Canola oil vs sunflower oil: a small LDL edge for canola

Canola oil lowers LDL cholesterol a little more than sunflower oil. Across 42 controlled trials of mixed quality, canola lowered LDL by 8.9 mg/dL (0.23 mmol/L) against other oils, and by 5.4 mg/dL (0.14 mmol/L) against sunflower oil in 11 trials that did not separate the two kinds of sunflower oil. That split matters, because sunflower oil is two products. USDA lists a linoleic type with 65.7 g of polyunsaturated fat per 3.5 oz (100 g) and a high-oleic type with 83.7 g monounsaturated and 3.8 g polyunsaturated, and a shop bottle often does not say which one it holds. Canola in USDA Foundation data has 62.6 g monounsaturated, 25.3 g polyunsaturated and 6.6 g saturated fat per 3.5 oz (100 g). A WHO-commissioned review of 128 cohorts says dietary fat should come mostly from seeds, nuts or liquid vegetable oils instead of animal fats or coconut oil, and the oils it names are olive and canola.

How much is actually in it

• Canola oil in USDA Foundation data is 62.6% monounsaturated, 25.3% polyunsaturated and 6.6% saturated fat, with 17.3 mg vitamin E per 3.5 oz (100 g). — USDA Foundation Foods analytical sample of canola oil Evidence E source
  Per 100 g: SFA 6.61 g, MUFA 62.6 g, PUFA 25.3 g, vitamin E 17.3 mg
• Sunflower oil is not one product: USDA lists a linoleic type with 65.7% polyunsaturated fat and a high-oleic type with 83.7% monounsaturated and only 3.8% polyunsaturated fat. — USDA SR Legacy records for sunflower oil types Evidence E source
  Linoleic (~65%): PUFA 65.7 g, MUFA 19.5 g, SFA 10.3 g; high oleic (>=70%): MUFA 83.7 g, PUFA 3.8 g, SFA 9.9 g per 3.5 oz (100 g); vitamin E 41.08 mg in both
• UK tables give sunflower oil 63.3 g polyunsaturated fat per 3.5 oz (100 g), almost all omega-6 (63.2 g) and only 0.1 g omega-3, with 49.2 mg vitamin E. — UK retail sunflower oil, analytical sample Evidence E source
  Per 100 g: 899 calories, SFA 12.0 g, MUFA 20.5 g, PUFA 63.3 g (n-6 63.2 g, n-3 0.1 g), vitamin E 49.22 mg
• Canadian harvest monitoring found the omega-3 ALA content of canola fell from 9.93% to 8.16% of fatty acids between 2010 and 2022 as growing seasons got hotter. — Canadian Grain Commission harvest samples, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, 2010-2022 Evidence C source
  ALA 9.93 +/- 0.78 to 8.16 +/- 0.46 mass %, oleic acid up

What a real portion looks like

• US dietary surveys count one tablespoon of canola or sunflower oil as 14 g. — USDA FNDDS portion weights Evidence E source
  1 tablespoon = 14 g; 1 cup = 224 g, same for both oils

What cooking and storage change

• In a randomized crossover trial in 19 healthy men, a meal cooked with sunflower-palm oil reheated at 180 C over 10 days did not worsen artery function over 4 hours compared with fresh oil. — healthy men, single high-fat test meals (n = 19) Evidence B source
  FMD and arterial stiffness comparable; TAG rise lower after heated oil (p < 0.001); polar compounds 23.8% vs 7.2%

What it does to your health

• Across 42 controlled trials, canola oil lowered LDL cholesterol by 8.9 mg/dL (0.23 mmol/L) against other oils, and by 5.4 mg/dL (0.14 mmol/L) against sunflower oil specifically. — adults in controlled clinical trials comparing canola oil with other edible oils (n = 42 trials) Evidence A source
  LDL-C -8.9 mg/dL (-0.23 mmol/L) vs other oils (35 trials); -5.4 mg/dL (-0.14 mmol/L) vs sunflower oil (11 trials); LDL/HDL -0.30 vs sunflower
• An updated meta-analysis of 32 randomized trials found canola oil lowered BMI by only 0.13 kg/m2 and slightly raised waist-to-hip ratio compared with other oils. — adults in 32 RCTs, search to September 2024 (n = 32 trials) Evidence A source
  BMI -0.127 kg/m2 (95% CI -0.231 to -0.024); WHR +0.003 (0.001 to 0.005); other measures not significant
• An umbrella review graded with high certainty that foods rich in unsaturated fat such as rapeseed (canola) oil lower LDL cholesterol by at least 7.7 to 15 mg/dL (0.20 to 0.40 mmol/L). — adults, 108 systematic reviews and 37 guidelines (n = 108 reviews) Evidence A source
  At least moderate LDL-C reduction, 7.7-15 mg/dL (0.20-0.40 mmol/L)
• In cohorts of 1.2 million people, each extra gram of ALA a day, about one tablespoon of canola oil, was linked with 5% lower all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. — 41 prospective cohort articles, follow-up 2-32 years (n = 1197564) Evidence C source
  RR 0.95 (0.91 to 0.99) all-cause and 0.95 (0.91 to 0.98) CVD mortality per 1 g/day ALA

