Whether you’re looking for the healthiest oil for your family, deciding on the best oil for high-temperature cooking, or simply trying to learn more about various vegetable oils, you’ve likely heard about two popular options: avocado oil and grapeseed oil.
Avocado oil has recently grown in popularity and is used often by health food bloggers and influencers. However, you’ll still find plenty of recipes that call for grapeseed oil. Is one healthier or better for cooking? Will one go rancid more quickly than the other?
As a registered dietitian, I’m here to answer your questions! In this post, I’ll compare avocado oil vs. grape seed oil and discuss key considerations like nutrition content, health benefits, how well they hold up at high temperatures, rancidity and oxidation, flavor profile, and price so that you can make an informed decision when choosing between them.
Avocado oil vs. grape seed oil – a quick comparison
Avocado oil and grapeseed oil are both nutritious oils low in saturated fat and rich in polyphenols and antioxidants, especially vitamin E.
Avocado oil has a slightly grassy flavor and holds up better when cooked at very high temperatures thanks to its high levels of monounsaturated fat. Grapeseed oil has a neutral flavor and oxidizes (becomes rancid) more quickly than avocado oil since most of its fat content comes from polyunsaturated fats.
Nutrition
As you can see in the chart below, the macronutrient content of avocado oil and grapeseed oil is 100% fat. As oils, neither contains any protein, carbohydrates, or dietary fiber.
Because of this, the main difference in nutrition between these two oils lies in the types of fat they contain. Avocado oil is very similar to olive oil in that the primary type of fats it contains are monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs).
The fats in grapeseed oil, on the other hand, are predominantly made up of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Of note, neither oil is a good source of omega-3 fats, a unique type of PUFA.
Additionally, both oils are good sources of vitamin E. Grapeseed oil was a little higher in vitamin E based on the sources I reviewed. Still, it’s important to remember that levels can vary based on the oil processing technique used, the vitamin E content of the avocados or grape seeds used, and storage conditions.
Because of this variability, grapeseed oil may not always contain more vitamin E than avocado oil.
Health benefits
Now that we know how these two oils compare nutritionally, let’s discuss how this translates to their potential health benefits.
Protection against oxidative stress
Avocado and grapeseed oils are rich sources of antioxidants such as vitamin E1, polyphenols, and flavonoids.
These antioxidants protect our cells from free radicals, damaging molecules we’re regularly exposed to through environmental pollution and smoke, ultraviolet radiation from the sun, and even the metabolic reactions naturally occurring within our bodies.
This type of damage is known as oxidative stress, which is linked to many chronic health conditions like heart disease, metabolic syndrome, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and some types of cancer. More research2 is needed, however, before we can know just how beneficial these oils are for preventing or managing these conditions.
Can improve heart health
Avocado oil, in particular, may help improve heart health when used in place of butter.
By replacing the saturated fats found in butter with the MUFAs in avocado oil3 over 6 days, study participants had improvements in multiple markers of cardiovascular health, including total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides.
Notably, they also had less inflammation and improved blood sugar levels.
These oils may also help normalize blood pressure levels thanks to their vitamin E content, as this vitamin helps blood vessels dilate.
Supports a healthy immune system
Vitamin E is also essential for immune function4 thanks to its role as an antioxidant and its ability to support the function of various immune cells. Avocado oil and grapeseed oil can both help you meet your daily vitamin E needs.
RELATED: Is Canola Oil Vegan? Is It Healthy?
Oxidation & smoke point
One of the most important things people consider when choosing a cooking oil is how well it holds up to cooking. The smoke point of an oil and how well it resists oxidation are two important factors here.
Many people are familiar with the concept of an oil’s smoke point, also known as its burning point. This is the temperature at which an oil starts to burn and produce smoke. Typically, the more refined an oil, the higher its smoke point.
Avocado oil has a higher smoke point than grapeseed oil, as you can see below:
- Refined avocado oil: 520℉
- Unrefined avocado oil: 482℉
- Grapeseed oil: 421℉
However, smoke point isn’t the most important factor here, as oils can oxidize before they reach their smoke point. Oxidation5 is a process in which fatty acids start to become rancid and off-flavored, potentially toxic, pro-carcinogenic compounds start to form. The greater the degree of oxidation, the lower the quality of the oil.
