Corn oil or vegetable oil: same calories, very different vitamin K

Sixteen randomized trials of fish oil used corn oil as the comparison, and a meta-analysis of them, 491 participants in all, found fish oil lowered triglycerides by 25.5 mg/dL more (95% CI 8.57 to 42.44) with no difference in total or LDL cholesterol. That says corn oil is a common control and only indirectly anything about corn oil itself. On the shelf, a tablespoon of either oil is 14 g and 126 calories in US survey data. The gap that matters is vitamin K. Generic US vegetable oil carries about 14 mcg per tablespoon against 0.3 mcg for corn oil, and 4 times the omega-3 ALA, while corn oil has more linoleic acid. The closest head to head test we found ran for a year in 251 Chinese adults with moderately high cholesterol. Cooking at home with corn oil, peanut oil or an ALA-fortified blend made no difference to blood lipids, glucose or CRP.

How much is actually in it

• UK tables give corn oil 51.3 g polyunsaturated and 14.4 g saturated fat per 3.5 oz (100 g), against 29.3 g and 6.6 g for average vegetable oil, which is mostly monounsaturated (59.3 g). — — Evidence E source
  Per 100 g corn vs vegetable average: PUFA 51.3 vs 29.3 g, MUFA 29.9 vs 59.3 g, SFA 14.4 vs 6.6 g, n-6 50.4 vs 19.7 g, n-3 0.9 vs 9.6 g, both 899 calories
• In US survey data, generic vegetable oil has about 53 times the vitamin K of corn oil (100.5 vs 1.9 ug per 3.5 oz (100 g)) and 4 times the omega-3 ALA, while corn oil has more linoleic acid. — — Evidence E source
  Per 100 g corn vs vegetable oil NFS: vitamin K 1.9 vs 100.5 ug, ALA 1.04 vs 4.37 g, linoleic 51.9 vs 34.0 g, PUFA 52.9 vs 38.4 g, MUFA 27.7 vs 42.4 g, SFA 13.4 vs 13.4 g, vitamin E 22.6 vs 19.0 mg

What a real portion looks like

• A tablespoon of either oil is 14 g and 126 calories in US survey data, carrying about 14 ug vitamin K from generic vegetable oil against 0.3 ug from corn oil. — — Evidence E source
  1 tbsp 14 g, 126 calories both; vitamin K 14.1 ug (vegetable oil NFS) vs 0.27 ug (corn oil); 1 cup 224 g

What your body absorbs

• In a randomized trial in 29 adults, 20 g of oil with a salad raised carotenoid absorption more than 3 or 8 g, and the amount mattered more than whether it was canola oil, soybean oil or butter. — 29 healthy adults, salads with 3, 8 or 20 g of canola oil, soybean oil or butter (n = 29) Evidence B source
  20 g > 3 and 8 g for all carotenoids (p < 0.05) except alpha-carotene (p = 0.07)

What cooking and storage change

• In crossover trials in healthy volunteers, soup made with heated corn oil slowed stomach emptying and cut energy intake at the next meal by about 600-650 kJ against unheated corn oil. — 10 then 17 healthy volunteers, 240 g pumpkin soup with 9.2 g or 3.1 g corn oil (n = 27) Evidence B source
  Energy intake about 600-650 kJ lower with heated oil or 2,4-decadienal (p < 0.05)
• A systematic review of 23 publications found the idea that frying in vegetable oil is generally linked to higher heart disease risk is not supported, though high fried-food intake probably relates to weight gain. — 23 publications on vegetable oil or fried food and obesity, diabetes, CVD Evidence C source
  No general CVD link with frying, probable link with weight gain

