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SOYBEAN OIL

Soybeans are crushed to obtain oil and its meal. The oil content in soybeans is normally 17-18%. Crude soybean oil is extracted from soybeans. Crude soybean oil undergoes further refinement- degumming, refining, bleaching, and deodorizing and forms refined soy oil.

Soya bean oil is the leading vegetable oil traded in the international markets, next only to palm. Palm and Soya bean oils together constitute around 68% global edible oil trade volume, with Soya bean oil constituting 22.85%.

Importance & Uses of Soy Oil

Soy oil, like all other vegetable oils is cholesterol-free and low in saturated fat. Soy oil is light in flavor and has almost no odor. Soy oil has a unique blend of two types of fatty acids called omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids. The omega-3 fatty acids in soy oil are similar to the type of fat found in fish oil, which has been shown to reduce risk of heart disease. One teaspoon of soy oil contains about 5 grams of fat and 45 calories. Health experts s est that consumers should get not more than 30% of their calories from fat. Many nutritionists feel that fat intake should be as low as 20%. Americans currently consume about 37% of their calories from fat.

Soybean oil is basically used in cooking as edible oil. It is used by the food industry in a variety of food products including salad dressings, margarine, bread, mayonnaise, non-dairy coffee creamers and snack foods. It is also used to produce inedible products such as paints, varnish, resins, and plastics.