Vegetable oil vs. Sunflower oil — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison

Macronutrients and Calories

Blended vegetable oil and sunflower oil are 100% fats; therefore, they are absent in proteins, carbohydrates, and water.

Macronutrient Comparison

Macronutrient breakdown side-by-side comparison

Vegetable oil

0

Protein: 0 g

Fats: 100 g

Carbs: 0 g

Water: 0 g

Other: 0 g

Sunflower 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

Fats

Both oils have similar fat contents, being the richest in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated or “good” fatty acids and the lowest in saturated or “bad” fatty acids.

Blended vegetable (corn, peanut, and olive) oil contains 48% monounsaturated, 33% polyunsaturated, and 14.4% saturated fatty acids. When we look at the mixed oil components separately, we see that corn oil predominantly contains polyunsaturated fatty acids, whereas olive and peanut oils provide monounsaturated fatty acids.

Partially hydrogenated linoleic sunflower oil contains 46.2% monounsaturated, 36.4% polyunsaturated, and 13% saturated fatty acids. In contrast, high-oleic sunflower oil contains 83.7% of monounsaturated fatty acids.

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

Sunflower oil

2

Saturated fat: Sat. Fat 13 g

Monounsaturated fat: Mono. Fat 46.2 g

Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 36.4 g

Contains more Poly. FatPolyunsaturated fat

+10.2%

~equal in Saturated fat ~13g

~equal in Monounsaturated fat ~46.2g

Vitamins

Vegetable oil and sunflower oil are high in fat-soluble vitamins K and E and absent in other vitamins.

Blended vegetable oil is almost 4 times richer in vitamin K, whereas sunflower oil is almost 3 times richer in vitamin E.

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

2

100 g 300 g 1 teaspoon - 4.5g1 tablespoon - 14g

Sunflower oil

1

100 g 300 g 1 tsp - 4.5g1 tbsp - 13.6g1 cup - 218g

Contains more Vitamin KVitamin K	+288.9%
Contains more CholineCholine	+∞%

Contains more Vitamin EVitamin E

+177.9%

~equal in Vitamin C ~0mg

~equal in Vitamin A ~0µg

~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

Minerals

The oils are absent in minerals as well; however, vegetable oil contains insignificant levels of iron, zinc, and choline.

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

100 g 300 g 1 teaspoon - 4.5g1 tablespoon - 14g

Sunflower oil

0

100 g 300 g 1 tsp - 4.5g1 tbsp - 13.6g1 cup - 218g

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 ~0mg

~equal in Selenium ~0µg

Glycemic Index

The glycemic index values of vegetable and sunflower oil are 0, as they are absent in carbohydrates.

Acidity

The PRAL or potential renal acid load value of vegetable and sunflower oil is 0, making them neutral. The PRAL value shows how much acid or base the given food produces in the organism.

Cardiovascular Health

Section reviewed by cardiologist Astghik Grigoryan

Most vegetable oils are high in unsaturated or “good” fats and low in saturated or “bad” fats, positively impacting heart health.

Replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats lowers low-density lipoprotein or “bad” cholesterol levels, the primary cause of atherosclerosis. Replacement of saturated fats decreases blood triglyceride levels, which is known to be a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (1).

The AHA (American Health Association) recommends replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats, as they are associated with lower rates of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality. 

Polyunsaturated fats from vegetable oils (such as linoleic sunflower oil) show a somewhat more beneficial impact on the heart than monounsaturated fats (such as high-oleic sunflower oil).

AHA recommendation does not include trans fats, as they are the unhealthiest fats and should be avoided when possible (1).

Trans fats are found in meats, dairy products, margarine, ice cream, and partially hydrogenated vegetable oils. They increase cholesterol levels in moderation, increasing coronary heart disease and overall cardiovascular disease risks (2).

Diabetes

According to several studies, certain vegetable oils (especially canola, soybean, and extra virgin olive oils) are beneficial for diabetic patients. However, there is some uncertainty or controversy regarding corn, sunflower, and safflower oils being safe for diabetic patients.

The beneficial impact of oils refers to oils rich in unsaturated fats but not partially hydrogenated fats, as they contain harmful trans fats (3).

According to another study, vegetable oils effectively reduce complications or side effects of diabetes, such as increased blood sugar and fat levels and kidney damage (4).

Nevertheless, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis of 83 randomized controlled trials, increasing omega-3 (flaxseed oil), omega-6 (linoleic sunflower, corn, cottonseed, grape seed, walnut oil), or total polyunsaturated fatty acids has little to no effect on the likelihood of diabetes diagnosis and glucose metabolism measures (5).

Partially hydrogenated oils containing trans fats increase type 2 diabetes risks. As trans fats naturally accrue, entirely avoiding them is almost impossible; therefore, the AHA recommends consuming a maximum of 2g of trans fats daily (6).

Cancer

Experimental and epidemiological data demonstrate that high-fat diets increase the risk of breast, colon, pancreas, and intestinal cancers. Dietary polyunsaturated oils promote tumorigenesis and stimulate tumor growth more effectively than saturated fats (7,8).

According to a study, soybean and blended vegetable oils with soybean (with an increased level of monounsaturated fats) may protect against breast and prostate cancers due to their antioxidant properties (9).

Human data show controversial results regarding the intake of one or another type of fats, which may be due to host genetics, drug intake, possible measurement error, and other factors. Further studies are needed (10).

Higher intake of trans fats has been shown to increase prostate and colorectal cancer risks as well (6, 11).