8 ms·

What is soybean oil traditionally called in the US? I've never actually seen "soybean oil" myself (though it surely exists). Is this the same as "vegetable oil"

What is soybean oil traditionally called in the US? I've never actually seen "soybean oil" myself (though it surely exists). Is this the same as "vegetable oil"?

ethbr0 5y ago
If you check the ingredients list, it will list soybean oil. It has to for soy allergies. From looking at cooking oils yesterday, you'll see either a mix (soy, canola, olive, etc) or a specific oil (canola) in the ingredients list.
some_random 5y ago
Yes vegetable oil is usually soybean in my experience, check the ingredients.
- unfocussed_mike 5y ago
  In the UK, something marked "vegetable oil" is basically going to be rapeseed (canola), but sometimes sunflower seed oil if it's come from Europe. If it is marked "pure vegetable oil" it essentially always 100% rapeseed. Rapeseed grows very easily here, and we don't grow soybeans -- they barely grow at all here. Soya is a notifiable allergen in the UK -- it must be labelled as such when it's in an unrefined form. And even if it's refined, the law still says the origins of oils have to be declared. The combination of these two things (cost and allergens) means that if an oil has soya on it, you'll know from the front label. Indeed, if it's anything other than rapeseed it'll probably be marketed that way.
zach_garwood 5y ago
I believe you're right. Most (if not all) of the "vegetable oil" I've encountered has been soy bean oil.
zymhan 5y ago
It is indeed frequently sold as "Vegetable Oil", which is a generic term. However, if you read the Ingredients, you'll find that most Vegetable oils are composed of mostly, or pure, Soybean Oil.
- dnissley 5y ago
  Example: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Great-Value-Vegetable-Oil-1-gal/10451011 https://www.walmart.com/ip/Great-Value-Vegetable-Oil-1-gal/1...
deleted 5y ago
[deleted]
endtime 5y ago
"Vegetable oil" can be soybean oil but it can also be other things. And I do often see "soybean oil", or something like "vegetable oil (soy and/or palm and/or canola)" in a list of ingredients.
lemax 5y ago
Yes, soybean oil is marketed as vegetable oil, e.g. Crisco vegetable oil is soybean based.
darknavi 5y ago
Perhaps "vegetable oil"?
KerryJones 5y ago
Vegetable oil varies per brand, but yes, largely Soy Bean oil. 85% estimation: https://www.chowhound.com/food-news/53980/what-vegetables-go-into-vegetable-oil/ https://www.chowhound.com/food-news/53980/what-vegetables-go... 50% estimation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61QV7ua-kgk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61QV7ua-kgk
steve_adams_86 5y ago
Usually. Vegetable oil almost always contains soy oil, but it can be a medley of soy and other oils, or other oils entirely. It’s safe to assume though that any bottle of vegetable oil you see is all or mostly soy.
admn2 5y ago
I was at Target in the sauce aisle and I couldn't believe how literally every sauce I picked up had Soybean oil as the first ingredient.
- ska 5y ago
  What is surprising about that? They use what's cheapest.
  - admn2 5y ago
    Yeah, more just surprised that Soybean specifically so ubiquitous. Felt like last time I looked it was a range of weird oil name (corn oil, sunflower oil, canola oil, etc.) Just astonishing how the huge CPG conglomerates have engineered such highly processed food all in the name of price efficiency. I love brands like Primal Kitchen and how many others like it gain popularity as they're one of the few brands whose ingredients are just normal and easily identifiable.
    - ska 5y ago
      US produces about 1/3 of worldwide soy, I think production is only second to corn. So if nothing else, it's available.
      - rileyphone 5y ago
        IIRC soybeans help add nitrogen back to the soil and are highly subsidized.
        michaelcampbell 5y ago
        According to https://www.ilsoyadvisor.com/on-farm/ilsoyadvisor/nitrogen-soybeans-here-what-we-know-0 https://www.ilsoyadvisor.com/on-farm/ilsoyadvisor/nitrogen-s..., they "fix" nitrogen so require less than other crops, but it's still a net negative.
  - stainforth 5y ago
jesterpm 5y ago
I expect that most of the soybean oil consumed in the US is consumed as an ingredient in something else—salad dressing, sauces, snacks, etc.—rather than a bottle of "soybean oil" (usually "Vegetable Oil") in their pantry.
antihero 5y ago
Is it used in the UK much? I mostly see rapeseed, sunflower and olive oil used.
- GordonS 5y ago
  No, I don't believe I've ever seen it here, even though I frequent asian grocery stores.
  - thaumasiotes 5y ago
    Is it supposed to be a big thing in Asian grocery stores? If you walk into a grocery store in China it will quickly become apparent that you're expected to do your cooking with corn oil.
jazzyjackson 5y ago
Another one that annoys me is "wildflower honey" is actually honey from pollinating fields of soybeans.
KerryJones 5y ago
Vegetable Oil (as mentioned in another comment) is largely soybean oil
- ska 5y ago
  This is pretty regional. In US I think you are (mostly?) right.

