Fat composition in different Cooking Oils

This chart shows fat composition in different Cooking Oils. Cooking oil is purified fat of plant/animal origin, which is usually liquid at room temperature (saturated oils such as coconut and palm are more solid at room temperature than other oils).

Type of oil or fat	Saturated (%)	Monounsaturated (%)	Polyunsaturated (%)	Uses
Safflower oil (linoleic)	6.51	15.1	78.4	Cooking, salad dressings, margarine
Canola oil	7.46	64.1	28.49	Frying, baking, salad dressings
Almond oil	8.59	73.19	18.22	Baking, sauces, flavoring
Hemp oil	9	12	79	Cooking, salad dressings, ...
Walnut oil	9.56	23.95	66.49	Cooking (most chefs do not use walnut oil for high temperature cooking, as heating can remove some of the oil's flavour & nutrition and produce a slight bitterness), cold dishes, salad dressings
Grapeseed oil	10.0	16.84	73.12	Cooking, salad dressings, margarine
Sunflower oil (linoleic)	10.79	20.42	68.8	Cooking, salad dressings, margarine, shortening
Avocado oil	12.1	73.8	14.11	Frying, sautéing, dipping oil, salad oil
Mustard oil	12.59	64.33	23.1	Cooking, frying, deep frying, salads, dressings. Very clean flavoured & palatable.
Corn oil	13.6	28.97	57.43	Frying, baking, salad dressings, margarine, shortening
Olive oil (extra light)	14.19	74.99	10.82	Sautee, stir frying, frying, cooking, salad oils, margarine
Olive oil (extra virgin)	14.19	74.99	10.82	Cooking, salad oils, margarine
Olive oil (refined)	14.19	74.99	10.82	Sautee, stir frying, cooking, salad oils, margarine
Olive oil (virgin)	14.19	74.99	10.82	Cooking, salad oils, margarine
Sesame oil (dark)	14.85	41.53	43.62	Cooking
Sesame oil (light)	14.85	41.53	43.62	Cooking, deep frying
Soybean oil	16.27	23.69	60.0	Cooking, salad dressings, vegetable oil, margarine, shortening
Peanut oil	17.77	48.58	33.65	Frying, cooking, salad oils, margarine
Rice bran oil	20.96	41.81	37.23	Cooking, frying, deep frying, salads, dressings. Very clean flavoured & palatable.
Margarine, soft	20	47	33	Cooking, baking, condiment
Cottonseed oil	27.1	18.62	54.29	Margarine, shortening, salad dressings, commercially fried products
Lard	41.1	47.23	11.73	Baking, frying
Palm oil	51.57	38.7	9.73	Cooking, flavoring, vegetable oil, shortening
Butter, salted	68.1	27.87	4.0	Cooking, baking, condiment, sauces, flavoring
Butter, without salt	68.1	27.87	4.0	Cooking, baking, condiment, sauces, flavoring
Butter oil, anhydrous	65.63	30.45	3.92	Cooking, baking, condiment, sauces, flavoring
Ghee, clarified butter	65	32	3	Deep frying, cooking, sautéeing, condiment, flavoring
Margarine, hard	80	14	6	Cooking, baking, condiment
Coconut oil	91.92	6.16	1.91	Commercial baked goods, candy and sweets, whipped toppings, nondairy coffee creamers, shortening

Although all fats have the same amount of calories, some are more harmful than others: saturated fats in particular.

Saturated fats
These fats are derived mostly from animal products such as meat, dairy and eggs. But they are also found in some plant-based sources such as coconut, palm and palm kernel oils. These fats are solid at room temperature; long lasting and do not get spoiled quickly. Saturated fats directly raise total and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels. Conventional advice says to have not more than 10% of total calories per day.

Unsaturated fats
Monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats are two types of unsaturated fatty acids. They are derived from vegetables and plants.

    •    Monounsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature but begin to solidify at cold temperatures. This type of fat is preferable to other types of fat and can be found in olives, olive oil, nuts, peanut oil, canola oil and avocados. Some studies have shown that these kinds of fats can actually lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and maintain HDL (good) cholesterol.

    •    Polyunsaturated fats are also liquid at room temperature. These are found in safflower, sesame, corn, cottonseed and soybean oils. This type of fat has also been shown to reduce levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol, but too much can also lower your HDL (good) cholesterol.

Credits:

    •    Agricultural Research Service (ARS) 2011, Types of oils and their characteristics, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington DC, viewed 17th July, 2011, .
    •    Canola Council of Canada 2011, Food Oil Smoke Points, Canola Council of Canada, Online, viewed 17th July, 2011, .
    •    Wikipedia 2011, Cooking oil, Wikipedia, Online, viewed 17th July, 2011, .
ChartsBin statistics collector team 2011, Fat Composition in different Cooking Oils, ChartsBin.com.