What it does to your health

• In a double-blind crossover trial in 54 adults with high cholesterol, 4 tablespoons of corn oil a day for 21 days cut LDL cholesterol by 10.9% against 3.5% with extra virgin olive oil. — 54 men and women with LDL-C 130-200 mg/dL, 21-day periods, 4 tablespoons a day in muffins, rolls, yogurt (n = 54) Evidence B source
  LDL-C -10.9% vs -3.5% (P < .001), total-C -8.2% vs -1.8%, HDL-C no difference
• In a crossover trial in 25 adults, about 1.9 oz (54 g) of corn oil a day for 4 weeks lowered non-HDL cholesterol by 3.0% while coconut oil raised it by 5.8%. — 12 men and 13 women, mean age 45, LDL-C 115-190 mg/dL, 4-week periods (n = 25) Evidence B source
  Non-HDL-C -3.0% vs +5.8% (P = 0.034), LDL-C -2.7% vs +4.6% (P = 0.06)

Safety, limits and interactions

• NIH names fats and oils, especially soybean and canola oil, among the most common vitamin K sources in the US diet, and oil vitamin K is better absorbed than that from greens. — US diet Evidence E source
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• NIH advises people on warfarin and similar anticoagulants to keep vitamin K intake from food and supplements consistent, because sudden changes can alter the anticoagulant effect. — people taking warfarin and similar anticoagulants Evidence E source
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What people believe that the data does not support

• In the recovered Minnesota Coronary Experiment, a diet swapping saturated fat for corn oil cut serum cholesterol by 13.8% but showed no mortality benefit. — 9423 women and men aged 20-97 in a nursing home and six mental hospitals, Minnesota, 1968-73 (n = 9423) Evidence B source
  Serum cholesterol -13.8% vs -1.0% (P < 0.001), no mortality benefit, HR 1.22 (1.14 to 1.32) per 30 mg/dL cholesterol reduction
• A meta-analysis of 16 RCTs that used corn oil as the control found fish oil lowered triglycerides by 25.5 mg/dL more than corn oil, with no difference in total or LDL cholesterol. — 16 RCTs with corn oil control arm, 491 participants (n = 491) Evidence A source
  TG WMD -25.50 mg/dL (95% CI -42.44 to -8.57), HDL +2.54 mg/dL (0.55 to 4.52), TC and LDL no change
• The EU did not authorize claims that corn oil, even with added vitamin E, helps control or maintain normal blood cholesterol. — — Evidence E source
  Claim status non-authorized

Who this works differently for

• In a one-year double-blind trial in 251 Chinese adults with moderately high cholesterol, cooking with corn oil, peanut oil or an ALA-fortified blend oil made no difference to blood lipids, glucose or CRP. — 251 adults with total cholesterol 198-309 mg/dL (5.13-8.00 mmol/L), Guangzhou, 1 year of household cooking oil (n = 251) Evidence B source
  No significant between-group differences in plasma lipids, hsCRP, glucose, insulin
• In an Iranian case-control study of 2459 adults, higher intake of non-hydrogenated liquid vegetable oil was linked to 63% lower odds of premature coronary artery disease. — 1395 cases and 1064 controls, men under 55 and women under 65 referred for angiography, Iran (n = 2459) Evidence C source
  OR 0.37 (95% CI 0.29 to 0.46), hydrogenated oil no association

