What’s Healthier, Canola Oil or Olive Oil? The Answer Isn’t as Black and White as You Might Think

Woman cooking with canola oil or olive oil

Canola and olive oil are pantry staples and easy to find at a grocery store. Yet, if you've spent enough time reading health-related stories or tapping on wellness Instagram and TikTok accounts, you likely know one has a golden-child reputation. In the wellness world, the winner of the canola oil vs. olive oil debate is clearly olive oil.

Hey, olive oil certainly has its proven perks. It's loaded with good-for-you monounsaturated fats. Researchers for one 2019-published study declared, "Substantial evidence is accruing to support the widespread opinion that extra virgin olive oil should, indeed, be the fat of choice when it comes to human health and sustainable agronomy."

In lay terms, olive oil is awesome. However, is canola oil healthier? What if you prefer canola oil? We talked to four dietitians and scoured other research to settle the great olive oil vs. canola oil debate.

Related: The One Food You Should Never, Ever Eat if You Have Chronic Inflammation

Canola Oil vs. Olive Oil: The Basics

What is canola oil?

Amanda Sauceda, MS, RD, a registered dietitian, explains that canola oil is plant-based oil made from the canola plant. 

"It has a very light flavor, so it’s used quite a bit in cooking," Sauceda says. "It does have a lot of unsaturated fats, which means it can be good for your heart health." For the unfamiliar, canola plants are bright and produce yellow flowers. They have seeds with 35% oil, which is a lot for a plant. "To produce this oil, a lot of chemical solvent is required," Sauceda says.

What is canola oil used for?

Mainly cooking. "This oil is also refined, which means it has a higher smoke point and can be used for higher-temperature cooking," says Cara Harbstreet, MS, RD, LD of Street Smart Nutrition.

For example, Sauceda says canola oil is often used to fry foods at higher temperatures. Flavor is also a factor in people's decisions to use canola oil. "Canola oil has a very mild/neutral taste, so it’s often used by people who don’t want to alter the flavor of their foods," Sauceda says.

What is olive oil?

Generally: "Olive oil is an oil made from olives," says Julia Zumpano, RD, of Cleveland Clinic. "Therefore, it's not a seed oil."

Olive oil comes in many forms. Zumpano says these forms, listed from greatest to least processed or refined, include:

• Refined

• Virgin

• Extra virgin

"The different forms vary based on how early the olives are pressed and whether chemicals or heat are added to extract the oil from the olives," Zumpano says.

"Extra virgin olive oil is considered a higher quality oil and has less of the oleic acid present compared to virgin olive oil," Sauceda explains, pointing to International Olive Oil Council standards. "If you just see olive oil on the label, that is a mix of refined olive oil and virgin olive oil."

Taste is a differentiator in olive oil varietals. "There will be a stronger flavor with extra virgin olive oil, especially if you get one that is a very good quality," Sauceda says. "I find good quality ones have a bit of a peppery kick, but I’ve also had an amazing olive oil that tastes like butter."

What is olive oil used for?

Olive oil is super versatile. "Olive oil has been a staple in the Mediterranean region for centuries and continues to be a notable ingredient in many cuisines hailing from that region," Harbstreet says. "Olive oil imparts a smooth, oily texture without being overly greasy, and the flavor can complement or enhance that of other ingredients."

Different types serve different purposes.

"For cooking at a lower temperature and marinades, it is best to use virgin olive oil," says Rosa Becerra-Soberon, MSOM, RDN, LDN, CBP, BI of Top Nutrition Coaching. "Extra virgin olive oil is best for salad, dipping and to consume by itself."

It's often a staple of heart-healthy diets too. "More recently, it’s been uplifted for its potential health benefits," Harbstreet adds. "These days, it’s more or less synonymous with the idea of a 'heart-healthy' cooking oil compared to other fats or oils."

Related: This Is the Absolute Worst Habit for Inflammation, According to a Cardiologist

Canola Oil vs. Olive Oil Health Benefits

Is canola oil healthier than olive oil? The answer to that question is nuanced, and we'll get to it. Each oil has different health benefits. We asked dietitians to share some of the top ones for each and also looked into peer-reviewed research.

What are the health benefits of canola oil?

1. Omega-6s

We often hear all about omega-3s, but omega-6 fatty acids found in canola oil also serve a purpose. "Omega-6 fatty acid...is important for the brain and essential for the growth and development of infants," says Becerra-Soberon.

However, you know the saying, "There's a thing as too much of a good thing?" That's true of canola oil and omega-6s. "Canola oil is so abundant in omega-6s that consuming too much of it can lead to inflammation, especially if you consume too little omega-3s," Zumpano says. "Most people consume, on average, 15 to 20 times more omega 6 when compared to omega 3, which is a 15:1 to 20:1 ratio."

