Vegetable oil vs. Corn oil — Health Impact and Nutrition 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

Fat type breakdown side-by-side comparison

Vegetable oil

1

Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 14.367 g

Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 48.033 g

Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 33.033 g

Corn oil

2

Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 12.948 g

Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 27.576 g

Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 54.677 g

Contains more Mono. FatMonounsaturated Fat

+74.2%

Contains more Poly. FatPolyunsaturated fat

+65.5%

~equal in Saturated Fat ~12.948g

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

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.

Vegetable oil

1

Corn oil

0

Contains more Vitamin KVitamin K

+1005.3%

~equal in Vitamin C ~0mg

~equal in Vitamin A ~0IU

~equal in Vitamin E ~14.3mg

~equal in Vitamin D ~0µg

~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

~equal in Choline ~0.2mg

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

Mineral comparison score is based on the number of minerals 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.

Vegetable oil

2

Corn oil

0

Contains more IronIron	+∞%
Contains more ZincZinc	+∞%

~equal in Magnesium ~0mg

~equal in Calcium ~0mg

~equal in Potassium ~0mg

~equal in Copper ~0mg

~equal in Phosphorus ~0mg

~equal in Sodium ~0mg

~equal in Manganese ~mg

~equal in Selenium ~0µg

Glycemic Index

Corn and vegetable oils have glycemic index scores of zero because they contain no carbohydrates. 

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).