Soybean Oil vs. Vegetable Oil: 11 Soybean Oil Nutrition Insights, from Research and Trusted Registered Dietitians

Is soybean oil bad for you? Almost 30% of Americans say that they actively avoid seed oils, which include soybean oil, according to a 2025 report from the International Food Information Council. But the report highlights that there’s clear consumer confusion around seed oils, and that, largely, people base their opinion on information from friends and family and social media—sources that are not necessarily backed by nutrition science. 

For instance, vocal critics—from the U.S. health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to wellness influencers—refer to seed oils, such as soybean, canola, and corn oil, as “The Hateful Eight,” claiming these oils are toxic and driving chronic disease. But a 2024 study published in Communications Earth & Environment found that there’s a sharp contrast between online discussions and scientific evidence when it comes to these commonly used cooking oils. 

What is soybean oil?

Do you have a bottle of vegetable oil in your pantry? Though many of the bottles feature colorful vegetables on the label, the main ingredient in most vegetable oils is actually just one vegetable—soybeans.

In fact, soybean oil is the most widely used vegetable oil in the U.S. food system, says Sandra Zhang, MS, RDN, LDN, a registered dietitian nutritionist and pediatric dietitian at the Frances Stern Nutrition Center at Tufts Medical Center. Besides straight-up soybean oil, the gluten-free oil is in products like salad dressings, cookies, potato chips, baked goods, and granola bars, just to name a few.

So what’s the supposed problem with soybean oil? Critics point to its high omega-6 fatty acid content. “There is limited research that suggests inflammatory properties of omega-6 in animal models,” Zhang explains. But the American Heart Association (AHA) dubs this negative buzz as misleading, supporting the inclusion of omega-6s as part of a healthy diet. 

But as we can’t stroll down a grocery aisle without seeing soybean oil on the label, nutritionists break down fact from fiction when it comes to this extremely common ingredient. 

How is soybean oil made?

With soybean oil as an ingredient in so many packaged foods, it’s no wonder soybeans are the second-largest crop grown on U.S. soil, per the U.S. Department of Agriculture. But how do soybeans turn into oil?

Soybeans grow in pods. The pod is green and usually filled with three green soybeans. Soybeans are ready for harvest when the pod dries out and turns brown. The tiny soybeans inside make a rattling noise when shaken, explains Alberta Pulse Growers.

After harvesting the soybeans, the processing begins. According to U.S. Soy, soybeans go through a cleaning and drying process; then, they’re cracked and de-hulled. The cracked beans are heated up and rolled into flakes.

A solvent wash removes the oil from the flakes as they move through the extractor. Once refined, bleached, and deodorized, says U.S. Soy, it is ready for edible and non-edible uses, such as cooking oil, packaged foods, biofuels, pharmaceuticals, and even paints.

Nothing goes to waste. People use the flat flakes as a protein source for pet food and livestock feed.

Why do people use soybean oil?

This oil has a neutral flavor, which means it won’t compete with or overpower the flavors you’re trying to preserve.

Smoke points are also something to consider when choosing a cooking oil. Oils with low smoke points burn easily if they get too hot, and the fats break down, leading to the release of harmful free radicals, which could cause oxidative stress.

“Soybean oil has a high smoke point, making it a more versatile oil to cook with, and it can be used in a variety of cooking methods,” says Kristen Smith, MS, RD, LD, a registered dietitian and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Soybean oil has a smoke point of 450 degrees Fahrenheit. By comparison, canola oil’s smoke point is 400 degrees Fahrenheit and extra virgin olive oil’s is 331 degrees Fahrenheit.

Soybean oil nutrition profile

Here’s the nutrition profile for one tablespoon of soybean, per FoodData Central:

• Calories: 120
• Total fat: 13.6 g
• Saturated fat: 2.12 g
• Polyunsaturated fat: 7.85 g
• Monounsaturated fat: 3.1 g
• Vitamin K: 25 mcg
• Vitamin E: 1.1 mg

Soybean oil offers a healthy dose of Vitamin K

Vitamin K lends a hand in making the proteins used for blood clotting to help wounds heal. It also plays a significant role in regulating bone metabolism and synthesizing specific proteins essential for maintaining bone mass. 

Vitamin K deficiency is rare, but analyses have shown that only about one-third of the U.S. population consumes over the Adequate Intake (AI) recommendation of 120 mcg for male adults and 90 mcg for women. Because our body can naturally make vitamin K, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) says the significance of this low dietary intake among Americans is unclear. 

