Seed oils are oils pressed or refined from the seeds of plants, most commonly canola, soybean, corn, sunflower, safflower, grapeseed, rice bran, and cottonseed. Paste an ingredient list below and the checker highlights any of these, then suggests simpler alternatives like olive, coconut, or avocado oil. Whether seed oils belong in the ultra-processed category depends on how the oil was made, which our full explainer breaks down.
NoJunk reads the entire ingredient list with your camera, flagging seed oils alongside dyes, preservatives, and more than 300 other ingredients to watch.
The seed oils this tool flags
These are the eight oils the checker recognizes, including the catch-all term "vegetable oil," which on North American labels usually means one or more of them.
| Seed oil | Also appears as |
|---|---|
| Canola oil | Rapeseed oil |
| Soybean oil | Soy oil, vegetable oil |
| Corn oil | Maize oil |
| Sunflower oil | High-oleic sunflower oil |
| Safflower oil | High-oleic safflower oil |
| Grapeseed oil | Grape seed oil |
| Rice bran oil | Rice bran oil |
| Cottonseed oil | Cotton seed oil |
Simpler fats people swap to
If you are trying to cut back on seed oils, the alternatives that come up most often are fats made by simple pressing rather than industrial refining:
- Olive oil, especially extra-virgin
- Avocado oil
- Coconut oil
- Butter and ghee
- Lard or other rendered animal fats
None of these is automatically "healthy" in unlimited amounts, but they tend to be made with fewer processing steps. The real question is how an oil was produced, which is exactly what our explainer on whether seed oils are ultra-processed works through.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about seed oils on ingredient labels.
What exactly is a seed oil?
A seed oil is an oil extracted from the seeds of a plant, such as canola, soybean, corn, sunflower, safflower, grapeseed, rice bran, or cottonseed. Olive and avocado oils come from the fruit, not the seed, which is why they are usually treated separately.
Does "vegetable oil" mean seed oil?
On most North American labels, yes. "Vegetable oil" is usually a blend of soybean, canola, corn, sunflower, or cottonseed oil. The checker flags it for that reason, though the exact mix can vary by product.
Are seed oils ultra-processed?
It depends on how the oil was made. Some are highly refined, others are cold-pressed. Our full explainer walks through the evidence and the definition food researchers actually use, rather than treating all seed oils the same.
Does this tool check the whole label?
No. It only looks for seed oils. To read an entire ingredient list, use the ingredient checker or scan the product in the NoJunk app.