Olive oil vs. Hazelnut oil — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison

Introduction

Hazelnut oil is an edible oil obtained from nut kernels. It is mainly produced in Turkey, followed by Italy, Azerbaijan, the US, and China. Olive oil is a famous and globally consumed oil extracted from the fruit of olive trees. It is popular in Mediterranean cuisine. Olive oil is produced in Spain, Italy, France, Turkey, and other countries.

Due to similar lipid profiles, the oils are frequently compared, and hazelnut oil is sometimes used to stretch olive oil. 

This article will focus on nutritional differences, smoking points, and health effects of hazelnut oil and olive oil.

Types & Uses

Olive oil has several popular types: 

• Extra-virgin olive oil is best suited for seasoning and salads; it has a rich and fruity taste.
• Virgin olive oil has a milder taste and can be used for baking, sautéing, and adding to salads.
• Refined olive oil has a neutral taste and is used for cooking at high temperatures.
• Pomace or second-pressing olive oil IS extracted from the residual pulp and is often used for industrial cooking.

Hazelnut oil also has several types:

• Refined hazelnut oil has a mild flavor and is used for baking, frying, sautéing, and industrial cooking, such as the production of chocolate and confectionery products.
• Unrefined hazelnut oil suits for low-heat applications, such as salad dressings and drizzling.
• Cold-pressed hazelnut oil has a rich and nutty taste and is ideal for salad dressing and drizzling.

Olive oil has a shelf life of 18-24 months, whereas hazelnut oil has a shelf life of up to a year.

Smoke Point & Deep Frying

The smoke point of oils shows their resistance to heat or at which temperature the fats start burning and breaking down to glycerol and free fatty acids, leading to a foul smell or taste. Higher smoke point oils have better thermal stability and are safe for high-heat cooking methods, such as deep frying, stir-frying, grilling, and sautéing, whereas low smoke point oils are better for salad dressings.

According to the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS USDA), the smoke point of olive oil is approximately 410°F (210°C) (1). The smoke point of hazelnut oil is suggested to be 430°F (221°C); however, no studies are available to confirm the claim.

Other oils with high smoking points are peanut oil, canola oil, soybean oil, grapeseed oil, corn oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, and vegetable oil.

Nutrition

The nutritional values in this article are presented for 100g of hazelnut oil and olive oil (used for salads and cooking). As the average serving size of oils per person is 1 tbsp, equal to 13.5g, they will also be mentioned.

Macronutrient Comparison

Macronutrient breakdown side-by-side comparison

Olive oil

0

Protein: 0 g

Fats: 100 g

Carbs: 0 g

Water: 0 g

Other: 0 g

Hazelnut oil

0

Protein: 0 g

Fats: 100 g

Carbs: 0 g

Water: 0 g

Other: 0 g

~equal in Protein ~0g

~equal in Fats ~100g

~equal in Carbs ~0g

~equal in Water ~0g

~equal in Other ~0g

Macronutrients & Calories

Calories

Hazelnut oil and olive oil provide 884g calories per 100g of the product and 120 calories per 1 tbsp serving.

Fats

Hazelnut and olive oils comprise 100% fats, with the predominant type of fat being monounsaturated fatty acids (mainly oleic acid). Hazelnut oil is richer in monounsaturated fats, almost equal in polyunsaturated fats, and lower in saturated fats than olive oil.

Hazelnut oil contains 78g of monounsaturated fatty acids, followed by 10.2g of polyunsaturated fatty acids and 7.4g of saturated fatty acids. On the other hand, olive oil contains 73g of monounsaturated fatty acids, followed by 13.8g of saturated fatty acids and 10.5g of polyunsaturated fatty acids.

The USDA FDC doesn’t specify the remaining fat types.

Fat Type Comparison

Fat type breakdown side-by-side comparison

Olive oil

1

Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 13.808 g

Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 72.961 g

Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 10.523 g

Hazelnut oil

2

Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 7.4 g

Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 78 g

Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 10.2 g

Contains less Sat. FatSaturated Fat

-46.4%

~equal in Monounsaturated Fat ~78g

~equal in Polyunsaturated fat ~10.2g

Extra virgin olive oil contains 69.2g of monounsaturated fats, 15.4g of saturated, and 9g of polyunsaturated fats (2).

Fats are essential for our bodies. They are energy sources and cell membrane constituents. They also participate in metabolism and regulate the synthesis of lipid mediators, signaling pathways, gene expression, and more (3).

Additionally, both oils are great sources of plant sterols, such as stigmasterol and beta-sitosterol, with health-promoting properties.

Protein & Carbohydrates

Hazelnut and olive oils are naturally absent in protein and carbs.

Vitamins

Oils are absent in water-soluble vitamins C and B complex and contain one or several of the fat-soluble vitamins.

Hazelnut oil is 3.3 times richer in vitamin E than olive oil. Hazelnut oil contains 47.2mg of vitamin E per 100g and 6.42mg per 1 tbsp serving, while olive oil contains 14.35g per 100mg and 1.94mg per 1 tbsp serving.

Olive oil also contains 60.2mcg of vitamin K per 100g, whereas USDA FDC provides no information about hazelnut oil’s vitamin K content.

According to the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans’ recommended values, 1 tbsp of hazelnut oil and olive oil cover the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of vitamin E by 42% and 13%, respectively. 1 tbsp of olive oil covers the RDA of vitamin K by 10% for adult men and 6.8% for women (4).

Vitamin Comparison

Vitamin comparison score is based on the number of vitamins by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.

Olive oil

2

Hazelnut oil

1

Contains more Vitamin KVitamin K	+∞%
Contains more CholineCholine	+∞%

Contains more Vitamin EVitamin E

+228.9%

~equal in Vitamin C ~0mg

~equal in Vitamin A ~0IU

~equal in Vitamin D ~µg

~equal in Vitamin B1 ~0mg

~equal in Vitamin B2 ~0mg

~equal in Vitamin B3 ~0mg

~equal in Vitamin B5 ~0mg

~equal in Vitamin B6 ~0mg

~equal in Vitamin B12 ~0µg

~equal in Folate ~0µg

Vitamin E has strong antioxidant activities, protecting our cells and tissues against damage from free radicals. Vitamin K is required for blood clotting, bone metabolism, and cardiovascular health.

Health Impact

Hazelnut and olive oils are rich in unsaturated fats, vitamin E, plant sterols, and other phytochemicals with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. When incorporated into a healthy and balanced diet, they can benefit health.

References

1. https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/deep-fat-frying 
2. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/748608/nutrients 
3. https://aspenjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1177/0148607115595980 
4. https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2020-12/Dietary_Guidelines_for_Americans_2020-2025.pdf 
5. https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/15/11/2421# 
6. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15502349/ 
7. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6770627/ 
8. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9623257/# 
9. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34872046/ 
10. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8751986/ 
11. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10856527/ 
12. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2818362