Avocado Oil vs Olive Oil: Which is Better? A Comparison

Part of my role as a Certified Health Coach is informing people about healthy foods like oils. Avocado oil vs olive oil is one of the most popular topics that come up in conversation. Let’s answer one of the common questions people ask, is avocado oil better than olive oil?

Both oils are beneficial but olive oil is better than avocado oil due to its higher percentage of minerals and vitamins. It contains some nutrients which avocado oil doesn’t like vitamin K, potassium, calcium and iron. It provides more vitamin E than avocado oil, has a stronger, more favorable flavor and costs less.

This article will include a side-by-side comparison of their nutrients and fats. I’ll take a close look at how each oil is processed and how it affects their health benefits. In addition, I’ll examine their tastes, prices, cooking methods and if one can substitute for the other.

I’ve purchased, researched and consumed both prior to, during and after writing this article. I use both oils almost exclusively for everything.

Avocado Oil vs Olive Oil: The Differences

Olive oil is made by extracting the oil from olives using heat and/or chemicals. Avocado oil is made by extracting the oil from avocados. The finished olive oil is a blend of refined olive oil and extra virgin olive oil.

They’re made from different fruits.

Avocado Oil

Made from cold-pressed avocados.
Has a mild, grassy to buttery like flavor.
Cost more money.
Has a higher smoke point.
Typically lighter in color with a hint of green.

It is made by the following method:

The skin and pit is removed from a ripe avocado.
They are crushed into a pulp.
The pulp is separated from the oil in a centrifuge.
The liquid extracted consists of oil and water.
It is separated from the water.
It is filtered and bottled.

Olive Oil

Made from olives using heat and chemicals.
Has a mild, peppery flavor.
Cost less money.
Has a lower smoke point.

It is made by the following method:

Made by using the leftover paste from making extra virgin olive oil (EVOO).
The leftover paste is heated and kneaded with chemicals to release more oil, water and residue from the paste.
It is separated from the water and residue.
The oil is filtered and bottled.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

All varieties are held to certain USDA grade standards ¹. Extra virgin olive oil is certified as having the highest grade standards for excellent flavor, odor and free fatty acid content. The extra virgin oil must not exceed 0.8 grams of oleic acid per 100 grams.

Nutrient Comparison

The following table compares the nutrients contained in one tablespoon:

	Olive Oil (1 Tbsp/13.5 grams)	Avocado Oil (1 Tbsp/13.5 grams)
Calories	119	119
Protein	0 g	0 g
Carbohydrates	0 g	0 g
Fiber	0 g	0 g
Fat	13.5 g	13.5 g
Sugar	0 g	0 g
Sodium	0.27 mg	0 g
Vitamin K	8.13 mcg	0 mg
Vitamin E	1.94 mg	1.69 mg
Potassium	0.135 mg	0 mg
Iron	0.076 mg	0 mg
Calcium	0.135 mg	0 mg
Omega-3	103 mg	129 g
Omega-6	1,318 mg	1,691 g
Saturated Fat	1.86 g	1.56 g
Monounsaturated Fat	9.86 g	9.53 g
Polyunsaturated Fat	1.42 g	1.82 g

Nutrient Resources ² ³

The nutrients above sometimes differ slightly depending on the manufacturer. This may be due to the time of year the olives or avocados were pressed, types of olives, age of olives and other factors.

Both oils have about the same nutrition profile. This makes it difficult to determine which is healthier, if any. Therefore, let’s examine the healthiness of each one.

Both are healthy but olive oil has a higher percentage of vitamins and minerals. Olive oil contains more vitamin K, vitamin E, potassium, iron, and calcium than avocado oil.

Both oils contain a good number of healthy fats and antioxidants. Olive oil and avocado oil are considered good fats.

I use both for their nutrients and taste. I use avocado oil for the higher temperature cooking. I mostly use the EVOO for lower temperature cooking, salads and dipping.

The following video compares the two oils to determine which one is healthier.

Calories

They both contain the same number of calories per one tablespoon.

Vitamin K

Olive oil contains more vitamin K per one tablespoon.

Vitamin E

Olive oil contains 14.8% more vitamin E per one tablespoon.

Potassium

Olive oil contains more potassium per one tablespoon.

Iron

Olive oil contains more iron per one tablespoon.

Bottles of avocado oil and olive oil. — Olive oil and avocado oil Pin to Pinterest

Calcium

Olive oil contains more calcium per one tablespoon.

Saturated Fat

Olive oil contains 19.3% more saturated fat per one tablespoon.

Monounsaturated Fat

Olive oil contains 3.5% more monounsaturated fats per one tablespoon.

Polyunsaturated Fat

Avocado oil contains 28.2% more polyunsaturated fat per one tablespoon.

Antioxidants

The following is antioxidant compounds present in avocado oil:

Sitosterol
Tocopherol
Avenasterol
Campesterol
Estigmasterol
Sitoestanol
Campestanol

The major compounds found in olive oil are:

Tocopherol
Oleic acid
Squalene
Oleocanthal
Hydroxytyrosol
Biophenol

Find out how grapeseed oil compared in my article, is it equal or better?

