Grapeseed Oil vs Canola Oil: Pros and Cons

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Recently, grapeseed oil has become rather popular starting the arguing on topic “grapeseed oil vs. canola oil”. Each oil has its own advantages and disadvantages. As closer comparison shows both of them should find their places on your kitchen shelves. No oil can be used for every single purpose. 

Grapeseed oil vs. canola oil in cooking

The main characteristic of oil that should be taken into consideration while cooking is its smoke point. According to Wikipedia, canola oil starts smoking between 375 and 450 °F (the more the oil is refined the highest its smoke point is); the smoke point of grapeseed oil is 420 °F. So both oils can be interchangeable for high-heating cooking if canola oil is refined enough. 

The flavor of oil also mattes a lot while cooking. Again, grapeseed oil and canola oil are both neutral-tasting and mild in their flavor. So they are ideal for salad dressings, sauces and marinades. However, grapeseed oil may seem to be more aromatic.

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The health benefits of grapeseed oil vs canola oil

Both oils have high concentrations of unsaturated fats and omega fatty acids. However, their fat formulas are not identical. Here is the comparison of the fat content of the oils, based on the data of San Francisco Chronicles, Healthy Eating Gate.

As it is seen, canola oil contains very little of saturated fat. Indeed, it is the lowest level among all vegetable oils, according to the American Heart Association. As the Harvard School of Public Health claims, substituting saturated fat with unsaturated fat results in the higher level of HDL (“good”) cholesterol and the lower level of LDL (“bad”) cholesterol. Thus, the danger of cardiovascular diseases is reduced significantly. Canola oil is the only vegetable oil high in unsaturated fatty acids that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a qualified health claim for.

According to canola oil nutrition facts the biggest percentage of canola oil fats is monounsaturated ones. That means that the oil is a good source of antioxidant Vitamin E as well.

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Omega-6 fatty acid promotes the rejuvenation of body cells, helps control the proper transferring of neurological impulses and the decomposing of cholesterol layers. But there is the other side: the excess consumption of Omega-6 can narrow blood vessels and stimulate inflammation processes in the body. So grapeseed oil with its high Omega-6 percentage cannot be used constantly and in large amounts for cooking. However, such fat content is very beneficial for cosmetology purposes. So grapeseed oil is advised for skin care.

In addition to Omega-6 (not high percentage) there is more valuable Omega-3 in canola oil. All in all the health benefits of canola oil exceed those of grapeseed oil. Still, grapeseed oil can very successfully substitute canola oil for high-heating cooking. And definitely grapeseed oil is superior for skin and hair care purposes.