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Food Summaries
Edible Oils

Vegetable Oils Summary

Cooking Oil Characteristics
by Vaughn Aubuchon

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The following list summarizes selected common edible vegetable oils. Eating cooking oils high in mono-unsaturated oils and poly-unsaturated oils can reduce cholesterol.

The oils are listed by melting point, on both Farenheit and Centigrade scales. Rule of thumb: The lower the melting point, the healthier the oil. Those individuals who want to reduce their cholesterol should try to eat cooking oils high on the list, and avoid those fats at the bottom of the list.



.
 Vegetable Oils Chart
 Table of Characteristics

Oil
Total
Sat.
Mono
PUFAs
Poly Unsaturated Fatty Acids
Melting Point
ºF . . . . . ºC
Sum of
Total
Fat
%
Sat-
urated
Fat
%
Mono
Un-
satur-
ated
Oleic Acid
(Om-9)

%
Total
Poly
Un-
satur-
ated

%
Alpha
Lino-
lenic
(LNA)
(Om-3)

%
Lino-
leic
(LA)
(Om-6)

%
Ratio
LA/ LNA
(ideal=
3:1)

.
COOKING OILS (good)
(LIQUID at room temperature)

Fish Oil
99
25
24
50

30

20
0.7
 -47ºF
 -44ºC

Cottonseed Oil

100
28
18
54
7
47
7
-55ºF
-48ºC

Olive Oil

98
11

79

8
1
7
7
-42ºF
-41ºC

Flaxseed Oil

100
8
21

71

57

14
0.2
-11ºF
-24ºC

Walnut Oil

100
8
22

70

12

58
5

 -

 -

Hempseed Oil

85
9
13
63
5
58
10
18ºF
-8ºC

Almond Oil

100
8

73

19

-

-

-

-

-

Grapeseed Oil

100
14

57

29
0
29
100 - 1
14ºF
10ºC

Canola Oil

100
7

58

35
14*
21
1.5
14ºF
10ºC

Safflower Oil

100
8
14

78

0
78
100 - 1
2ºF
-17ºC

Sunflower Oil

100
11
20
69
0
69
100 - 1
2ºF
-17ºC

Soybean Oil

100
15
24
61
7*
54
8
-5ºF
-21ºC

Corn Oil

100
14
25
61
1
60
60
12ºF
-11ºC

Peanut Oil

100
18
48
34
0
34
100 - 1
28ºF
-2ºC

.
COOKING FATS (bad)
(SOLID at room temperature)

Coconut Oil

100

92

6
2
0
2
100 - 1
75ºF
24ºC

Palm Kernal Oil

100

86

12
2
0
2
100 - 1
75ºF
24ºC

Lard

100
41
47
12
1
11
11
92ºF
33ºC

Butter fat

100

66

30
4
2
2
1
95ºF
35ºC

Palm Oil

100
52
38
10

-

-

-

95ºF
35ºC

-

Human Body Temperature
Fats above this melting point remain SOLID within the body.

98.6ºF
37ºC

Frying fat

100
 50
 45
5
 0
 5
100 - 1
105ºF
41°C

Shortening
(fully hydrogenated)

100
 -
 -
-
0
0
 -
115ºF
 46°C

-

Avoid
as much
as possible
Monos
reduce
LDL

Don't get
enough
*des-
troyed
in pro-
cessing
Already
get too much from soy
-

130 - 670

60

60

60

60

60

60

60

60

60


Do NOT eat foods containing -

"Trans-Fatty Acids" (TFAs).
OR
"Partially-Hydrogenated" oils.
OR
"Hydrogenated" Oils.

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This Vaughns Vegetable Cooking Oil
Summary was last updated on 2019-01-12.