Avocado oil and olive oil nutrient and health benefit comparison.

The Taste of Both Oils

Sometimes the taste and texture is all that matters to some people. After all, if someone doesn’t like how a food tastes, they will probably choose to leave it out of their shopping cart.

Therefore, let’s examine how the taste of each one compares.

Olive oil has a slightly stronger flavor than the milder avocado oil. Olive oil has a hint of olives and is peppery. Avocado oil has a mild flavor which is between grassy and buttery.

Both of their extra virgin varieties have a stronger flavor.

I wanted to get the opinion of real people like you by conducting some original research. Therefore, I reached out to some clients, members of food groups and readers. I asked, which cooking oil tastes better?

50% said they preferred the taste of olive oil.
41% said they preferred the taste of avocado oil.
9% said they had no preference.

To conduct more original research, I setup a blind taste test at home. I tasted one teaspoon of each one and chose the olive oil as better tasting.

Find out how sunflower oil compared in my article. Did it win the taste test?

Substituting Olive Oil and Avocado Oil

Sometimes people will want to substitute one food for the other in a recipe. Reasons for doing this may include availability, price, smoke point, taste or just for variety.

This makes people wonder if they can substitute one for each other.

Avocado oil and olive oil can substitute for each other in recipes not involving cooking or using heat. Although the flavor will be slightly different when substituting oils in some recipes. Avocado oil can substitute for olive oil when cooking in temperatures higher than 470°F due to its higher smoke point. Olive oil can substitute for avocado oil when cooking in temperatures less than 470°F.

Avocado oil has a higher smoke point. At higher temperatures the flavor of olive oil begins deteriorating, and an acrid burned taste develops ⁴.

For these reasons, avocado oil is better used for high-heat cooking. Avocado oil is likely more versatile and can be used for baking.

Olive oil’s substitutes for high temperature cooking include the following:

Refined avocado oil
Safflower oil (refined and neutralized)
Extra virgin avocado oil
Pecan oil

Frying with avocado oil. — Frying with avocado oil

Avocado oil’s substitutes include the following:

EVOO
Safflower oil refined
Safflower oil neutralized
Pecan oil
Virgin olive oil
Soybean oil
Sesame oil
Peanut oil

Smoke Point

The following are the smoke points:

Type of Oil & Fats	Smoke Point (Fahrenheit)
Avocado Oil – Refined	520°F
Extra-Virgin Avocado Oil	480°F
Olive Oil – Refined	470°F
Olive Oil – Virgin	410°F
Olive Oil – Extra virgin	375°F

Smoke point source ⁵

I wrote a whole article on the topic of avocado oil and frying which you can check out right here, A Guide For Frying. It also includes a complete list of all the oils and their smoke points.

You may want to find additional reasons why it should be used in my article.

Which to Choose Based on Your Goals

Many people have particular goals which food plays a huge role in. Which one you choose may depend on your particular goal.

Therefore, in this section I examine the most common goals and determine which one is the better choice for each goal.

Weight Loss

If you’re looking to shed some extra pounds from the mid-section, the number of calories will matter to you.

Therefore, let’s examine which is better for weight loss.

Avocado oil and olive oil are similar for weight loss because they contain the same number of calories per tablespoon.

Keto or Low Carb Diets

The goal of any low-carb diet is to take in few carbohydrates and more protein and fat. The numbers can be so limited every carbohydrate can make a difference.

Therefore, let’s examine which one has fewer carbohydrates or more fat.

Avocado oil and olive oil are both beneficial for low-carb diets due to their similar amount of fat and carbohydrates. Both of them don’t contain any carbohydrates and are a healthy source of fats.

Bodybuilding

If you’re trying to gain lean muscle mass, the amount of protein and carbohydrates make a difference.

Avocado oil and olive oil are similar for bodybuilding because neither oil contains protein or carbohydrates. Both contain healthy fats and are a good addition to any bodybuilding diet.

Gluten Free

For people who wish to follow a gluten free diet or have Celiac disease, the goal is to avoid gluten. Therefore, let’s answer which one is gluten free?

Avocado oil and olive oil are both gluten free and good for gluten free diets.

Find out how vegetable oil compares in my article. Is it as bad as they say?

The video below explains how to look out for lower quality olive oils.

The Prices

Shopping for groceries was expensive to begin with, but lately the price keeps increasing. I’m sure the prices of food matters to most people. Therefore, let’s examine the prices of each one.

Avocado oil costs 77% more than olive oil per ounce. Avocado oil average cost per ounce is $0.53 and the average price for olive oil per ounce is $0.30.

To conduct my own research, I checked two different supermarkets located in my area. Both supermarkets are on different levels of pricing. Walmart is the most economical and Stop and Shop being more expensive.