Factors associated with faster oxidation of cooking oils include:
- Contact with oxygen
- Light
- Higher content of PUFAs
- Being stored at warm or hot temperatures
Conversely, the following factors help protect oils against oxidation:
- Presence of antioxidants
- Saturated fats or MUFAs
All in all, avocado oil is less prone to oxidation because it’s so high in MUFAs and antioxidants. Grapeseed oil is also high in antioxidants but will oxidize more quickly since it’s high in PUFAs6.
This doesn’t mean that you should never use grapeseed oil – just that some nuance exists for choosing when to use it, as we’ll discuss in the next section.
Culinary uses
Because avocado and grapeseed oil are both high in antioxidants and have smoke points above 400℉, they hold up well to medium-high heat. Both can be used for sauteing, baking, and roasting.
Avocado oil is better for frying at high temperatures thanks to its high smoke point, antioxidant content, and MUFA content. It tastes much more neutral when compared to olive oil or walnut oil, but does have a mild grassy flavor. It’s good in salad dressings but isn’t recommended for baked goods, especially sweets.
Grapeseed oil has a neutral flavor. It’s a great addition to salad dressings that have other flavorful ingredients. However, simple dressings made with only oil and vinegar will be bland when using grapeseed oil.
Price
Avocado oil tends to be more expensive at around $10 for a 16.9-ounce bottle. Grapeseed oil is priced at about $6.80 for the same amount.
Generally, the less refined the oil, the more expensive it will be. This means oils labeled “extra-virgin”, “virgin”, or “expeller-pressed” will be pricier than “pure” or “refined” oils, which are typically processed with the use of heat and/or chemical solvents.
Avocado oil vs. grape seed oil – which should you choose?
Overall, avocado oil and grapeseed oil are both heart-healthy oils thanks to being rich in unsaturated fats, antioxidants, polyphenols, and vitamin E.
Avocado oil is best suited for:
- Cooking at very high temperatures, such as frying, although it can also be used to saute, bake, and roast or used raw
- Recipes that won’t be overpowered by the slightly grassy flavor
- People who aren’t on a tight budget
On the other hand, grapeseed oil may be a better choice for recipes that require a neutral, flavorless oil, such as baked goods and sweets. Because it’s so neutral, however, many people prefer using a more flavorful oil, such as extra-virgin olive oil, in simple salad dressings or plain roasted vegetables. Additionally, grapeseed oil is usually more affordable.
Interested in learning more about nutritious fat sources? Check out my Guide to Vegan Fats (And Which Are The Healthiest)!
The scientific information in this article was accurate at the time of publishing but may change over time as new research becomes available.
References
- National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. Vitamin E Health Professional Fact Sheet. NIH website. Accessed 7/5/24.
- Cervantes-Paz B, Yahia EM. Avocado oil: Production and market demand, bioactive components, implications in health, and tendencies and potential uses. Compr Rev Food Sci Food Saf. 2021;20(4):4120-4158. doi:10.1111/1541-4337.12784
- Flores M, Saravia C, Vergara CE, Avila F, Valdés H, Ortiz-Viedma J. Avocado Oil: Characteristics, Properties, and Applications. Molecules. 2019;24(11):2172. Published 2019 Jun 10. doi:10.3390/molecules24112172
- Lewis ED, Meydani SN, Wu D. Regulatory role of vitamin E in the immune system and inflammation. IUBMB Life. 2019;71(4):487-494. doi:10.1002/iub.1976
- Loganathan R, et al. A review on lipid oxidation in edible oils. Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences. 2022;26 (6):1378-1393.
- Maszewska M, Florowska A, Dłużewska E, Wroniak M, Marciniak-Lukasiak K, Żbikowska A. Oxidative Stability of Selected Edible Oils. Molecules. 2018;23(7):1746. Published 2018 Jul 17. doi:10.3390/molecules23071746