Safety, limits and interactions

• A woman with anaphylaxis to sunflower seeds tolerated sunflower oil on skin prick and oral challenge, and keeps eating food cooked in it. — one 46-year-old woman with sunflower seed allergy (n = 1) Evidence D source
  Negative prick-to-prick and oral provocation with sunflower oil

What people believe that the data does not support

• A WHO-commissioned review of 128 cohorts concludes that dietary fat should come mostly from seeds, nuts or liquid vegetable oils such as olive or canola rather than animal fats or coconut oil. — WHO systematic review of prospective observational studies, 2022 Evidence E source
  Position: replace SFA with PUFA, plant MUFA and slowly digested carbohydrate

Who this works differently for

• A meta-analysis of 27 randomized trials in 1,359 people found canola oil cut LDL cholesterol by 6.4 mg/dL, with effects seen after more than 30 days and in people over 50. — adults in 27 RCTs (n = 1359) Evidence A source
  TC -7.24 mg/dL (95% CI -12.1 to -2.7); LDL -6.4 mg/dL (95% CI -10.8 to -2); no effect on HDL, TG
• In 92 adults with type 2 diabetes over 12 weeks, IL-6 fell about 20% within the plain canola oil group, while IL-1beta rose a non-significant 21% within the sunflower oil group, and canola and sunflower did not differ significantly on IL-6. — adults with type 2 diabetes, Iran, 12 weeks of daily cooking oil (n = 92) Evidence B source
  IL-6 -19.8% within canola group (p = 0.038); IL-1beta +20.6% within sunflower group (p = 0.079); between-group IL-6 difference not significant

The bottom line

The canola result holds up in other syntheses. A meta-analysis of 27 randomized trials in 1,359 people found canola cut LDL by 6.4 mg/dL (95% CI 2 to 10.8) with no effect on HDL or triglycerides, against varied comparators and with a search that ended in 2017. An umbrella review graded with high certainty that foods high in unsaturated and low in saturated fat, rapeseed or canola oil among them, lower LDL by at least 7.7 to 15 mg/dL (0.20 to 0.40 mmol/L), a statement about the class and not a head to head test. On body weight canola barely moves anything. Across 32 trials it lowered BMI by 0.13 (95% CI 0.02 to 0.23) and raised waist to hip ratio by 0.003, effects too small to notice. Canola also brings some omega-3 ALA, and sunflower oil almost none. The UK tables give sunflower oil 63.2 g of omega-6 per 3.5 oz (100 g) against 0.1 g of omega-3, with 49.2 mg of vitamin E. Canadian harvest samples show canola seed ALA falling from 9.93 to 8.16 percent of fatty acids between 2010 and 2022 as seasons got hotter, measured in seed and not in bottled oil. In cohorts of 1.2 million people, each extra gram of ALA a day, about one tablespoon of canola, went with 5 percent lower all-cause and cardiovascular mortality (relative risk 0.95). That is observational, and the same analysis linked high against low ALA with slightly higher cancer mortality (relative risk 1.06). US surveys count a tablespoon of either oil as 14 g. In 92 adults with type 2 diabetes cooking with one oil for 12 weeks, IL-6 fell 19.8 percent within the canola group and IL-1 beta rose 20.6 percent within the sunflower group. The sunflower change did not reach significance (p = 0.079), and canola and sunflower did not differ significantly on IL-6, so this trial settles little. For frying, 19 healthy men ate a meal cooked in a sunflower and palm olein blend reheated at 180 C over 10 days, and their artery function over the next 4 hours matched a meal made with fresh oil. That was a single meal with a blend, so it says nothing about years of eating reheated oil. The one caution in our cards is sunflower seed allergy. A woman with anaphylaxis to sunflower seeds passed skin and oral tests with sunflower oil and still eats food cooked in it. That is a single case with refined oil and does not show the oil is safe for everyone with this allergy, and cold pressed oil may carry more seed protein. We found no data on either oil in pregnancy or in children.