Still, studies support the health benefits of getting more vitamin K in your diet:

• A 2023 review published in Food & Nutrition Research found that low dietary vitamin K intake is associated with a higher risk of heart disease.
• Meeting AI recommendations is associated with a reduced risk of osteoporosis and bone loss in people over 50 (particularly women), according to 2024 research published in Frontiers in Medicine. 
• Higher dietary vitamin K intake may help maintain brain health, per 2024 research published in Frontiers in Nutrition. 

Soybean oil is a good source of Vitamin E

Zhang says soybean oil also contains vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant whose role is to fight nasty free radicals that can cause disease. Like vitamin K, vitamin E deficiency is rare—but the NIH has found that many American diets fall short when it comes to meeting the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA). Low-fat diets in particular might restrict sufficient vitamin E intake. 

Vitamin E deficiency or insufficiency usually don’t present any symptoms, per the NIH. But getting enough of this antioxidant in your diet can have some major benefits:

• Higher dietary vitamin E intake is associated with a lower risk of heart disease.
• Vitamin E may offer cancer-protective properties.
• Higher dietary intake of vitamin E is linked with a 20% lower risk of age-related macular degeneration, one of the most common causes of vision loss in older people. 
• Dietary vitamin E may help prevent cognitive decline as we age. 

Soybean oil is rich in good fats

When it comes to oils, there’s usually a mix of good and bad fats.

“All oils are a combination of several types of fat structures. They’re somewhat like family members that are related, but look and act differently,” says Julie Stefanski, MEd, RD, LDN, FAND, a registered dietitian and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

“Soybean oil is mostly unsaturated fatty acids,” Zhang says. That’s good news when you’re trying to replace less healthy options with higher saturated fat content, like palm oil, margarine, or butter.

Referencing research in the journal Nutrition, Metabolism, and Cardiovascular Diseases, Smith says, “Studies have shown the benefits of improving heart health when saturated and trans fats are replaced with polyunsaturated (and monounsaturated) fat.” Specifically, linoleic acid, found in soybean oil, plays a role in lowering bad cholesterol, which reduces coronary heart disease death, according to the study.

Linoleic acid is an omega-6 fatty acid and is considered essential, as our bodies don’t make linoleic acid. But our diets aren’t exactly lacking in omega-6. “Americans get plenty of fat in their diets, most of it as soybean oil, which is often combined with large portions of carbohydrates in foods such as baked goods, fried foods, and snack foods,” says Stefanski.

Soybean oil contains a heart-protective fat

Oleic acid is a type of monounsaturated fat in soybean oil. In 2018, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) determined there’s credible evidence showing that oils high in oleic acid, such as high-oleic soybean oil, may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.

Food companies that meet FDA requirements can add this claim to their label:

“Supportive but not conclusive scientific evidence suggests that daily consumption of about 1 1/2 tablespoons (20 grams) of oils containing high levels of oleic acid, when replaced for fats and oils higher in saturated fat, may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. To achieve this possible benefit, oleic acid-containing oils should not increase the total number of calories you eat in a day. One serving of [x] oil provides [x] grams of oleic acid (which is [x] grams of monounsaturated fatty acid).“

Follow-up research supports this claim—and more. A 2024 review of research published in Food Science and Human Wellness found that oleic acid:

• Has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects
• Is associated with healthy cholesterol levels 
• May help lower and regulate blood pressure

The key is that soybean oil replaces the saturated fat you are currently eating—not increasing the total number of calories you’re consuming daily.

“Keep in mind, as with any fat, soybean oil can contribute significant calories when eaten in large amounts,” Smith cautions. The 1 1/2 tablespoons in the health claim add up to 180 calories.

What’s the deal with omega-6 in soybean oil? 

Much of the negative discourse surrounding soybean oil is based on its high levels of omega-6, a polyunsaturated fat.  

Omega-6 and omega-3 are essential fatty acids, meaning they play vital roles in our health and we need to get them through our diet. Both are found in soybean oil, but there’s about seven times as much omega-6 as omega-3. 

“Some theories have focused on the imbalance of omega-6 fats with omega-3 fats in our current standard American diet as a contributor to inflammation,” says Stefanski. “Recent research [in Circulation], though, based on human trials, has not fully supported the idea that omega-6 fats are pro-inflammatory.”

It is important to remember that it isn’t clear yet how different fats promote and resolve inflammation in the body. Nor do scientists understand how to control inflammation fully, says Stefanski.

