Coconut oil is technically the lowest calorie oil to cook with, providing a little less than 117 calories per tablespoon. But the majority of popular oils — like olive, canola, and grapeseed — contain a similar 120 calories per tablespoon.
Canola oil
It also has the lowest level of saturated fat among cooking oils and is one of the few oils that contain a good plant-based source of omega-3 fats, a beneficial type of polyunsaturated fat.
Heart-healthy oils like canola, corn, olive, peanut, and sunflower oils contain monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. They help to lower harmful low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and raise healthy high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol.
Saturated fats in oils should also be taken into account because they can raise cholesterol levels. For instance, saturated fats found in coconut oil, palm oil, and palm kernel oil may raise levels of so-called "bad" cholesterol.
It's also important to consider the saturated fats in oils since they can cause cholesterol build-up. For example, coconut oil, palm oil and palm kernel oil contain saturated fat that can increase so-called “bad” cholesterol.
Olive oil has a lower smoke point-the point at which an oil literally begins to smoke (olive oil's is between 365° and 420°F)-than some other oils. When you heat olive oil to its smoke point, the beneficial compounds in oil start to degrade, and potentially health-harming compounds form.
Heart-healthy oils like safflower oil and rice bran oil are perfect because they can withstand frying temperatures of almost 500° F. You can also look to peanut oil and sunflower oil if you're frying at 450° F, or canola oil and vegetable oil to keep temperatures around 400° F.
Canola oil is generally considered a “healthy” oil because it is very low in saturated fat (7%). Like olive oil it is high in monounsaturated fat (63%).
Coconut oil is technically the lowest calorie oil to cook with, providing a little less than 117 calories per tablespoon. But the majority of popular oils — like olive, canola, and grapeseed — contain a similar 120 calories per tablespoon.
The verdict
Canola/rapeseed oil is healthier. It's lower in saturated fat, higher in vitamin E and has a higher smoke point, making it the better choice for cooking.
Once in our kitchens, we cook them in our canola-blend oil so you can have them crispy and hot—just the way you like them. Want to hear more about our fry ingredients? Get the down low on how we flavor our fries.
Corn Oil. Refined corn oil is often used in frying, thanks to its smoke point of 450°. It has a neutral flavor, and is used frequently in commercial kitchens because of its low price point.
Olive oil actually has a relatively high smoke point and is a safe, reliable option for frying. On top of that, it is one of the healthiest cooking staples around. Olive oil has been named “the healthiest fat on Earth,” in part because of its unique ability to reduce the risk of heart disease.
Typically, olive oil is a safer bet when cooking because of the higher smoke point and neutral flavor, and extra-virgin olive oil is ideal for a flavorful dressing, a dip for bread, or a last minute pour over a cooked piece of meat. However, this is entirely a matter of preference.
Avocado oil has a higher smoke point than olive oil
“Avocado oil has a higher smoke point than olive oil which is better suited for cooking at high temperature,” Michalczyk says. For this reason, if you're using an oil to sauté, roast or bake with, she recommends going for avocado oil instead of olive oil.
Nutrition and cooking experts agree that one of the most versatile and healthy oils to cook with and eat is olive oil, as long as it's extra virgin. “You want an oil that is not refined and overly processed,” says Howard. An “extra virgin” label means that the olive oil is not refined, and therefore of high quality.
The short answer is yes, olive oil can be good for cholesterol — especially if it replaces other sources of less healthy fats. A quick primer on cholesterol — There are two types: low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or "bad" cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or "good" cholesterol.
Olive oil is packed full of beneficial antioxidants that can lower your "bad" (LDL) cholesterol while leaving your "good" (HDL) cholesterol untouched.