Best cooking oil for cholesterol: olive oil, seed oils, butter, coconut oil and beef tallow

For LDL cholesterol, the question that matters about a cooking fat is how much saturated fat it contains. Liquid vegetable oils, including the "seed oils" that have become controversial online, contain far less saturated fat than butter, lard, beef tallow or coconut oil. Trials show that swapping the second group for the first lowers LDL.

Saturated fat per tablespoon

The AHA target is about 13 g of saturated fat a day. One tablespoon of coconut oil is nearly all of it, and a tablespoon of butter more than half. Ghee, which is clarified butter, contains about 8 g per tablespoon, according to standard food tables, similar to butter. All oils have about 120 calories per tablespoon, so portion size still matters for weight.

What the evidence says

• Replacing saturated fat with polyunsaturated oils: the American Heart Association's 2017 advisory concluded that lowering saturated fat and replacing it with polyunsaturated vegetable oils would reduce cardiovascular disease by about 30%, similar to the effect of statin treatment, based on trials and cohort studies.
• Cochrane review (2020): in trials lasting at least two years, reducing saturated fat lowered combined cardiovascular events by about 17%.
• Coconut oil: a 2020 meta-analysis of trials found coconut oil raised LDL by about 10 mg/dL (0.27 mmol/L) compared with non-tropical vegetable oils.
• Olive oil: extra virgin olive oil is the fat of the Mediterranean diet, which in trials is linked to fewer cardiovascular events. It has more saturated fat than canola or sunflower oil, but it also has polyphenols, and is a good everyday choice.
• Beef tallow and lard: there are no head-to-head LDL trials, but with about 40 to 50% saturated fat they should be treated like butter: occasional rather than everyday.

So are seed oils bad?

Social-media claims that "seed oils" (canola, sunflower, soybean) are toxic or drive heart disease rest mainly on theory about oxidation and inflammation. In controlled trials these oils lower LDL compared with butter and other saturated fats, and large cohort studies link higher intake of the main fat in them (linoleic acid) with lower, not higher, coronary heart disease risk. The 2026 ACC/AHA guideline recommends replacing saturated fat with unsaturated fat as part of a heart-healthy diet.

There are real caveats. Deep-frying oils repeatedly at high heat creates degraded fats, and ultra-processed foods made with refined oils can be unhealthy for other reasons (sugar, salt, refined starch). Those are about the foods, not the bottle of oil in your kitchen.

How to use fats at home

• Everyday cooking, dressings: olive oil or rapeseed (canola) oil.
• High-heat frying: refined oils such as high-oleic sunflower or canola; use little and don't reuse.
• Butter: a small amount for flavour is fine; avoid using it as the main cooking fat.
• Coconut oil, lard, tallow: occasional use, as part of a recipe.
• Spreads: choose ones made from unsaturated oils, and check the label for palm and coconut oil.
• Measure: a teaspoon or spray is often enough. See good fats and omega-3 and 100 food swaps.

This is general information, not medical advice. If you take cholesterol medication or have a heart condition, check changes to your diet with your doctor, dietitian or pharmacist.

Sources

• Sacks FM, et al. Dietary fats and cardiovascular disease: a presidential advisory from the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2017;136:e1–e23.
• Hooper L, et al. Reduction in saturated fat intake for cardiovascular disease. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2020;5:CD011737.
• Neelakantan N, et al. The effect of coconut oil consumption on cardiovascular risk factors: a systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials. Circulation. 2020;141:803–814.
• Blumenthal RS, Morris PB, et al. 2026 ACC/AHA Guideline on the Management of Dyslipidemia. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2026;87(19). Section 4.1.
• American Heart Association: Saturated fat (aim for under 6% of calories, about 13 g on 2,000 calories).
• USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy), values per serving calculated from the per-100 g record: FDC 172336, 171026, 171017, 171411, 171413, 172338, 171410, 171401, 171400, 173410, 171412. fdc.nal.usda.gov

Frequently asked questions

What is the best cooking oil for high cholesterol?

Olive oil and rapeseed (canola) oil are the most practical everyday choices: low in saturated fat and widely available. Sunflower and similar liquid oils are also fine. Choose any of them over butter, lard, tallow or coconut oil for regular cooking.

Are seed oils bad for cholesterol?

No. Canola, sunflower and soybean oils are low in saturated fat, and trials show they lower LDL when they replace butter or other saturated fats. Claims that they are harmful are not supported by the main cholesterol and heart-disease evidence.

Is olive oil better than butter for cholesterol?

Yes. A tablespoon of olive oil has about 1.9 g of saturated fat compared with about 7.3 g in butter, and swapping one for the other lowers LDL.

Is coconut oil bad for cholesterol?

Coconut oil is about 80% saturated fat, and trials found it raised LDL compared with non-tropical vegetable oils. It is best kept for occasional use.

Is beef tallow healthy?

Beef tallow is about 50% saturated fat, so like butter and lard it can raise LDL if you use it as your main cooking fat. If you like it for flavour, use a small amount occasionally.

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