Avocado Oil vs. Olive Oil: Which is Healthier for You?
No pantry would be complete without a handful of cooking oils to choose from. Aside from keeping food from sticking to your cookware, the oil used in a recipe can carry flavors throughout the dish and even provide some healthy benefits—depending on the oil and cooking method. But with so many options to choose from, how is anyone supposed to know what the healthiest cooking oils are to use? Avocado oil and olive oil are two top choices, thanks to their versatility in the kitchen and their impressive nutrient density.
How do avocado oil and olive oil compare nutritionally—and is one a healthier choice overall?
Nutritional Information for Olive and Avocado Oils
The fundamental dietary information for avocado oil and olive oil is as follows, per the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
One tablespoon of avocado oil:
- There are 124 calories.
- 14 grams (g) of fat
- 1.6 g of saturated fat
- 9.9 g of monounsaturated fat and 1.9 g of polyunsaturated fat
- 1.8 milligrams of vitamin E
One tablespoon of olive oil:
- There are 119 calories.
- 14 grams of fat, 1.9 grams of saturated fat, and 9.9 grams of monounsaturated fat
- 1.4 g of polyunsaturated fat
- 1.9 milligrams of vitamin E
Health Benefits of Olive and Avocado Oils
Comparing the calorie, fat, and vitamin E levels of these two oils reveals that they are nearly nutritionally comparable.
According to Krista Wale, RD, LDN, “Both avocado oil and olive oil also contain polyphenols, including lutein, which are powerful antioxidants.”
Here are a few more health benefits of both olive oil and avocado oil.
Heart Health
Due in significant part to their high mono- and polyunsaturated fat content, eating avocado oil and olive oil can improve heart health. These good fats lower cholesterol, which lowers the risk of atherosclerosis, or plaque accumulation in veins and arteries. Additionally, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats have anti-inflammatory properties that can lower the risk of heart disease.
Skin Health
Both avocado oil and olive oil can promote healthy skin because of their high vitamin E and fatty acid content. Our cells contain fat, which can improve the skin’s natural oil barrier. Both oils’ unsaturated fats and vitamin E’s anti-inflammatory properties will encourage skin that is bright and radiant. Vitamin E is an antioxidant that has even been demonstrated to have photoprotective benefits against ultraviolet (UV) light rays from the sun.
Immune System Function
Together with the antioxidant qualities of vitamin E and plant chemicals included in both oils, the anti-inflammatory qualities of mono- and polyunsaturated fats also aid in maximizing immune function to prevent acute and chronic diseases. Furthermore, it has recently been shown that the nutritional qualities of olive oil, in particular, are beneficial to the gut microbiome, which is crucial for immunological function (among many other vital bodily systems). Additionally, the same advantage may be used because avocado oil has virtually the same nutritional breakdown.
Eye Health
Both avocado oil and olive oil contain lutein, a carotenoid, a kind of plant chemical that has been shown to improve eye health. Indeed, studies indicate that it may prevent or lessen the symptoms of several eye-related conditions, such as diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, myopia, and macular degeneration.
Absorption of Nutrients
A few important vitamins that need fat to be absorbed are also facilitated by both kinds of oil. The two main categories of vitamins are fat-soluble and water-soluble. Both types of vitamins require the presence of their chosen solvent, either fat or water, to be efficiently absorbed. Therefore, to maximize the advantages of the fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K), both avocado oil and olive oil will promote their maximum absorption.
Health Considerations for Avocado Oil
It’s also important to keep in mind that these two oils differ somewhat in how they affect health.
- Monounsaturated fat content is a little greater.
- The fruit of the Persea americana tree, which is indigenous to Central America, avocados have become extremely famous worldwide, with a notably large following in North America. This also applies to avocado oil. Furthermore, according to Wale, “certain varieties of avocado oil may contain higher concentrations of monounsaturated fats,” even if avocado oil and olive oil have similar nutritional densities. These concentrations will nonetheless support heart, skin, and immunological health, even if they will be just slightly higher than olive oil.
More Plant Sterols That Reduce Inflammation
Avocados are also a great source of plant sterols, which are plant compounds that have anti-inflammatory properties. This implies that avocado oil will have more of this phytonutrient than olive oil, which will improve immunity and general health even more.
Health Considerations for Olive Oil
For ages, olive oil has been an essential component of the Mediterranean diet. Wale notes that while the nutritional composition and advantages of olive oil are essentially the same as those of avocado oil, some types of olive oil, particularly the less processed ones, may have a little more plant components. For optimal health advantages, choose extra virgin olive oil when you’re shopping for it, she advises.
Using Avocado Oil in Cooking
Although certain avocado oils can have a subtle, almost grassy, avocado flavor, avocado oil is regarded as a neutral oil because it rarely tastes like anything. Its smoke (or burning) point is quite high, ranging from 420 to 520 degrees Fahrenheit (the precise temperature is up for controversy).
Because of these two qualities, avocado oil is the ideal, healthful alternative to other neutral, high-heat cooking oils like vegetables or canola. When you want to highlight the flavor of the main components rather than the oil they’re cooked in, avocado oil works well. Among the cuisines that traditionally use neutral oils like avocado oil are Asian, Indian, and Mexican.
Additionally, avocado oil works well for no-cook dishes like mayonnaise and sauces, high-heat cooking methods like roasting and stir-frying, and even baked products like bread and sweets.
Using Olive Oil in Cooking
In contrast, olive oil usually tastes stronger and more pronounced. Depending on the species, growing area, and other factors, this rich, smooth oil can impart a wide range of taste characteristics. Its taste can be anything from buttery and flowery to fruity and nutty; some unique olive oils can even have a little peppery undertone. Olive oil will have a greater taste the less refining it receives. Accordingly, extra virgin olive oil, which is less refined, has a stronger taste than regular olive oil. When you want the oil to be the star, this makes delicious, premium olive oils amazing.
Though the finest extra virgin olive oils shouldn’t be cooked at all to maintain their delicate, delectable flavor, olive oil has a lower smoke point than avocado oil, at about 400 degrees Fahrenheit. High-end, flavored olive oils are best used for no-cook applications like dipping, drizzling, and dressing, while inexpensive, everyday olive oils (including extra virgin variants) are excellent for baking and sautéing.
Things to Consider When Purchasing Olive Oil or Avocado Oil
When purchasing any kind of oil, seek out products that are kept in glass bottles with a dark hue. Dark bottles will shield your oils from harmful UV radiation, which can destroy their nutrition and flavor. You should also store them in a dark area after you get home. Additionally, seek out bottles labeled “cold-pressed” or “cold-extracted” as this heat-free processing technique preserves the nutritional value of both types.
In the end, olive oil and avocado oil are both highly healthful additions to your regular diet. Although the micronutrient content of these two well-known cooking oils varies slightly, they both provide a wealth of heart-, skin-, gut-, immune-, and metabolic health-promoting good fats, vitamin E, and anti-inflammatory plant compounds.
To make the most of them in the cooking, it’s crucial to pay attention to the differences in flavor and physical characteristics (such as their smoke point). “You can diversify your nutrient intake and promote overall nutritional balance by incorporating both oils into your diet,” Wale says.