The bottom line

Which vegetable oil you mean depends on the country. In UK tables the average vegetable oil is rapeseed heavy and mostly monounsaturated, 59.3 g per 3.5 oz (100 g), with 6.6 g saturated fat against 14.4 g in corn oil. Corn oil there has 51.3 g polyunsaturated fat per 3.5 oz (100 g), almost all of it omega-6. In the US survey composite, corn oil and generic vegetable oil have the same 13.4 g saturated fat per 3.5 oz (100 g). In short trials against olive and coconut oil, corn oil lowered cholesterol more. In a double-blind crossover trial in 54 adults with LDL between 130 and 200 mg/dL, 4 tablespoons a day for 21 days cut LDL by 10.9 percent against 3.5 percent with extra virgin olive oil, in a trial with industry links. In 25 adults over 4 weeks, about 54 g a day lowered non-HDL cholesterol by 3.0 percent while coconut oil raised it by 5.8 percent, a small preliminary study. Lower cholesterol did not bring fewer deaths in the recovered Minnesota Coronary Experiment. There 9423 people in a nursing home and six mental hospitals swapped saturated fat for corn oil, and cholesterol fell 13.8 percent with no mortality benefit. It is an old trial with high dropout that also used corn oil margarine. The EU has not authorized the claim that corn oil helps maintain normal blood cholesterol, which means the evidence did not meet its bar at assessment. A systematic review of 23 publications, mostly observational, found no support for the idea that frying in vegetable oil is generally linked to heart disease, and a probable link between eating a lot of fried food and weight gain. In an Iranian case-control study of 2459 adults, higher intake of non-hydrogenated liquid oil went with 63 percent lower odds of premature coronary disease (OR 0.37, 95% CI 0.29 to 0.46), without splitting corn oil from the rest. In 27 healthy volunteers, pumpkin soup made with heated corn oil slowed stomach emptying and cut energy eaten at the next meal by about 600 to 650 kJ, an acute effect with no health endpoint. With a salad the amount of oil counted more than the kind. In 29 adults, 20 g raised carotenoid absorption more than 3 or 8 g, whether the fat was canola oil, soybean oil or butter, and corn oil was not tested. The caution is warfarin. NIH advises people on warfarin and similar anticoagulants to keep vitamin K intake steady, and names fats and oils, soybean and canola in particular, among the most common US sources. In US survey data a tablespoon of generic vegetable oil carries about 14 mcg of vitamin K against 0.3 mcg in corn oil, so a regular switch between the two is worth mentioning to whoever manages the dose.

