Vegetable oil facts for kids

Vegetable oils are special oils that come from plants. People use them for many things, especially for cooking and making food. Long ago, people also used these oils to light up their homes with oil lamps!

A bottle of vegetable oil.

African food often cooked with vegetable oil.

Olive oil is a common vegetable oil, used in Mediterranean cooking.

What Are Vegetable Oils?

Vegetable oils are fats that are liquid at room temperature. They are made from different parts of plants, like seeds, fruits, or nuts. These oils are a big part of many foods we eat every day.

How Are Vegetable Oils Made?

To get oil from plants, the plant parts (like seeds or fruits) are usually pressed. This pressing squeezes out the oil. Sometimes, heat or chemicals are used to help get more oil out. After the oil is collected, it is cleaned to remove any bits of the plant.

Different Kinds of Vegetable Oils

There are many different kinds of vegetable oils, and each one comes from a different plant. Some common ones you might know include:

• Olive oil: This oil comes from olives. It is very popular in Mediterranean cooking.
• Sunflower oil: Made from sunflower seeds, it is often used for frying and baking.
• Canola oil: This oil comes from rapeseed plants. It is a common cooking oil.
• Soybean oil: Made from soybeans, it is one of the most widely used oils in the world.
• Palm oil: This oil comes from the fruit of oil palm trees. It is used in many packaged foods.
• Peanut oil: Made from peanuts, it has a mild flavor and a high smoke point, good for frying.
• Corn oil: This oil comes from corn kernels. It is often used in cooking and food products.

How We Use Vegetable Oils

Vegetable oils are used in many ways:

• Cooking: They are essential for frying, sautéing, and baking.
• Food products: Many processed foods, like snacks, dressings, and baked goods, contain vegetable oils.
• Margarine: This spread, which looks like butter, is often made from vegetable oils.
• Other uses: In the past, vegetable oils were used in oil lamps for light. Today, some are used in soaps, cosmetics, and even as biodiesel fuel.

Vegetable Oils and Your Health

Vegetable oils are a source of energy and important fats for your body. Some oils, like olive oil, are known for having healthy fats. It is good to choose a variety of oils as part of a balanced diet.

See also

In Spanish: Aceite vegetal para niños