Corn Oil

Corn oil is one type of vegetable oil that you’ll find in food products like:

• salad dressings
• shortenings
• margarines
• spreads
• sauces
• baked products like donuts and cake

Is corn oil healthy, or is corn oil bad for you? As you can tell from the list of foods above, corn oil makes its way into many processed and packaged foods that are lacking nutritional value.

On the other hand, corn oil has a high smoke point and does contain some vitamin E.

Let’s find out more below regarding the pros and cons of using this oil, plus other healthy fats to emphasize in your diet instead.

 

What Is Corn Oil?

Corn oil is derived from the germ of corn, meaning the part of corn that is capable of germinating and growing into more corn.

It’s considered a “refined oil” because it goes through a lengthy process before being sold in stores to customers. To make corn oil, fat must be removed from corn kernels using methods such as pressing, hexane extraction, deodorization and winterization in order to improve the taste, smell and appearance.

Most available corn oil has a neutral taste and high smoke point, which is why it’s often used to fry foods at high temperatures and moisten packaged foods. In addition to being used to fry, it can be baked with, grilled with, or used in sautés and stir-fries.