Olive oil vs sunflower oil: what's the difference
These oils have the same calories; the difference lies in their fatty acids. Olive oil is an oleic acid oil, sunflower oil mainly a linoleic one, and that decides how they behave in frying.
| 🫒 Olive oil | 🌻 Sunflower oil | |
|---|---|---|
| Energy per 100 g | 884 kcal | 884 kcal |
| Oleic acid per 100 g | 71.3 g | 45.3 g (regular), 19.5 g (high-linoleic) |
| Linoleic acid per 100 g | 9.8 g | 39.8–65.7 g |
| Vitamin E per 100 g | 14.35 mg | 41.1 mg |
| Frying at 190 °C: time to the 25 % polar compounds limit | 33 h (extra virgin) | 17 h |
Which to choose
Linoleic acid oxidises faster when heated, so olive oil is the more stable choice for frying and braising: in tests it took twice as long to reach the spoilage limit. High-oleic sunflower oil comes close in stability, and regular sunflower oil has three times more vitamin E. For salads, pick by taste: extra virgin brings aroma and bitterness, refined sunflower oil stays neutral.
Sources
Themes
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