That's way higher than what Zumpano recommends. "We want to have a 1:1 to 4:1 omega-6-to-omega-3 ratio in our diet," Zumpano explains.

Research from 2019 indicated that consuming seed oils high in omega-6 could lead to low-grade inflammation, endothelial dysfunction (a type of coronary artery disease) and atherosclerosis (artery thickening or hardening caused by plaque build-up).

2. Phytosterols

"Phytosterols block the absorption of cholesterol from entering the bloodstream," Zumpano says. An older study from 2005 with only nine human participants indicated that people with 75 grams of canola oil a day for three days had lower cholesterol in the end. Yet, more research with greater sample sizes and longer durations is needed.

3. Vitamin E

Canola oil is a good source of vitamin E. "Vitamin E...protects the body from oxidation and protects your heart," explains Becerra-Soberon. "One tablespoon will provide about a quarter of all the vitamin E."

What are the health benefits of olive oil?

1. It's antioxidant-rich

Olive oil is lauded for its anti-oxidant properties that reduce the risks of inflammation and many of the diseases that can result from it.

"Olive oil contains more than 20 types of polyphenols, a type of anti-oxidant," Harbstreet says. "This can help combat chronic inflammation and oxidative stress at the cellular level. Over time, this can reduce the risk of developing inflammatory conditions and chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, or metabolic syndrome."

Research published in 2020 indicated that the polyphenols in extra virgin olive oil were anti-inflammatory. Polyphenols were also cited as a reason olive oil might reduce diabetes risk in a 2017-published report of nearly 16,000 people and brain health in research from 2012. The latter was an animal study of mice.

2. It has healthy fats

Believe it or not, fats are vital to a heart-healthy diet plan.

"Monounsaturated fatty acid has been shown to lower blood pressure and inflammation and increase good HDL cholesterol, which helps remove bad LDL cholesterol," Zumpano explains.

3. It can improve gut health

Gut health is buzzy, and Sauceda says olive oil may help with it. "There is some research pointing to olive oil having prebiotic properties," Sauceda explains. "Prebiotics help feed your good gut bacteria and will have health benefits."

Usually, people think of prebiotics as something contained in veggies—and that's true. "In this case, fat is being evaluated as a prebiotic," Sauceda says. "Studies using mice and with humans have found that extra-virgin olive oil was found to help with diversity of gut bacteria."

Related: The Best Diet for Heart Health

OK, So Is Canola Oil Healthier Than Olive Oil?

Zumpano says it's the other way around. When possible, it's best to opt for olive oil. "I feel that olive oil is the healthier choice due to all the proven health benefits," Zumpano says.

These benefits include reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and other chronic conditions, like Type 2 diabetes.

Bummed? Harbstreet is less inclined to pick a favorite. "As a dietitian, I hesitate to name one or the other as healthier," Harbstreet says. "I know that’s a frustrating answer, but the truth is that there are too many variables and scenarios to definitively declare one as superior. They each have unique strengths and weaknesses, and depending on your cooking preferences, lifestyle and budget, either one can have a place in your pantry."

Next up: 'I'm a Neurologist and Here's What I Want Everyone to Know About How Chocolate Impacts Brain Health'

Sources

• Virgin Olive Oil and Health: Summary of the III International Conference on Virgin Olive Oil and Health Consensus Report, JAEN (Spain) 2018. Nutrients.

• Amanda Sauceda, MS, RD, a registered dietitian

• Cara Harbstreet, MS, RD, LD of Street Smart Nutrition

• Julia Zumpano, RD, of Cleveland Clinic

• Designations and definitions of olive oil. International Olive Oil Council.

• Rosa Becerra-Soberon, MSOM, RDN, LDN, CBP, BI of Top Nutrition Coaching

• Importance of maintaining a low omega–6/omega–3 ratio for reducing inflammation. Open Heart.

• Rapeseed oil, olive oil, plant sterols, and cholesterol metabolism: an ileostomy study. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil Polyphenols: Modulation of Cellular Pathways Related to Oxidant Species and Inflammation in Aging. Cells.

• Extra-virgin olive oil and the gut-brain axis: influence on gut microbiota, mucosal immunity, and cardiometabolic and cognitive health. Nutrition Reviews.

• Olive oil in the prevention and management of type 2 diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies and intervention trials. Nutrition & Diabetes.

• Extra virgin olive oil improves learning and memory in SAMP8 mice. Journal of Alzheimer's Disease.