What is soybean oil traditionally called in the US? I've never actually seen "soybean oil" myself (though it surely exists). Is this the same as "vegetable oil"?

ethbr0 5y ago

If you check the ingredients list, it will list soybean oil. It has to for soy allergies. From looking at cooking oils yesterday, you'll see either a mix (soy, canola, olive, etc) or a specific oil (canola) in the ingredients list.

some_random 5y ago

Yes vegetable oil is usually soybean in my experience, check the ingredients.

unfocussed_mike 5y ago
In the UK, something marked "vegetable oil" is basically going to be rapeseed (canola), but sometimes sunflower seed oil if it's come from Europe. If it is marked "pure vegetable oil" it essentially always 100% rapeseed. Rapeseed grows very easily here, and we don't grow soybeans -- they barely grow at all here. Soya is a notifiable allergen in the UK -- it must be labelled as such when it's in an unrefined form. And even if it's refined, the law still says the origins of oils have to be declared. The combination of these two things (cost and allergens) means that if an oil has soya on it, you'll know from the front label. Indeed, if it's anything other than rapeseed it'll probably be marketed that way.

zach_garwood 5y ago

I believe you're right. Most (if not all) of the "vegetable oil" I've encountered has been soy bean oil.

zymhan 5y ago

It is indeed frequently sold as "Vegetable Oil", which is a generic term. However, if you read the Ingredients, you'll find that most Vegetable oils are composed of mostly, or pure, Soybean Oil.

dnissley 5y ago
Example: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Great-Value-Vegetable-Oil-1-gal/10451011 https://www.walmart.com/ip/Great-Value-Vegetable-Oil-1-gal/1...

deleted 5y ago

[deleted]

endtime 5y ago

"Vegetable oil" can be soybean oil but it can also be other things. And I do often see "soybean oil", or something like "vegetable oil (soy and/or palm and/or canola)" in a list of ingredients.

lemax 5y ago

Yes, soybean oil is marketed as vegetable oil, e.g. Crisco vegetable oil is soybean based.

darknavi 5y ago

Perhaps "vegetable oil"?

KerryJones 5y ago

Vegetable oil varies per brand, but yes, largely Soy Bean oil. 85% estimation: https://www.chowhound.com/food-news/53980/what-vegetables-go-into-vegetable-oil/ https://www.chowhound.com/food-news/53980/what-vegetables-go... 50% estimation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61QV7ua-kgk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61QV7ua-kgk

steve_adams_86 5y ago

Usually. Vegetable oil almost always contains soy oil, but it can be a medley of soy and other oils, or other oils entirely. It’s safe to assume though that any bottle of vegetable oil you see is all or mostly soy.

admn2 5y ago

I was at Target in the sauce aisle and I couldn't believe how literally every sauce I picked up had Soybean oil as the first ingredient.

ska 5y ago
What is surprising about that? They use what's cheapest.
- admn2 5y ago
  Yeah, more just surprised that Soybean specifically so ubiquitous. Felt like last time I looked it was a range of weird oil name (corn oil, sunflower oil, canola oil, etc.) Just astonishing how the huge CPG conglomerates have engineered such highly processed food all in the name of price efficiency. I love brands like Primal Kitchen and how many others like it gain popularity as they're one of the few brands whose ingredients are just normal and easily identifiable.
  - ska 5y ago
    US produces about 1/3 of worldwide soy, I think production is only second to corn. So if nothing else, it's available.
    - rileyphone 5y ago
      IIRC soybeans help add nitrogen back to the soil and are highly subsidized.
      - michaelcampbell 5y ago
        According to https://www.ilsoyadvisor.com/on-farm/ilsoyadvisor/nitrogen-soybeans-here-what-we-know-0 https://www.ilsoyadvisor.com/on-farm/ilsoyadvisor/nitrogen-s..., they "fix" nitrogen so require less than other crops, but it's still a net negative.
- stainforth 5y ago

jesterpm 5y ago

I expect that most of the soybean oil consumed in the US is consumed as an ingredient in something else—salad dressing, sauces, snacks, etc.—rather than a bottle of "soybean oil" (usually "Vegetable Oil") in their pantry.

antihero 5y ago

Is it used in the UK much? I mostly see rapeseed, sunflower and olive oil used.

GordonS 5y ago
No, I don't believe I've ever seen it here, even though I frequent asian grocery stores.
- thaumasiotes 5y ago
  Is it supposed to be a big thing in Asian grocery stores? If you walk into a grocery store in China it will quickly become apparent that you're expected to do your cooking with corn oil.

jazzyjackson 5y ago

Another one that annoys me is "wildflower honey" is actually honey from pollinating fields of soybeans.

KerryJones 5y ago

Vegetable Oil (as mentioned in another comment) is largely soybean oil

ska 5y ago
This is pretty regional. In US I think you are (mostly?) right.