Olive oil is one food often recognized as a healthy Mediterranean diet staple—and for good reason.Olive oil has numerous benefits, like supporting heart health and reducing inflammation. But it’s not the only oil worth using—there are many other healthy, delicious options that are staples in cuisines across the globe. Find out what makes for a healthy oil, plus four dietitian-approved picks to add to your weekly rotation.

Ali Redmond (photography, food & prop styling)

various oils and the foods they come from

What Makes for a Healthy Oil?

There are many cooking oils on grocery store shelves nowadays, and it can be hard to decipher what to buy. A healthy oil is one that has a good balance of saturated and unsaturated fats. Olive oil, avocado oil, sesame oil, peanut oil and canola oil are examples of such healthy oils. Saturated fats aren’t bad in principle, but modern diets tend to include too much saturated fat and not enough unsaturated fat. While saturated fats are mainly found in animal products, like meat and cheese, they also naturally occur in plant-based foods.

Incorporating more unsaturated fats—monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats in particular—in your diet comes with benefits. They’ve been shown tobenefit heart health and gut health and decrease inflammationthroughout the body. These healthy fats are often found in plant-based oils, including some of the ones on this list, as well as foods like avocado, trout, salmon, nuts and seeds.

Something to note is that not all cooking oils can be used in the same way. Some have a lower smoke point, which refers to the temperature at which oils begin burning, making them better for low-temperature cooking and for use in cold dishes, like in avinaigrette. Others have a high smoke point, making them better for high-heat applications, like frying. Choose a cooking oil that offers versatility so it can be used in many ways—like some of the examples below.

For reference, a 1-tablespoon serving ofolive oilprovides:

Here are four comparable cooking oils with a similar nutrition profile to olive oil that you can include in your kitchen.

4 Healthy Oils to Eat Every Week

Avocado Oil

A 1-tablespoon serving ofavocado oiloffers:

Avocados are native to Central America, with their popularity now spread globally. Aside from Mexico and other Central American countries, you can find different avocado varieties grown in the U.S., New Zealand and more. Extracted from the avocado fruit,avocado oilhas a high smoke point suitable for high-heat cooking like searing and browning but also works well in salads and condiments. Unrefined avocado oil offers a rich and nutty flavor. Try it in ourQuinoa Avocado Saladand Parmesan-Crusted Cod with Tartar Sauce.

While avocado oil has a lower amount of vitamin E (a type of monounsaturated fat) than olive oil, it is still a good source of antioxidant nutrients, like tyrosol and hydroxytyrosol, that may offer health-protective benefits, per a 2019 article inMolecules. Smaller research studies have been conducted to determine the effects of avocado oil on heart health. One study published in 2017 in theJournal of Functional Foodsnoted that participants who replaced butter with avocado oil in a meal had lowered LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels (two markers of heart health).

Sesame Oil

A 1-tablespoon serving ofsesame oilprovides:

Sesame oil is commonly used in East Asian and South Indian cooking. The oil comes in two forms: neutral and toasted. Neutral sesame oil is made with raw seeds, perfect for high-heat cooking. Toasted sesame oil is made from seeds that are toasted before the oil is extracted, offering a rich aroma and flavor—the darker the oil, the stronger its flavor and aroma.

There is growing research into sesame seeds as a functional food offering potential anti-inflammatory and antioxidative effects, mainly due to three compounds—sesamin, sesamol and sesamolin. Specifically, according to a 2020 article in theSaudi Pharmaceutical Journal,sesamin has been noted to inhibit the formation of pro-inflammatory compounds, and sesamol may be linked to lowering LDL levels while retaining HDL levels, thus benefiting heart health, per a 2023 review inMolecules. The third compound, sesamolin, may help reduce the risk of certain types of cancer, according to a 2021 review inMolecules. However, more research is needed to confirm these specific health benefits of sesame seeds.

Sesame oil is also fantastic for medium-heat cooking methods, such as sautéing, stir-frying and baking. Light sesame oil is an excellent choice if you are looking for a neutral-flavor oil. The flavor and aroma of toasted sesame oil are amplified, making it perfectly suited for ourSesame Kohlrabi & Chicken Salador stir-fries, like ourSautéed Spinach with Toasted Sesame Oiland Spaghetti Squash & Pork Stir-Fry. Toasted sesame oil also brings a perfect added touch to noodle dishes, such as our Slow-Cooker Shrimp Noodle Bowls. A small portion of toasted sesame oil goes a long way, amplifying the flavors of sauces and dressings, like ourHoisin-Sesame Dressingand Ginger-Sesame Vinaigrette, and salads and poke bowls, such as our Tofu, Snow Pea & Carrot Wild Rice Salad andSalmon & Avocado Poke Bowl.

Peanut Oil

A 1-tablespoon serving ofpeanut oilprovides:

Peanut oil is known for its high vitamin E content, which protects the body’s cells from damaging free radicals that could contribute to heart disease and certain types of cancer, per a 2021 article inAgriculture. This high-smoke point cooking oil is commonly used in traditional cuisines of Southeast Asia, West Africa and the American South. According to 2020 research published inLWT - Food Science and Technology, peanut oil also offers comparable amounts of unsaturated fats to olive oil, making it a heart-healthy choice. With the wide varieties of peanut oil available, your best bet is to go for the unrefined oil that has retained its natural flavor, aroma and nutrients.

Peanut oil extracted from raw peanuts is well-suited for medium- to high-heat cooking with its high smoke point and neutral taste. Like toasted sesame oil, roasted peanut oil has a peanutty flavor and aroma. It goes well with sautés, like ourPad Thairecipe. Drizzle it over our Carrot-Peanut Noodle Salad, make dips like our Thai Chile-Curry Dip or use it in sauces,dressingsand marinades.

Canola Oil

A 1-tablespoon serving ofcanola oilcontains:

The Bottom Line

You can apply the principles of the Mediterranean diet to any type of cuisine, and oils are an excellent ingredient to start with. Cooking oils like avocado, sesame, peanut and canola offer similar nutritional value and potential health benefits to olive oil. Whether you use these cooking oils every day or swap them occasionally for olive oil, they’re healthy ingredients that make it easy to incorporate the principles of the Mediterranean diet into your lifestyle.

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