Sources

1. cnsf-r2-01 · composition table
   FDC 748278 Oil, canola: SFA 6.61 g/100 g · MUFA 62.6 g · PUFA 25.3 g · Vitamin E 17.3 mg
   USDA FoodData Central, Foundation Foods 2019, FDC 748278 Oil, canola · checked 2026-09-29
2. cnsf-r2-02 · composition table
   FDC 171025 Oil, sunflower, linoleic, (approx. 65%): SFA 10.3 g/100 g · MUFA 19.5 g · PUFA 65.7 g · Vitamin E 41.08 mg | FDC 172338 Oil, sunflower, high oleic (70% and over): SFA 9.859 g · MUFA 83.689 g · PUFA 3.798 g · Vitamin E 41.08 mg
   USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy 2019, FDC 171025 and 172338 (sunflower oil types) · checked 2026-09-29
3. cnsf-r2-03 · composition table
   CoFID 17-045 Oil, sunflower: Energy 899 kcal/100 g · Satd FA 12.00 g · Mono FA 20.50 g · Poly FA 63.30 g · n-6 poly 63.20 g · n-3 poly 0.10 g · Vitamin E 49.22 mg
   CoFID 2021, Public Health England, code 17-045 Oil, sunflower (OGL v3.0) · checked 2026-09-29
4. cnsf-r2-04 · longitudinal composition study
   Data for this cohort showed the average mean ALA content decreased from 9.93 ± 0.78 mass % (average mean± standard deviation) to 8.16 ± 0.46 mass %, with a concomitant increase in oleic acid.
   Am J Clin Nutr, 2025 · checked 2026-09-29
5. cnsf-r2-05 · portion database
   FNDDS 82105500 Canola oil (fdc 2710188): 1 tablespoon 14 g · 1 cup 224 g | FNDDS 82108500 Sunflower oil (fdc 2710192): 1 tablespoon 14 g · 1 cup 224 g
   USDA FNDDS 2021-2023, codes 82105500 Canola oil and 82108500 Sunflower oil · checked 2026-09-29
6. cnsf-r2-06 · randomized crossover trial
   This randomized, single-blind, crossover study investigated the acute effects of a high-fat meal containing either repeatedly heated (at 180°C, over 10 days, with 5 potato fries per day) sunflower oil-palm olein blend, compared with an unheated blend (containing 23.8% and 7.2% polar compounds respectively), on postprandial lipids and vascular function in 19 healthy male participants. ... Postprandial vascular (FMD and arterial stiffness) responses as well as NEFA and glucose concentrations were comparable between meals.
   Lipids, 2026 · checked 2026-09-29
7. cnsf-r2-07 · meta-analysis
   CO significantly reduced total cholesterol (TC, -0.27 mmol/l, n = 37), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C, -0.23 mmol/l, n = 35) ... Compared to sunflower oil, CO improved LDL-C (-0.14 mmol/l, n = 11), and LDL/HDL (-0.30, n = 3) (P < 0.05).
   Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis, 2020 · checked 2026-09-29
8. cnsf-r2-09 · meta-analysis of RCTs
   CO consumption significantly increased WHR (MD: 0.003 cm, 95% CI: 0.001, 0.005, P value: 0.003) and significantly decreased BMI (mean difference (MD): -0.127 kg/m2, 95% C: -0.231, -0.024, P value: 0.016) However, it did not significantly affect other anthropometric measures (P > 0.05).
   Nutr J, 2025 · checked 2026-09-29
9. cnsf-r2-10 · umbrella review
   With high evidence, foods high in unsaturated and low in saturated and trans fatty acids (e.g. rapeseed/canola oil), with added plant sterols/stanols, and high in soluble fiber (e.g. oats, barley, and psyllium) caused at least moderate (i.e. 0.20-0.40 mmol/L) reductions in LDL cholesterol.
   Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis, 2021 · checked 2026-09-29
10. cnsf-r2-11 · meta-analysis of cohorts
    In the dose-response analysis, a 1 g/day increase in ALA intake (equivalent to one tablespoon of canola oil or 0.5 ounces of walnut) was associated with a 5% lower risk of all cause (0.95, 0.91 to 0.99, I2=76.2%, n=12) and CVD mortality (0.95, 0.91 to 0.98, I2=30.7%, n=14).
    BMJ, 2021 · checked 2026-09-29
11. cnsf-r2-13 · case report
    Prick-to-prick and oral provocation tests of sunflower oil were performed, and a negative result was obtained. ... The patient is currently under avoidance of sunflower seed but eats food cooked in sunflower seed oil.
    Medicina (Kaunas), 2021 · checked 2026-09-29
12. cnsf-r2-14 · guideline evidence review
    Thus, dietary fats should come largely from seeds, nuts or liquid vegetable oil (olive, canola) rather than hydrogenated vegetable fats or land animal fats and coconut oil.
    World Health Organization, Saturated fat and trans-fat intakes and their replacement with other macronutrients, 2022 · checked 2026-09-29
13. cnsf-r2-08 · meta-analysis of RCTs
    Twenty-seven trials, comprising 1359 participants, met the eligibility criteria. Results of this study showed that CO consumption significantly reduced TC (-7.24 mg/dl, 95% CI, -12.1 to -2.7), and LDL (-6.4 mg/dl, 95% CI, -10.8 to -2), although it had no effects on HDL, TG, Apo B, and Apo A1.
    J Am Coll Nutr, 2019 · checked 2026-09-29
14. cnsf-r2-12 · randomized trial
    Serum IL-6 significantly decreased just in ORZO (- 22.8%, p = 0.042) and CANO groups (- 19.8%, p = 0.038). However, the between-group differences were not significant. Serum IL-1β slightly decreased in ORZO (- 28.1%, p = 0.11) and increased in SUFO (+ 20.6%, p = 0.079) but between-group difference was statistically significant (p = 0.017).
    Eur J Nutr, 2024 · checked 2026-09-29