Which Cooking Oil Is Healthier?

Walk down any grocery store aisle and the cooking oil options can feel overwhelming. Between olive oil, coconut oil, vegetable oil, and canola oil, each one comes with its own claims, its own price point, and its own corner of the internet arguing it’s the best (or worst) thing you can put in a pan.

As a dietitian, two oils that I’m asked about again and again are avocado oil and sunflower oil. Clients want to know: Are they actually healthy? Is one better than the other? Is sunflower oil, which is a seed oil, something to avoid? Those questions are understandable, especially when the conversation around the healthiest cooking oils often mixes legitimate nutrition guidance with a lot of fearmongering.

Here are the research-backed benefits of each cooking oil, plus how to decide between avocado vs. sunflower oil when you’re whipping something up.

Meet the expert: Lauren Manaker, M.S., R.D.N., L.D.

Both cooking oils can be used in your home-cooked meals—but they do have slight nutritional differences, especially when it comes to fat.

Avocado Nutrition

According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), one tablespoon of avocado oil contains:

Calories: 146

Fat: 14 g

Carbohydrates: 0 g

Vitamin E: 3.43 mg

Sunflower Oil Nutrition

According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), one tablespoon of sunflower oil contains:

Calories: 146

Fat: 14 g

Carbohydrates: 0 g

Vitamin E: 9.59 mg

Avocado oil contributes a few different nutrients, but its high monounsaturated fat content is its main nutritional strength. It’s also important to note that there’s much more research around the potential benefits of whole avocado versus just its oil. That doesn’t mean avocado oil isn’t healthy; its fat profile closely mirrors that of olive oil, which has a much deeper research base, but more and more studies are starting to be conducted on avocado oil itself.

Supports Heart Health

Research shows that monounsaturated fats have been associated with improved LDL cholesterol levels and overall cardiovascular health, particularly when they replace unhealthier saturated fats (found in red meat, say) in the diet.

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Protects Vision

Avocado oil also contains the antioxidant vitamin E and small amounts of plant compounds like lutein, two keys to good eye health and preventing age-related vision issues such as macular degeneration.

Ideal for High-Heat Cooking

The type of oil you reach for when making dinner depends on what cooking method you’re using. That’s because each oil behaves a bit differently when heated up, and using ones that don’t hold up to high-heat cooking may lead to the creation of potentially harmful byproducts, according to Cleveland Clinic. Refined avocado oil has a high smoke point of generally around 500°F, making it one of the more heat-stable options for roasting, sautéing, and grilling.

Much of the conversation and research around seed oils overlaps with concerns about ultra-processed foods, where oils like sunflower oil are often used. But those concerns are usually more about the overall nutritional quality of those packaged foods rather than about sunflower oil itself—which contains some beneficial nutrients.

Promotes Cardiovascular Health

Its high polyunsaturated fat content, specifically omega-6 linoleic acid, is the type that research suggests could have heart-protective benefits when it replaces saturated fat intake. So using sunflower oil instead of butter when scrambling eggs or grilling a sandwich is a heart-smart move.

Helps Control Inflammation

Healthy unsaturated fats and vitamin E are both found in sunflower oil, and they both help control chronic inflammation; studies show that untamed inflammation is associated with the development of chronic diseases such as heart disease over time. Both nutrients may also help protect against free radical damage, which can cause cellular changes that impact health.

Good for High-Heat Cooking

Sunflower oil is widely available, affordable, and has a neutral flavor that works well for high-heat cooking. And since it’s able to stand up to the higher temps, that also helps prevent potentially harmful byproducts from forming.

Both are unsaturated-fat-rich oils that can fit into a heart-healthy diet. The American Heart Association recommends replacing saturated fats, like butter and lard, with unsaturated fats from plant sources—and both oils qualify.

Avocado oil is richer in monounsaturated fat, especially oleic acid, which is the same type of fat found in olive oil. Sunflower oil is higher in polyunsaturated fat, but you can find high-oleic sunflower oil, which is bred to boost the monounsaturated fat content—bringing it closer to avocado oil’s fat profile.

The healthiest oil is often the one you’ll actually use consistently in place of sources of saturated fats as part of an overall balanced diet. Here’s a quick guide:

• For high-heat cooking, refined avocado oil or high-oleic sunflower oil are both strong options.
• For an everyday, budget-friendly choice, sunflower oil holds up well.
• For a nutritional profile most similar to olive oil, avocado oil is the closer match, though keep in mind the direct research on avocado oil is still growing.

Both oils can belong in a healthy kitchen. What matters most isn’t choosing the “perfect” oil. Instead, it’s the overall pattern of what you eat and what you’re replacing.