Searching for low calorie oil? Spoiler: it might not exist. Most oils, like olive and canola, have around 120 calories per tablespoon. Discover the nutritional benefits of various oils and tips to manage your portions.
Spoiler alert: There’s no such thing as low calorie cooking oil.
Coconut oilis technically the lowest calorie oil to cook with, providing a little less than117 calories per tablespoon. But the majority of popular oils — likeolive, canola, and grapeseed — contain a similar 120 calories per tablespoon.
Since cooking oil is ahigh fatingredient, it contains more calories per gram (9 calories) compared withhigh carborhigh proteinfoods (4 calories). But just because oil is higher in calories doesn’t make it bad. Your body needs calories for energy!
Still, if you’re wondering how many calories are in different cooking oils, here’s the nutritional breakdown of various oils. Plus, the best ways to cook with them!
Cooking oil calories and nutrition
Whileolive oilisn’t low in calories, it is high in monounsaturated fatty acids— a healthy fat that can helplower LDL cholesterol levels(the “bad” one) and reduce the risk of heart disease. Oils rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, likeolive oil, add vitamin E to your diet.
Choosing betweenextra virginand regular olive oil will also affect the flavor and nutrient profile.Regular olive oilis further processed and refined to remove any impurities. This can wind up eliminating some vitamins andpolyphenols.
Olive oil is great inmarinadesorsalad dressings. EVOO doesn’t have the highest smoke point at close to 390°F (190°C), but it can hold up in high heat cooking like baking, frying, or grilling.
Atablespoon (14 grams)of olive oil contains:
Canola oil
When it comes to the calorie and fat content, canola oil is similar to olive oil. But it contains fewer saturated fats and more polyunsaturated fats.
Oils that contain polyunsaturated fatsprovide youwithomega-3and omega-6 fatty acids. These are essential fats that your body needs, but can’t make itself. Therefore, they need to come from food sources.
Canola oil is known for being cheap and has a neutral flavor. Its smoke point is one of the highest on this list, sitting at 468°F (242°C) so it can take high heat cooking.
Atablespoon (14 grams)of canola oil contains:
Avocado oil
Similar to actualavocados, choosingavocado oilwill add heart healthy fats to your diet in the form of mono and polyunsaturated fatty acids. The nutrient breakdown is similar to olive oil, but with a little less saturated fat and vitamin E.
While the flavor isn’t quite like diving into your favorite green fruit, it does have a slightly mild, nutty flavor. Avocado oil doesn’t have quite as high of a smoke point as the others (about386°F or 197°C), but it’s still a great choice for higher heat cooking.
Atablespoon (14 grams)of avocado oil contains:
Grapeseed oil
When it comes to calories, grapeseed oil is comparable at around 120 calories per tablespoon. Nutritionally, it’s higher in polyunsaturated fats compared with monounsaturated fats, plus it providesvitamin Eand polyphenols.
Grapeseed oilis madefrom leftover winemaking grape seeds without heat or chemicals, so this helps keep the healthy properties of the oil.
Similar to canola oil, grapeseed oil has a neutral flavor, which makes it a great all-purpose oil for cooking. It’s also perfect for high heat cooking, with a smoke point of445°F (229°C).
Atablespoon (14 grams)of grapeseed oil contains:
Coconut oil
Coconut oil is the lowest calorie oil on this list at around 117 calories (so barely).Refined and unrefined coconut oilhave similarnutritional valuesand both offer lauric acids,medium-chain triglycerides, and saturated and unsaturated fats. But using unrefined coconut oil mayoffer morelike vitamin E andantioxidants.
Hold up, what about thatsaturated fat!? There’s a lot of conflicting info around saturated fat. A 2018 research review said that until the health effects are crystal clear, try sticking to the USDA’s recommendation of keeping saturated fat under10 percentof your total daily calories. But a2016 research review, also found coconut oil might help reduce your risk of health conditions like heart disease,diabetes, and cancer.
Refined coconut oil’s neutral taste makes it great forbaking, and its smoke point is closer to 400°F (204°C) so you can use it for high heat cooking like sauteing and frying. Unrefined coconut oil has alower smoking pointat 350°F (177°C) so you can use it for baking if you want more flavor, but you’ll want to cook low and slow for stovetop cooking.
Atablespoon (14 grams)coconut oil generally contains:
Low calorie cooking oil substitutes
Regardless of which oil you go with, none of them are actually considered low calorie. But again, calories aren’t a bad thing!
But if you’re looking for a low cal alternative, try these low calorie cooking oil substitutes:
Portion guide: Tips to avoid using too much cooking oil
If you’re heavy handed when it comes to pouring oil into your pan, the total calorie and fat count can add. While many of these oils are great for your health, it’s possible to overdo any good-for-you food.
If you’re trying to be mindful of you cooking oil portions, try these tips:
That’s oil, folks!
While there’s really no such thing as a low calorie cooking oil, coconut oil is technically the lowest calorie oil (but only about a 7 calorie difference).
It’s important to remember that just because oils are high in calories, it doesn’t mean their unhealthy! Oil is a great way to add flavor and texture to your foods, plus many of them contain heart healthy fats.
If you’re worried about using too much oil, you can try alternative low cal swaps or implement strategies to manage your portions, like measuring spoons or nonstick cookware.
