Sunflower Oil vs Canola Oil – Which is Healthier?

Our Verdict

When comparing sunflower oil to canola oil, we picked the sunflower oil.

Why?

Sunflower oil is marketed as being higher in polyunsaturated fats, which it is, albeit not by much.

Canola oil has been linked to heart disease, while sunflower oil has a weaker association with same, to the point that it can even be heart-positive if used sparingly, on account of its lipids ratio of 64% monounsaturated, 28% polyunsaturated, 7% saturated.

However, it’s worth bearing in mind that this has generally been in epidemiological studies, so it’s not accounting for how the oils have been used. There is a difference between “I cook with canola oil daily” and it’s a stir-fry, and “I cook with canola oil daily” and it’s deep-fried everything. Randomized controlled trials, which invariably have small standardized doses for study purposes, have generally been more positive than “out in the real world” studies. So: a lot may depend on how you use them.

As seed oils, they are both sources of vitamin E, but you’d need to drink a cup of oil to get your daily dose, so please just eat some seeds (or nuts, or fruit, or something) instead. It can even be sunflower seeds if you like! Rapeseed* itself (the seed that canola oil is made from) isn’t really sold as a foodstuff, so that one’s less of an option.

*Fun fact: if you’re N. American and wondering what this “rapeseed” is, know that most of the rest of the Anglosphere calls canola oil “rapeseed oil”, as it’s made from rapeseed, which comes from a plant called rape, whose name is unrelated to the crime of the same name, and comes from rāpa, the Latin word for turnip. Anyway, “canola” is a portmanteau of “Canadian” and “Ola” meaning oil, and is a trademark that has made its way into generic use throughout N. America, as a less alarming name.

Back to health matters: while sunflower seeds are healthy in moderation, the ultraprocessed and refined sunflower and canola oils cannot reasonably be described as a good choice if there’s a better oil available (which is: most cooking oils, honestly).

Canola oil has also been found to be implicated in age-related cognitive decline, whereas sunflower oil has had mixed results in that regard.

In summary

Sunflower oil is relatively healthier than canola oil. Please use a healthier oil than either if you can! Olive oil is good for most things, and if you need something with a higher smoke point (and/or less distinctive flavor), consider avocado oil, which is also very healthy and whose smoke point is even higher than the seed oils we’ve been discussing today.

Want to know more?

Check out:

Avocado Oil vs Olive Oil – Which is Healthier?

Enjoy!