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Oils rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats can lower LDL cholesterol.
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Extra-virgin olive oil, avocado oil, canola oil, soybean oil, and walnut oil are heart-healthy options with different uses.
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Limiting saturated and trans fats, avoiding partially hydrogenated oils, and not overheating oils can help protect cholesterol levels.
Coconut, olive, canola, palm oil: With so many oil options available, it can be hard to know which to reach for.
The oil you choose for cooking can make a big difference in your cholesterol levels and heart health. Swapping oils high in saturated fats for those rich in unsaturated fats can help lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol.
1. Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is rich in monounsaturated fats that help support healthy cholesterol levels.Credit: al62 / Getty Images
Extra-virgin olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fats that promote heart health. “Oils rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats can help increase high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol while lowering LDL cholesterol,” cardiologist Brett Sealove, MD, FACC, FAHA, told HEALTH.
It also contains antioxidant polyphenols that help protect blood vessels and reduce inflammation. These compounds may also help prevent the oil from breaking down when heated.
Despite common belief, extra-virgin olive oil can be used for most home cooking. Typical stovetop temperatures fall within its smoke point range of about 350-410 degrees Fahrenheit.
Best uses:
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Drizzling over vegetables
2. Avocado Oil
Swapping saturated fats for avocado oil can help improve cholesterol levels.Credit: fcafotodigital / Getty Images
Like olive oil, avocado oil contains heart-healthy monounsaturated fats that support cholesterol balance and reduce LDL levels. Its mild flavor and high smoke point make it one of the most versatile heart-healthy oils.
“Oils with higher smoke points help prevent oxidation and the formation of harmful byproducts during cooking,” Michelle Routhenstein, MS, RD, CDCES, CDN, a preventive cardiology dietitian, told HEALTH.
With a smoke point of up to about 520 degrees Fahrenheit, avocado oil is a reliable option for higher-heat cooking.
Best uses:
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Grilling and high-heat cooking
3. Canola Oil
Canola oil is low in saturated fats and may help improve LDL cholesterol levels.Credit: Diy13 / Getty Images
Canola oil is low in saturated fat and contains a mix of monounsaturated fats and plant-based omega-3 fats that support heart health.
Research shows that replacing saturated fats with oils like canola may help reduce LDL cholesterol and the risk of heart disease. Sealove recommends versatile oils like canola for everyday cooking because of their neutral flavor and moderate smoke point.
Best uses:
4. Soybean Oil
Soybean oil offers unsaturated fats that can help lower LDL cholesterol levels.Credit: fcafotodigital / Getty Images
Soybean oil is one of the most affordable and widely used cooking oils. It contains polyunsaturated fats along with alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a plant-based omega-3 fat.
“Soybean oil is one of the few commonly used and affordable oils that contains a significant amount of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), an essential fatty acid that can be converted to heart-healthy, omega-3 fatty acids in the body,” Joan Salge Blake, EdD, RDN, LDN, FAND, a dietitian and nutrition professor at Boston University, told HEALTH.
Evidence suggests that consuming about 1.5 tablespoons of soybean oil daily may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.
Best uses:
5. Walnut Oil
Walnut oil is a source of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.Credit: alvarez / Getty Images
Walnut oil provides alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), an omega-3 fatty acid that supports heart health. Some studies suggest it may help lower inflammation and could offer protective effects against certain cancers.
Because walnut oil oxidizes easily when heated, it’s best used in cold or low-heat applications.
Best uses:
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Drizzling over cooked vegetables
How Do Cooking Oils Affect Your Cholesterol?
The type of fat in cooking oil can play a key role in cholesterol levels and heart health.
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Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats help lower LDL cholesterol
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Omega-3 fats support heart health and reduce inflammation
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Saturated fats can raise LDL cholesterol
“Saturated fats and trans fats have the opposite effect of healthy oils, raising LDL cholesterol and, in the case of trans fats, lowering protective HDL,” Sealove said.
Which Oils Should You Limit for Your Cholesterol?
Some oils may raise LDL cholesterol when used frequently because they are high in saturated or trans fats:
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Partially hydrogenated oils (trans fats)
What Common Mistakes Should You Watch For?
According to Salge Blake, one common misconception is that all plant-based oils are heart-healthy. “They are not. Coconut oil has the highest percentage of artery-clogging saturated fat, as compared to other oils, even though it is sometimes touted on social media for being good for you,” she said.
The American Heart Association recommends limiting saturated fat to about 13 grams per day; one tablespoon of coconut oil contains just over 11 grams.
Sealove said another mistake is using the same oil for every cooking method without considering its smoke point. He explained that unrefined oils like extra-virgin olive oil are best for dressings and finishing, while refined oils are better suited for high-heat cooking.
“Using one oil for every cooking method or overheating it beyond its smoke point can destroy nutrients and create harmful compounds,” Sealove said. “Storing oil in places with too much light or heat can also degrade its quality and health benefits,” he added.
For everyday cooking, Sealove recommends choosing oils with less than 4 grams of saturated fat per tablespoon and avoiding partially hydrogenated oils. Keeping a few healthy oils on hand helps match cooking methods and flavor needs.
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