the way made the trans-fat shortenings that regulators later removed. Plain soybean oil on a label is the liquid oil.

Where it comes from: Soybean oil is pressed or solvent-extracted from soybeans. Most of the fatty acids are unsaturated, and a large share of those are linoleic acid.

Why it’s in food

  • Fries in a restaurant vat
  • Makes mayonnaise
  • Carries fat-soluble flavors
  • Softens a cracker

Often found in

Salad oilMayonnaiseCrackersGranola barsRoasted snacksFrozen meals

Also listed as: Soybean oil, Soya oil, Refined soybean oil, Expeller-pressed soybean oil

Health & gut impact

Soy allergy and refiningUnder study

Highly refined soybean oil has the protein taken out, and US allergen law treats that oil as exempt. A cold-pressed bottle can still carry soy protein.

Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act, highly refined oil exemption

Linoleic acidUnder study

Soybean oil is rich in linoleic acid. Replacing saturated fat with this kind of polyunsaturated fat lowers LDL. The oil is still a refined fat, so the rest of the diet matters.

Sacks and colleagues, American Heart Association presidential advisory on dietary fats (2017)

What can I use instead?

Canola oil

Ratio: A similar neutral oil with a bit more omega-3

Best for: Dressings and sautéing

Sunflower oil

Ratio: Another mild seed oil

Best for: High-heat pans

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

Why doesn't the label say soy if the oil is soybean?

In the US, highly refined soybean oil does not have to be declared as a soy allergen. The ingredient line may still say soybean oil, or it may hide inside the words vegetable oil.

Is soybean oil gluten-free?

Yes. Soybeans do not contain gluten. A flavored oil is a different product and can have other ingredients.

Is Soybean oil safe?

Generally safe (86/100). Soybean oil is a food, not an E-number. In the United States, highly refined soybean oil is exempt from the soy allergen declaration. Cold-pressed or expeller soybean oil is not exempt, and a soy-allergic person should read that distinction.

Is Soybean oil vegan?

Yes. Soybean oil is pressed from soybeans.

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Scientific sources & regulatory citations
  • Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act, highly refined oil exemption
  • Sacks and colleagues, American Heart Association presidential advisory on dietary fats (2017)