Soybean Oil

Name: Soybean oil, extracted from soybeans (Glycine max). Also called soy oil.

Description

Chinese records predating 2000 BCE already describe using cultivated soybeans to produce edible oil, with soybean cultivation well established in China by the late Shang dynasty, around 1000 BCE. The first commercial extraction of soybean oil in the United States took place in 1900, and production expanded rapidly through the 20th century alongside the growth of industrial soybean farming.

Soybean oil is now one of the most widely produced and consumed vegetable oils worldwide, second only to palm oil by volume, and in the United States it accounts for the large majority of vegetable oil used in margarines, shortenings, and commercial frying and salad oils.

Main nutrition value

Like all pure oils, soybean oil is essentially 100% fat and around 884 kcal per 100g. It is roughly half linoleic acid, an essential omega-6 polyunsaturated fat the body cannot make on its own, along with a smaller amount of the omega-3 fat alpha-linolenic acid and a mix of monounsaturated and saturated fat.

How best to be consumed

Soybean oil's neutral flavour and wide availability make it one of the most common everyday cooking oils.

1. Use for everyday cooking, baking and frying, where its neutral flavour and good heat tolerance suit most methods.
2. Check ingredient labels on packaged and restaurant foods, since soybean oil is extremely common in processed foods, often without being obvious from the product name.
3. Balance its omega-6 content by getting omega-3 fats elsewhere in the diet if soybean oil is a large part of your fat intake.
4. Store away from heat and light, as with any oil.

Overconsumption could cause…

Beyond the general calorie density of all oils, soybean oil's high omega-6 content is worth keeping in mind given how common it is in the food supply.

1. A skewed omega-6 to omega-3 ratio if soybean oil (directly or through processed foods) makes up most of your dietary fat.
2. Excess calorie intake if used generously, since a tablespoon carries well over 100 kcal.

GroupsPlant/Fruit OilsLegume familyHigh saturated fat

Made fromSoybeans

Related foodsPeanut OilAvacado OilCanola OilCoconut OilCorn OilExtra-Virgin Olive Oil

Wikipedia — Soybean oil, used for production history and fatty acid composition: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soybean_oil