Oils & Fats — a Shelf Reference

Avocado oil

About 70% monounsaturated (oleic acid), like olive oil, with little saturated fat. One of the most heat-stable oils, so it suits high-heat cooking, roasting and frying, and has a mild taste for dressings. A good, if pricey, all-rounder.

Hemp seed oil

Rich in polyunsaturated fat with a favourable omega-6 to omega-3 ratio (~3:1) and some GLA. Heat-sensitive and best used raw — drizzled on food or in dressings. (Culinary hemp oil contains no meaningful THC.)

Coconut oil

Around 90% saturated fat, solid at room temperature, with a high smoke point. Heavily marketed as a "health food," but a meta-analysis of 16 trials found it raises LDL cholesterol by ~10 mg/dL more than non-tropical plant oils, with no proven heart benefit.¹

"But it raises HDL too?" True — the same trials saw HDL rise ~4 mg/dL. But LDL rose more than twice as much, so the LDL/HDL ratio still worsens, and raising HDL is not itself proven protective (HDL-raising drugs and genetics have failed to lower heart events). So the HDL bump doesn't cancel the LDL rise.

Not the same as MCT/C8: coconut oil is mostly lauric acid (C12), which behaves like a long-chain saturated fat for cholesterol. True MCT oil and caprylic acid (C8) are a different story — see the next card. Coconut oil is fine for flavour in moderation, not a health upgrade over olive or rapeseed oil. (Full breakdown: MCT vs coconut oil.)

MCT oil & C8 (caprylic acid)

MCT oil is a concentrated, purified fraction of medium-chain triglycerides — usually caprylic acid (C8) and capric acid (C10) — fractionated out of coconut or palm kernel oil. It is not the same as coconut oil: it contains essentially no lauric acid (C12) and no long-chain fat.

Cholesterol: a meta-analysis of randomized trials found MCT oil does not significantly raise LDL, HDL or total cholesterol (a small triglyceride rise in some comparisons).²

Why people use it: MCTs are absorbed straight to the liver and rapidly turned into ketones. C8 is the most ketogenic of them — at ~6 g it roughly doubles blood β-hydroxybutyrate.³ A meta-analysis of 13 RCTs (749 people) found a modest benefit vs. long-chain fat: about −0.5 kg body weight and −1.5 cm waist.⁴

The honest verdict: better than coconut oil on the lipid front, and a real (if small) tool for ketones, satiety and weight. But it is still pure fat (~8.3 kcal/g) with no vitamins, polyphenols or fibre — calories add up fast, and too much at once causes cramps/diarrhoea. Start low (5 mL). It's a useful supplement for specific goals, not a daily "health oil" to pour freely.

Flaxseed (linseed) oil

The best plant source of ALA omega-3 (~50% of its fat). Very fragile — it oxidises and turns rancid quickly, so keep it refrigerated and use it cold (smoothies, dressings, on porridge), never for cooking. Remember the conversion of ALA to active EPA/DHA is limited.

Corn oil

A refined, neutral oil high in omega-6 linoleic acid (~55%), with a high smoke point suited to frying and baking. Like other polyunsaturated oils it lowers LDL when it replaces saturated fat — but it's a refined, flavourless oil, so it's a cooking workhorse rather than a star.

Evening primrose oil

Taken as a supplement for its GLA content (~9%), not used in cooking. See the GLA card in the fatty acids guide for the honest evidence — promising in theory, modest and mixed in trials.

Olive oil

The cornerstone of the Mediterranean diet — about 73% monounsaturated, and extra-virgin also delivers protective polyphenols. Despite the myth, it is one of the more stable oils for everyday cooking, and excellent raw. We have a whole guide: How to choose a good olive oil →

Palm oil

Semi-solid, roughly half saturated (palmitic acid) and half monounsaturated. Ubiquitous in processed foods because it's cheap and stable. As a major saturated-fat source it tends to raise LDL, and unsustainable production drives deforestation. No need to add it at home; worth limiting in ultra-processed foods.

Pumpkin seed oil

A dark, intensely nutty oil high in polyunsaturated fat, with phytosterols and vitamin E. A finishing oil (over soups, salads), not for frying. Marketed for prostate (BPH) and hair; the evidence is limited and preliminary. Lovely for flavour regardless.

Rapeseed (canola) oil

An excellent everyday oil: low in saturated fat (~7%), high in monounsaturated, and one of the few common oils with useful omega-3 ALA (favourable ~2:1 omega-6:3). Neutral taste and a medium-high smoke point make it good for almost everything. Cold-pressed rapeseed (canola) oil is a heart-healthy staple — an honest rival to olive oil.

Sesame oil

Roughly equal mono- and polyunsaturated fat, with natural antioxidants (sesamol, sesamin). Toasted sesame oil is a strong finishing flavour (use a few drops); plain refined sesame oil tolerates moderate cooking heat.

Sunflower oil

There are several types. Traditional sunflower oil is rich in polyunsaturated linoleic acid; high-oleic sunflower oil is mostly monounsaturated and better suited to prolonged high heat. Both are low in saturated fat. Dietary omega-6 has not been shown to cause inflammation in randomized trials. Read the full sunflower oil guide →

Butter

About two-thirds saturated fat, plus some fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K2) and tiny natural amounts of CLA. Unbeatable for flavour and baking, but a concentrated saturated-fat source — enjoy in moderation rather than as your main fat. Clarified butter (ghee) has a higher smoke point for cooking.

Soybean oil

One of the world's most-used oils (the usual unnamed "vegetable oil"). Mostly omega-6 linoleic acid (~51%) with a little ALA omega-3 (~7%); refined, neutral and heat-tolerant. A perfectly serviceable cooking oil — most people meet it inside processed foods rather than buy it by name.

Cod liver oil

A traditional supplement, not a cooking oil: it supplies EPA/DHA omega-3 plus naturally high vitamin A and D. That combination is its strength and its catch — because of the vitamin A, don't exceed the label dose, and take care in pregnancy (too much preformed vitamin A can harm the fetus) and alongside other A/D supplements.

Wheat germ oil

Notable as the richest natural source of vitamin E. Highly polyunsaturated and very heat- and air-sensitive, so it's a cold, nutritional oil (a spoon in a dressing) or a supplement — never for cooking. Keep refrigerated.

Lard (pork fat) & "ister"

Rendered pork fat. Often assumed to be "pure saturated," but it's actually more monounsaturated than saturated (lots of oleic acid). Its high smoke point and flavour make it good for frying and traditional baking. Still an animal fat to use in moderation — but not the villain it's sometimes painted as.