Here are my findings, I first visited Walmart:

Walmart:

Avocado (Store brand) – 25.5 ounce $8.88 ($0.35 per ounce)
Olive (Store brand) – 17 ounce $2.52 ($0.15 per ounce)

Stop and Shop:

Avocado (California Olive Ranch) – 25.4 oz $18.29 ($0.72 per ounce)
Olive (California Olive Ranch) – 25.4 oz $11.79 ($0.46 per ounce)

Checking avocado oil and olive oil prices in my local supermarket. — Checking avocado oil and olive oil prices in my local supermarket

Storage

Both of them can be stored the same.

Store avocado oil or olive oil in a cool, dark location away from light. It’s best to store either one in a tinted glass container. They should be kept at a temperature between 55-60℉, although they can be refrigerated or frozen if needed.

Both should be stored in the refrigerator if the room temperature rises above 70℉. Leaving either one in warmer temperatures affects shelf life and lessens the quality.

Due to heat-creating appliances and heated ovens, kitchens tend to be a bit warmer than most other rooms of the house. Therefore, be sure to monitor your food and the temperature of the room.

My kitchen area is typically cooler. I store both of them in a cabinet there which is away from the stove.

Olive oil and avocado oil stored in Kevin Garce's cabinet at home. — Olive oil and avocado oil stored in my cabinet at home

Find out if sesame oil provided the most benefits in my article.

Health Benefits and Healthy Fats

They both contain a wealth of healthy fats and antioxidants. The fats and antioxidants provide many health benefits which I’ll examine in this section.

Heart Disease

Heart disease and stroke are among the most common causes of death throughout the world. Studies have shown heart disease is lower in the Mediterranean countries where olive oil is a big part of their diets.

There are many ways both are beneficial for the heart including the following:

Lowering Blood Pressure

In a blood pressure study, rats with high blood pressure were given the blood pressure medication losartan or avocado oil. The researchers found the oil group lowered systolic blood pressure 21.2% and diastolic BP 15.5%, similar to the medicated group ⁶.

Studies have shown an association between lower blood pressure and an increase in olive oil consumption. The Mediterranean diet has been linked to lower blood pressure and cardiovascular disease ⁷.

Blood Vessel Health

Olive oil has been shown to help improve the lining of blood vessels. A study published in 2015 showed blood vessels opened up and increased blood flow in people who included it in their diet ⁸.

An avocado study found rats fed sugar and an avocado oil supplement were far less likely to suffer cardiac arrest or a similar condition than rats who were only fed sugar. ⁹.

Reducing Inflammation

Olive oil is associated with decreases in inflammation which is a main component of heart disease. One of its antioxidants, oleocanthal, is an anti-inflammatory that also reduces pain ¹⁰.

The doctor in the following video explains the benefits of avocado oil.

Reducing Blood Clotting

Unwanted blood clotting could contribute to heart attacks and strokes. A study in 2017 found weekly consumption of EVOO was beneficial to help prevent unwanted blood clotting ¹¹.

LDL (Bad) Cholesterol

In a study, the overweight participants were given a meal using butter or the same meal using avocado oil.

Over the next four hours, the people who ate the meal with the oil had significantly lower levels of bad cholesterol, triglycerides, inflammatory cytokines and blood sugar than the butter group ¹².

Studies have shown the polyphenols in olive oil to decrease oxidative stress biomarkers and improve LDL cholesterol ¹³.

Arthritis

Many studies have shown how a combination of soybean and avocado oil extracts (ASU) may help reduce the inflammation, pain and stiffness caused by osteoarthritis.

A recent scientific review and analysis of previous studies examined ASU and its effects on arthritis. The results concluded a positive effect of osteoarthritis of the knee from ASU supplementation ¹⁴.

Brain Health

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia causing problems with thinking, memory and behavior. A common feature of the disease is the build-up of proteins known as beta-amyloid plaques in certain neurons in the brain.

Animal studies have shown EVOO to clear the beta-amyloid proteins from the brain helping to prevent Alzheimer’s disease ¹⁵.

Several studies conducted on humans have shown the Mediterranean diet may be associated with a reduced risk of cognitive problems and dementia ¹⁶.

Research has shown unsaturated fats may be beneficial reducing the risk of dementia and heart disease.

Cancer

The cancer rates in Mediterranean countries is lower than other places.

Antioxidants are believed to contribute to the killing of cancer cells. In a 2015 study, oleocanthal helped kill cancer cells in less than one hour ¹⁷.

Another study published in 2015 evaluated the consumption of the Mediterranean diet and the incidence of breast cancer. For a six-year period, 4,282 women aged 60 to 80 years followed three different diets:

Mediterranean diet supplemented with EVOO.
Mediterranean diet supplemented with mixed nuts.
A reduced fat diet.

After 4.8 years 35 of the women developed breast cancer. The lowest rate of breast cancer was seen in the women who supplemented with the EVOO ¹⁸.

Oleic acid which both are rich in, has been associated with helping to reduce the risk of cancers.

You may want to check out the comparison with butter in my article. Find out if butter is really that bad.

Cooking with avocado oil. — Cooking with avocado oil

If you have any questions about this article don’t hesitate to email us. You can find an email on our contact page.