Sources

1. cnvo-r7-01 · food composition dataset
   Oil, corn (17-033): Satd FA /100g fd 14.40 g; Mono FA /100g food 29.90 g; Poly FA /100g food 51.30 g; n-6 poly /100g food 50.40 g; n-3 poly /100g food 0.90 g; Energy 899 kcal. Oil, vegetable, average (17-686): Satd FA /100g fd 6.60 g; Mono FA /100g food 59.30 g; Poly FA /100g food 29.30 g; n-6 poly /100g food 19.70 g; n-3 poly /100g food 9.60 g; Energy 899 kcal
   CoFID 2021 (Public Health England), codes 17-033 and 17-686 · checked 2026-09-30
2. cnvo-r7-02 · food composition dataset
   Corn oil (fdc 2710183): Fatty acids, total saturated 13.4 G; total monounsaturated 27.7 G; total polyunsaturated 52.9 G; PUFA 18:2 51.9 G; PUFA 18:3 1.04 G; Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) 22.6 MG; Vitamin K (phylloquinone) 1.9 UG per 100 g. Vegetable oil, NFS (fdc 2710180): 13.366 G; 42.38 G; 38.407 G; 33.999 G; 4.368 G; 18.99 MG; 100.5 UG per 100 g
   USDA FNDDS 2021-2023, codes 82102000 (fdc 2710183) and 82101000 (fdc 2710180) · checked 2026-09-30
3. cnvo-r7-03 · food composition dataset
   Corn oil (fdc 2710183) and Vegetable oil, NFS (fdc 2710180): 1 tablespoon = 14 g; 1 cup = 224 g; Energy 900 KCAL per 100 g; Vitamin K (phylloquinone) 1.9 UG and 100.5 UG per 100 g
   USDA FNDDS 2021-2023, portions for fdc 2710183 and 2710180 · checked 2026-09-30
4. cnvo-r7-10 · randomized controlled trial
   Considering all lipid sources, 20 g of lipid promoted higher absorption compared to 3 and 8 g for all carotenoid species (p < 0.05), except for α-carotene (p = 0.07). The source of lipid had less impact on the absorption of carotenoids than amount of lipid.
   Mol Nutr Food Res, 2012 · checked 2026-09-30
5. cnvo-r7-11 · randomized controlled trial
   Energy intake was approximately 600-650 kJ lower in HO and 2,4-DD trials compared with CO trial (p < 0.05).
   Nutrients, 2021 · checked 2026-09-30
6. cnvo-r7-12 · systematic review
   we conclude that (1) the myth that frying foods is generally associated with a higher risk of CVD is not supported by the available evidence
   Br J Nutr, 2015 · checked 2026-09-30
7. cnvo-r7-06 · randomized controlled trial
   CO resulted in significantly larger least-squares mean % changes (all P < .001 vs EVOO) from baseline in LDL-C -10.9 vs -3.5, total-C -8.2 vs -1.8, non-HDL-C -9.3 vs -1.6, and total-C/HDL-C -4.4 vs 0.5.
   J Clin Lipidol, 2015 · checked 2026-09-30
8. cnvo-r7-07 · randomized controlled trial
   Changes from baseline for corn oil and coconut oil conditions, respectively, were: LDL cholesterol (primary outcome; -2.7% compared with +4.6%), non-HDL cholesterol (-3.0% compared with +5.8%)
   J Nutr, 2018 · checked 2026-09-30
9. cnvo-r7-04 · agency fact sheet
   The most common sources of vitamin K in the U.S. diet are spinach; broccoli; iceberg lettuce; and fats and oils, particularly soybean and canola oil [5,7].
   NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, Vitamin K Fact Sheet for Health Professionals · checked 2026-09-30
10. cnvo-r7-05 · agency fact sheet
    People taking warfarin and similar anticoagulants need to maintain a consistent intake of vitamin K from food and supplements because sudden changes in vitamin K intakes can increase or decrease the anticoagulant effect
    NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, Vitamin K Fact Sheet for Health Professionals · checked 2026-09-30
11. cnvo-r7-09 · randomized controlled trial
    The intervention group had significant reduction in serum cholesterol compared with controls (mean change from baseline -13.8%v-1.0%; P<0.001). Kaplan Meier graphs showed no mortality benefit for the intervention group in the full randomized cohort or for any prespecified subgroup.
    BMJ, 2016 · checked 2026-09-30
12. cnvo-r7-13 · meta-analysis of RCTs
    The results revealed that the fish oil supplements significantly reduced TG (WMD: - 25.50 mg/dl, 95% CI: - 42.44, - 8.57, P = 0.000) levels compared to corn oil.
    Syst Rev, 2024 · checked 2026-09-30
13. cnvo-r7-14 · regulatory decision
    POL-HC-6985 Corn Oil with a guaranteed polyunsatured fatty acids content (56% of total fatty acids), supplemented with vitamin E. 1- When used within a healthy, balanced diet, in combination with a healty lifestyle, corn oil with an elevated vitamin E content and a guaranteed polyunsaturates fatty acids content contributes to the control of blood cholesterol. 2-When used within a healthy, balanced diet, in combination with a healty lifestyle, corn oil contributes to the control of blood cholesterol. 3-As a part of a healthy lifesyle, corn oil helps to maintain normal blood cholesterol level.4-As a part of a healthy lifesyle, corn oil helps to keep blood cholesterol levels under control. Non-authorised
    EU Register on nutrition and health claims, claim POL-HC-6985, snapshot 2026-09-21 · checked 2026-09-30
14. cnvo-r7-08 · randomized controlled trial
    No significant differences were observed in the concentrations of fasting plasma lipids, hsCRP, glucose, and insulin among the three groups using different types of plant oils.
    Food Funct, 2020 · checked 2026-09-30
15. cnvo-r7-15 · case-control study
    A higher non-HVO intake was associated with a lower risk of PCAD in the fully adjusted model (odds ratio [OR]: 0.37; 95 % confidence interval [CI]: 0.29, 0.46).
    Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis, 2026 · checked 2026-09-30