Still, the AHA goes so far as to say that omega-6 gets “unfairly demonized” because while omega-3 seems to have stronger anti-inflammatory properties, our bodies still need omega-6. It’s just that the standard American diet tends to be low in omega-3 and high in omega-6. 

Researchers believe that a certain balance of omega-6 to omega-3 in our diet is important for our body’s best health. There’s debate over the optimal ratio, but past research suggests a 5:1 balance. The average American diet, however, is about 20:1, in favor of omega-6s. 

But here’s the thing: Much of the omega-6 we eat comes from not-so-great sources like snack foods, baked goods, and fast foods. “Broadly speaking, soybean oil can be included in a healthy diet,” Zhang says. “However, fast food restaurants and packaged foods manufacturers often use soybean oil because it is cheap and versatile.” And it’s this overconsumption of processed and packaged foods that are associated with negative health outcomes, not soybean oil specifically. 

Choosing healthier sources of omega-6 in whole foods such as walnuts, peanut butter, eggs, and tofu is more nutritious than packaged foods with soybean oil, which also tend to be high in sugar, salt, and fat.

Potential harms of soybean oil, according to research

A 2020 study, published in the journal Endocrinology, linked soybean oil consumption to genetic changes in the brain. However, this study was based on feeding male mice soybean oil.

More recent research has pointed to other potential harms of soybean oil consumption. For instance, a 2023 study from Gut Microbes suggests a link between excessive intake of linoleic acid—which makes up about 55% of soybean oil—with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). A 2024 study published in Microorganisms also looked at soybean oil’s impact on our gastrointestinal system, suggesting fried soybean oil may disrupt the gut microbiome. 

But again, both of these studies involved feeding mice a diet of soybean oil exclusively.

“Some researchers have pointed out that it’s important not to directly correlate studies in mice to humans when it comes to fatty acids and inflammation, as there are distinct differences in how mice utilize fatty acid DHA which can impact inflammatory markers and response,” Stefanski says. Plus, context is crucial—these research findings rely on a strict soybean oil diet. 

One thing to note: regular soybean oil does not contain trans fat, Zhang says. “However, hydrogenated soybean oil, like all hydrogenated oils, will contain trans fat.” Trans fat is a type of saturated fat with many known health risks. “Products like vegetable shortening, margarine, coffee creamers, and pre-made doughs often use hydrogenated oils to enhance the product’s appearance, texture, shelf life, and taste,” Zhang explains. 

So, is soybean oil bad for you?

“Our meal patterns, or the way that we choose different foods day in and day out, are much more important than single food items when it comes to health,” Stefanski says. “While it may not be necessary to cut soybean oil out of your diet totally, it’s wise to choose other sources of fats, too.”

For a higher percentage of healthy fats, unsaturated fatty acids, and omega-3 fatty acids, Zhang says olive oil, avocado oil, and canola oil are good alternatives. But there’s nothing wrong with using soybean oil in moderation. “[Its] high levels of unsaturated fatty acids have cardioprotective properties, especially when comparing to animal fats like butter.” 

All that said, “there is no consensus on recommendations of the healthiest plant oil,” Zhang says. “In general, the amount of oil or fats consumed has a greater impact on health than the type of oil.” 

Our experts say that when using soybean oil, keep these bits of advice in mind: 

• Soybean oil can be part of a healthy diet when eaten in moderation.
• It’s best not to rely on soybean oil as your only source of fat in your diet. Include various healthy fat sources, such as nuts, seeds, fatty fish, eggs, avocados, and flaxseed.
• When adding soybean oil to food, drizzle rather than pour on large amounts.
• Prepare meals without a lot of added fat and use a variety of oils to enhance flavor and avoid an abundance of one single type of fat.
• Choose brightly covered veggies as side dishes instead of a fried, starchy vegetable to reduce oil intake.
• Choosing organic products can help you avoid eating excess soybean oil without realizing it (soy crops are GMOs—genetically modified organisms—and organic products can’t contain GMOs).

For daily wellness updates, subscribe to The Healthy by Reader’s Digest newsletter and follow The Healthy on Facebook and Instagram. Keep reading:

• Is Eating Soy Good or Bad for You?
• 7 Sesame Oil Benefits That Will Make You Want to Try It
• What Nutritionists Need You to Know About Coconut Oil
• 21 Amazing Health and Beauty Benefits of Olive Oil