Is Soybean Oil Bad For You? Pros, Cons & How It Compares To Other Cooking Oils

So, who's right? Is soybean oil bad for you, or does it have a place in a healthy diet? We tapped into nutrition experts and scientific research to get you the answer, once and for all.

In addition to its neutral flavor, soybean oil's high smoke point (450 degrees Fahrenheit) also makes it a common choice for cooking, especially in fast food restaurants.

Here's the nutritional breakdown of 1 tablespoon of soybean oil, from the USDA1:

This breakdown can differ depending on which type of oil you're using. For example, some vitamins may get stripped from the oil during the refining process, which means cold-pressed oils are typically more nutrient-dense than their highly processed counterparts.

Highly processed, refined soybean oil is the most common type of soybean oil. But you may be able to find cold-pressed and organic versions, too. Oil blends are also common. Here's what to know about each of these varieties: 

Another 2021 study3 found similar results, but this one went further and looked at LDL particle size, which is an important indicator of heart disease risk. The researchers found that when compared to other oils, like hydrogenated soybean oil and a palm oil/palm kernel oil mix, soybean oil didn't raise the small size LDL particles as much. This is a worthy callout since the small size particles are associated with atherosclerosis4.

According to a 2021 report6, two separate clinical trials showed increased eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) levels and a better omega-3 index in adult overweight subjects who consumed soybean oil. This confirmed the ability of stearidonic acid (SDA)—for reference, soybean oil contains about 20% stearidonic acid7—to raise EPA plasma levels.

"Because soybean oil is a source of fat, it could be helpful for balancing blood sugar by buffering the effect of carbohydrates in a meal," says Cording. "But we could say the same for any source of fat." In short, soybean oil may help with blood sugar control because it's a fat source, but it doesn't have any other notable benefits in this department.

Soybean oil provides vitamins K and E, and it has some omega-3 fatty acids, according to Cording. These nutrients are beneficial, but soybean oil is also really high in omega-6s, which can have inflammatory effects over time. The good news is that soybean oil is low in saturated fat and trans fats.

Soybean oil is highly processed. There are many steps in its production, and solvents are used during extraction, which Cording says raises the questions: "What exactly is in those solvents?" and "Is it beneficial to be eating something that is going through so much processing?" But aside from that, there are some more specific downsides to the oil and the way it's currently used, too:

When consumed in such excess, omega-6 fatty acids can contribute to inflammation12—especially if you're not eating the omega-3s needed to combat these processes.

Overexposure to aflatoxins can have a number of negative health effects15, including immunosuppression, impaired growth, and even cancer. In fact, aflatoxins are recognized as a global food safety concern by the World Health Organization.

Soybean oil is especially susceptible to oxidation because of its high linoleic content, says Guy Crosby, Ph.D., a chemist and adjunct nutrition professor at Harvard University. Linoleic acid oxidizes about 12 times faster than the monounsaturated oleic acid. Soybean oil, specifically, produces about 4.5 times more volatile compounds than olive oil.

But glyphosate doesn't just harm your health; it's also detrimental to the environment. Glyphosate can change the microbial composition18 of the soil, which can affect the guts of animals, plant life; reduce the nutrients in the food you eat; and reduce the carbon-capturing potential of farmland. 

"We have to be mindful that it doesn't directly correlate to what we would see in humans, but it's a good case for variety in the diet," says Cording.

So, what's the deal? Is soybean oil actually healthy? It really comes down to how you use it—and which type of soybean oil you're using.

Instead, if you really want to use soybean oil, make it an occasional thing, and lean on avocado oil and olive oil more often. 

So, how does soybean oil stack up to other types of oils? Let's break down three of the most common types.

While the smoke point is lower for olive oil, Cording says this doesn't really matter as much as most people think it does. As long as you're cooking at a reasonable temperature—about 350 degrees for olive oil—most home cooks can use either without worrying about burning your oil.

When it comes to soybean vs canola oil, it's a tossup. They're both very refined, processed oils, so Cording says it's really about how often you're using them. "Soybean oil does have more polyunsaturated fats, while canola has more monounsaturated. They both provide vitamin E and have a high smoke point," she says. "But I encourage using less refined oils more often."

It's still recommended to use coconut oil in combination with other oils, like olive and avocado oil, and it's best to choose unrefined and/or cold-pressed versions (which go through the least processing) for most purposes.

Soybean oil has some things going for it, but its downsides really outweigh its benefits. While the science isn't totally settled on all its potential ill effects, we do know that it's highly processed, heavily sprayed with pesticides, and prone to oxidation. Eating it here and there likely isn't going to have a dramatic effect on your health, but you shouldn't make it a regular part of your diet, especially in the form of processed foods. Here are a few healthier cooking oils to swap it with.