Corn oil vs. Vegetable oil — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison
Summary
Corn and vegetable oils are nearly 100% fat and contain no protein or carbohydrates. Corn oil has slightly more calories per 100g than vegetable oil, with 900 kcal versus 884 kcal. Corn oil is higher in polyunsaturated fats, while vegetable oil is richer in monounsaturated fats.
Both are cholesterol-free and are not good sources of vitamins or minerals, though vegetable oil contains more vitamin K and small amounts of iron and zinc. Both oils have a glycemic index of zero.
Table of contents
Introduction
This article compares corn and vegetable oil's nutritional value and health benefits.
Appearance
Corn oil is golden-yellow and has a faintly sweet, earthy aroma, which makes it appealing in some light dressings or recipes.
Vegetable oil tends to be pale yellow with almost no scent.
Corn oil is often used for frying due to its higher smoke point (about 450°F/232°C) and subtle taste that doesn’t overpower dishes.
Vegetable oil smoke point (around 400°F/204°C) is slightly lower than corn oil.
Taste and Use
Corn oil has a slight natural sweetness and can enhance dishes with a mild nuttiness. Vegetable oil, on the other hand, has a completely neutral flavor, making it ideal for recipes in which the oil's flavor is not discernible.
Corn oil, with its higher smoke point, is perfect for high-heat cooking. Its sweet flavor makes it ideal for baking, salad dressing, and sauces. Corn oil is commonly used in processed foods like margarine and snack foods, whereas vegetable oil is more versatile due to its neutral flavor and wide availability. You can use vegetable oil in frying, baking, sautéing, and general-purpose cooking. It works well in recipes where you want the oil to be unnoticeable. You can use vegetable oil in salad dressings and marinades.
Ingredients
Corn oil is derived from the germ of corn kernels, a small, nutrient-dense part of the kernel.
Vegetable oil is often a blend of several oils, typically soybean, canola, sunflower, peanut, or palm oil.
Nutrition
In this part of the article, we will discuss the nutritional information of corn oil and vegetable oil, concentrating on differences.
Macronutrients and Calories
Corn and vegetable oils are almost entirely fat-based and include no other macronutrients.
Macronutrient Comparison
Calories
Compared to vegetable oil, corn oil has more calories per hundred grams. A hundred grams of vegetable oil has 884 calories, whereas corn oil has 900 calories.
One average serving size of corn oil is one tablespoon, equal to 13.6g, and provides 122 kcal. One tablespoon of vegetable oil is about 14g and has 124 kcal.
Protein and Carbohydrates
Corn oil and vegetable oil do not contain carbs and protein.
Fats
Corn and vegetable oils are made up entirely of fats.
Vegetable oil is high in monounsaturated fats, whereas corn oil has more polyunsaturated fats. They are equal in saturated fats.
In a 100-gram serving, corn and vegetable oil provide 28g and 48g of monounsaturated fats, respectively. A hundred grams of corn oil provides 56g of polyunsaturated fats, whereas vegetable oil contains 33g of polyunsaturated fats.
Vegetable oil contains 33 grams of omega-6 fatty acids. In comparison, corn oil has a higher amount, with 55 grams of omega-6 and a small amount of omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) at 1.2 grams.
Corn oil and vegetable oil are cholesterol-free.
Fat Type Comparison
Contains
less
Sat. FatSaturated Fat
-9.9%
Contains
more
Poly. FatPolyunsaturated fat
+65.5%
Contains
more
Mono. FatMonounsaturated Fat
+74.2%
Vitamins
Corn oil and vegetable oil are not good sources of vitamins. However, vegetable oil has more vitamin K than corn oil. In a 100g serving, corn and vegetable oil provide 1.9µg and 21µg of vitamin K, respectively. They also contain some amounts of vitamin E and choline.
Vitamin Comparison
Contains
more
Vitamin KVitamin K
+1005.3%
Minerals
Corn oil and vegetable oil are not good sources of minerals. Corn oil contains no minerals, whereas vegetable oil contains small amounts of iron and zinc.
Mineral Comparison
Glycemic Index
Corn and vegetable oils have glycemic index scores of zero because they contain no carbohydrates.
Health Impact
Cardiovascular Health
Phytosterols, phenolic compounds, and tocopherols in vegetable oil (VOs) may help prevent chronic diseases because of their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, and immunomodulatory effects (1).
