Seed oils list
“Seed oils” usually means oils pressed or chemically extracted from seeds and then refined, such as sunflower, rapeseed (canola) and soybean oil. Here is the full list, the oils that are not seed oils, and how to find them on an ingredient label. To check a product, scan its barcode or paste its ingredients.
The seed oils list
| Oil | Also called | Common in |
|---|---|---|
| Soybean oil | Soya oil, often sold as “vegetable oil” in the US | Fried food, mayonnaise, dressings, snacks |
| Rapeseed oil | Canola oil | Bread, crisps, ready meals, margarine |
| Sunflower oil | High-oleic sunflower oil | Crisps, biscuits, frying |
| Corn oil | Maize oil | Frying, margarine |
| Cottonseed oil | – | Snacks and frying, mostly in the US |
| Safflower oil | – | Dressings, margarine |
| Grapeseed oil | – | Dressings, cooking |
| Rice bran oil | – | Frying, common in Asia |
These eight are sometimes called the “hateful eight”. Peanut and sesame oil also come from seeds, but are more often cold-pressed and less refined.
Oils that are not seed oils
- Olive oil, pressed from the fruit of the olive.
- Avocado oil, pressed from the fruit.
- Coconut oil, from the flesh of the coconut.
- Palm oil, from the fruit of the oil palm. It isn't a seed oil, but it is usually refined and very common in ultra-processed foods, so HowProcessed flags it alongside seed oils.
- Butter, ghee, lard and tallow, which are animal fats.
How to spot seed oils on a label
- Look for the oil names above, including “high-oleic” versions.
- “Vegetable oil” or “vegetable fat” without a name is almost always a blend of seed oils and palm oil.
- In Spanish: aceite de girasol, colza, soja, maíz or “aceite vegetal”. In Portuguese: óleo de girassol, canola, soja, milho or “óleo vegetal”.
The ingredient checker highlights seed and refined oils in yellow, in all three languages.
What does the science say?
Seed oils are rich in linoleic acid, an omega-6 fat. Major health bodies, including the American Heart Association, recommend them as a replacement for saturated fat, and trials that make this swap show lower LDL cholesterol. Critics point to the industrial refining, to oxidation when oil is reused for deep frying, and to the fact that most seed oil in modern diets comes from ultra-processed foods.
The evidence that seed oils on their own are harmful is weak. The evidence that a diet high in ultra-processed foods is unhealthy is much stronger. That's why HowProcessed treats seed oils as a sign of industrial processing (each one costs 5 processing points, see how we score) and not as a poison.
Questions people ask
Is canola oil a seed oil?
Yes. Canola is a variety of rapeseed bred in Canada, and its oil is one of the most widely used seed oils.
Is olive oil a seed oil?
No. Olive oil is pressed from the fruit of the olive, not from a seed.
Is palm oil a seed oil?
No. Palm oil comes from the fruit pulp of the oil palm (palm kernel oil comes from the seed). It is usually heavily refined and very common in ultra-processed foods.
Are seed oils bad for you?
There is no strong evidence that seed oils themselves are harmful, and replacing saturated fat with them lowers LDL cholesterol. They are, however, a common sign that a food is ultra-processed, which is linked to poorer health.