Learn how to choose heart-healthy oils for home cooking and support your heart with every meal.
Key Takeaways:
The type of oil you use when cooking at home can affect your heart health more than you might think. Some oils are full of healthy fats that support your heart and help lower the risk of heart disease. Others contain fats that can raise cholesterol and increase that risk. That’s why understanding how cooking oils impact your heart is so important.
Since most home cooks use oil every day—whether for sautéing, baking, or roasting—choosing the right one can make a big difference over time. Heart-healthy oils are an easy way to improve your meals without changing your favorite recipes.
These days, more people are interested in plant-based oils and healthy fats. Oils like olive, avocado, and even algae oil are gaining attention for their health benefits. In this guide, we’ll explore how fats affect heart health, what to look for in a good cooking oil, and the best choices to keep in your kitchen.
Fats are an important part of your diet, but not all fats are created equal. Saturated fats are found in red meat, butter, and full-fat dairy. Eating too much of them can raise your LDL (bad) cholesterol, which may increase your risk of heart disease ❶. Unsaturated fats, found in olive oil, nuts, seeds, and fish, are much better for your heart. Then there are trans fats, often found in fried or packaged foods, which are harmful because they raise bad cholesterol and lower HDL (good) cholesterol.
Healthy fats — especially monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats—can help protect your heart. These fats can lower bad cholesterol levels and may also reduce inflammation. When inflammation happens too often or for too long, it can harm your heart and blood vessels.
Choosing healthy fats in your daily meals is a smart way to support long-term heart health.
For heart-healthy cooking, look for oils that have more good fats (like monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats), less saturated fat, include omega fatty acids, and are as natural as possible. These kinds of oils are better for your body and still work well in your favorite recipes.
Oils high in monounsaturated fats are especially good for your heart because they help lower LDL, or “bad” cholesterol, which can clog your arteries. These fats also help raise HDL, the “good” cholesterol that helps remove bad cholesterol from your body ❷.
Along with polyunsaturated fats, monounsaturated fats keep your blood vessels flexible and healthy, improving blood flow. Plus, some polyunsaturated fats like omega-3s reduce inflammation, which can damage your heart over time.
Saturated fats can cause your blood vessels to become clogged with fatty deposits. This limits blood flow and raises the risk of heart disease. Using cooking oils low in saturated fat means you’re less likely to have these problems and helps your heart stay healthy ❸.
Related: Cooking Oils Low in Saturated: A Detailed Guide
Oils rich in omega fatty acids are great for your heart because they can help lower blood pressure and reduce triglycerides — which are a type of fat found in your blood. Having too many triglycerides can raise your risk of heart disease.
Research shows that omega-3 fatty acids, a kind of polyunsaturated fat found in some oils, can relax blood vessels and improve blood flow, which helps lower blood pressure. Omega-3s also help reduce triglyceride levels, making your blood less likely to thicken and form clots that could block your arteries ❹.
In addition to omega-3s, some oils contain omega-9 fatty acids, which are a type of monounsaturated fat. Omega-9 fats do more than just help your cholesterol — they also have different effects that can lower inflammation, improve your lipid profile, support your heart, and even help protect against some cancers ❺.
Choosing oils that are minimally processed means they go through fewer steps and less heat during production. This helps keep more of the natural nutrients and healthy compounds in the oil, like antioxidants and vitamins. Highly processed oils often lose these benefits and may include added chemicals.
Using oils that are closer to their natural form can give you more heart-healthy nutrients and better flavor for cooking.
Let’s look at some of the best heart-healthy oils you can use at home. These oils are packed with healthy fats and offer unique benefits.
Algae cooking oil is a newer, plant-based oil made from algae, a type of aquatic plant. It stands out because it has about 25% more omega-9 fatty acids and 75% less saturated fat compared to olive and avocado oils.
Algae oil also has a neutral taste, so it won’t change the flavor of your food. It has a very high smoke point of 535°F, which means it can be heated to high temperatures without burning or breaking down into harmful compounds. Plus, it’s very versatile, so you can use it for frying, baking, or salad dressings.
Olive oil is one of the most popular heart-healthy oils and is a staple of the Mediterranean diet. It’s rich in monounsaturated fats and contains antioxidants that protect your heart by reducing inflammation.
While extra virgin olive oil has a stronger flavor and is best for dressings or low-heat cooking, regular olive oil has a higher smoke point suitable for everyday cooking.
Related: The Best Olive Oil Substitute and Other Alternatives
Avocado oil comes from the fruit of the avocado and is another great source of monounsaturated fats. It also contains vitamins like E and antioxidants that promote heart health. Some research also suggests that avocado oil may help your body absorb more nutrients—like carotenoids—from vegetables when cooked together ❻.
Related: The Best Avocado Oil Substitute and Other Alternatives
Canola oil is often seen as a heart-healthy choice because it’s low in saturated fat and contains omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. But there are some concerns you should know about — especially when it comes to how it’s made.
Most canola oil is made using a process that involves high heat and chemical solvents. This method helps get more oil out of the seeds, but it also exposes the oil’s delicate fats to heat, light, and air. This can cause oxidation, which means the fats start to break down and lose their health benefits even before the oil gets bottled ❼.
Also, during this process, some of the polyunsaturated fats — especially omega-3s and omega-6s — can turn into trans fats, which are harmful to your heart. While food labels can still say “0 grams trans fat” if the amount is less than 0.5 grams per serving, small amounts may still be there.
So, while canola oil has some healthy qualities, the way it’s processed may reduce its heart benefits. If you’re looking for a more natural option, oils like algae, olive, or avocado oil may be a better choice.
Using heart-healthy oils is a great step, but how you cook with them matters too. Here are some simple tips to help you get the most out of these oils:
While olive and avocado oils have long been kitchen favorites for heart health, algae cooking oil is quickly earning its place among the best — and for good reason. It contains more omega-9 fats and less saturated fat than both olive and avocado oil. It’s also ultra-versatile, with a clean, neutral flavor and an exceptionally high smoke point of 535°F.
But algae oil’s benefits go beyond the plate. Because it's grown sustainably from microalgae, it’s an eco-friendly alternative that uses fewer natural resources than many traditional oil crops.
If you're looking to simplify your pantry and elevate your meals with one go-to oil, consider switching to chef-grade algae oil from Algae Cooking Club. Designed for flavor, function, and wellness, it's a smart choice for home cooks who care about what they eat and how it's made.
Your heart, your taste buds, and the planet will thank you.
Tiffany Joy Yamut is a registered nurse with a focus on health and wellness. With over 10 years of writing experience, she combines her expertise in diet and nutrition coaching to help others adopt healthier lifestyles through balanced eating habits. A foodie at heart, Tiffany believes that food is essential to feeling your best.
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