Certain active components in vegetable oils (VOs), such as tocopherols, phytosterols, carotenoids, and phenolics, have free radical scavenging abilities that may reduce inflammation, neutralize free radicals, and prevent oxidative stress.
The study suggests that consuming nutritionally rich vegetable oils (VOs) may help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). This benefit is attributed to the high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), and phytosterols found in vegetable oil. Vegetable oil can improve the blood lipid profile, reduce LDL cholesterol levels, and lower the risk of heart disease (1).
Corn oil has a number of health benefits, including the capacity to lower cholesterol due to its high level of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). This may lower LDL cholesterol while maintaining HDL levels. It also provides small amounts of linoleic acid, which is crucial for maintaining healthy skin, cell membranes, and the immune system (2).
Diabetes
Chronic consumption of a high-fat corn oil diet in type 1 diabetic (T1DM) rats may cause significant damage to atrial cells, elevate oxidative stress, and promote mitochondria-mediated cell death, worsening heart health (3).
Vegetable oil, rich in phenolic compounds, has anti-diabetic effects in animal models of type 2 diabetes. Additionally, unsaturated fats in vegetable oils (VOs) benefit diabetes management. Vegetable oil may also lower blood glucose, reduce oxidative stress, and improve liver and kidney function in patients with type 2 diabetes, likely due to its monounsaturated fats (MUFA), tocopherols, and phytosterols (1).
Cancer
According to the study, consuming a high-corn-oil diet rich in omega-6 fats (PUFA) from an early age may raise the chance of developing breast cancer. This diet appears to increase mammary gland alterations, resulting in an imbalance in cell proliferation and apoptosis, thus generating a favorable environment for malignant transformation (4).
The study found that consuming more vegetable oil does not increase the risk of breast cancer (5).
Heating vegetable oils repeatedly promotes oxidative breakdown, resulting in polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), which can alter the body's redox equilibrium and produce reactive oxygen species. These harmful intermediates may contribute to BRCA1 gene mutations, which are associated with a higher risk of breast cancer (6).
Another study suggests that prolonged consumption of corn oil promotes the development of azoxymethane (AOM)-induced colon cancer by inhibiting p53-mediated mitochondria-dependent apoptosis, a key mechanism in tumor suppression (7).
Corn oil consumption is associated with increased body weight and pancreatic tumor development in rats, indicating that fat type and intake can significantly impact tumor incidence and survival.
According to the study, corn oil consumption may significantly increase body weight in male rats and slightly lower body weight in female rats.
Corn oil consumption in male rats may induce the incidence of pancreatic acinar cell tumors. However, it may decrease the incidence of leukemia.
In female rats, corn oil consumption may increase the incidence of pancreatic tumors but reduce the occurrence of anterior pituitary tumors (8).
Sources
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10489903/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2258533/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31398260/
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4875377/
- http://koreascience.or.kr/article/JAKO201525249375762
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33107328/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15522837/
- https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/ab
Infographic
Comparison summary table
Rich in minerals | |||
Lower in Saturated Fat | |||
Lower in Glycemic Index | |||
Lower in price | |||
Lower in Cholesterol | Equal | ||
Lower in Sugar | Equal | ||
Lower in Sodium | Equal | ||
Rich in vitamins | Equal |
All nutrients comparison - raw data values
Nutrient | Opinion | ||
Calories | 900kcal | 884kcal | |
Fats | 100g | 100g | |
Iron | 0mg | 0.13mg | |
Zinc | 0mg | 0.02mg | |
Vitamin E | 14.3mg | 14.78mg | |
Vitamin K | 1.9µg | 21µg | |
Choline | 0.2mg | 0.2mg | |
Saturated Fat | 12.948g | 14.367g | |
Monounsaturated Fat | 27.576g | 48.033g | |
Polyunsaturated fat | 54.677g | 33.033g | |
Omega-3 - ALA | 1.161g | ||
Omega-6 - Linoleic acid | 53.23g |
Which food is preferable for your diet?
Low Calories diet | ||
Low Fats diet | Equal | |
Low Carbs diet | Equal | |
Low Glycemic Index diet |
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Vitamins & Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score
Comparison summary
References
All the values for which the sources are not specified explicitly are taken from FDA’s Food Central. The exact link to the food presented on this page can be found below.
- Corn oil - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/171029/nutrients
- Vegetable oil - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/167737/nutrients
All the Daily Values are presented for males aged 31-50, for 2000-calorie diets.