Soy & Peanut Oils

Glycine max
part of: Soybean

Soybean oil is one of the most widely consumed vegetable oils in the world. It has a neutral flavour and a relatively high smoke point, making it suitable for frying, sautéing, baking, and salad dressings. Peanut oil, often grouped alongside it in blended products, adds a slightly nuttier character and is especially popular for deep-frying and in Asian cooking.

These oils are kitchen workhorses rather than finishing oils. You’ll find soybean oil as a base ingredient in many commercial products — margarine, mayonnaise, snack foods, and salad dressings — often listed simply as “vegetable oil” on labels. Peanut oil is more commonly used on its own, particularly for wok cooking and deep-frying where its stability at high temperatures is valued.

Blended soy and peanut oils offer a balance of affordability and performance. If you’re cooking for someone with a peanut allergy, always check labels carefully, as refined peanut oil may still pose a risk for highly sensitive individuals.

Farmed
photograph to come — from twenty years of markets, farms and kitchens

Safety

  • › Toxicity: Contains trypsin inhibitors. Requires preparation.

How it's made

Soybeans are cleaned, cracked, and rolled into flakes before the oil is extracted, typically using a solvent such as hexane. The crude oil is then refined through degumming, neutralisation, bleaching, and deodorising to produce the clear, mild-tasting oil sold in shops. Peanut oil follows a similar process — roasted or raw peanuts are mechanically pressed or solvent-extracted, then refined. Cold-pressed versions of both oils retain more of their original flavour and colour but have a lower smoke point.

Nutrition (per 100g)

Energy 884kcal
Protein 0g
Carbs 0g
Fat 100g
Fibre 0g Sugar 0g
Mass Distribution

1 tbsp is about 13.6 g — roughly 120 kcal of this.

What it costs the planet (per kilo)

Carbon 35.34kg
Freshwater 2305.89L
Land 58.67m²

Where it comes from

In the kitchen

Used as

protein centerpiece

Classic dishes
  • edamame
  • soy milk
  • tofu
  • tofu skin
  • soy sauce
  • fermented bean paste
  • natto
  • tempeh
  • miso
  • kinako
  • doenjang
  • cheonggukjang
  • ganjang
  • textured vegetable protein
  • hummus

Keeping one at home? Track yours in your cubud →

Where this data comes from

Nutrition data from

USDA

How it was calculated

SR Legacy

Full credits, licences, and methods: the sources page →

Where to next

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