When it comes to cooking oils, the advice can feel overwhelming and contradictory. For decades, we were told that vegetable oils like canola, sunflower, and soybean were the heart-healthy choice. Today, many nutrition experts, health influencers, and MAHA political leaders argue the opposite - that these seed oils may actually be driving inflammation and disease.

(We ranked the worst to best oils to cook with on TikTok, let's just say the comments were heated...)

So, what is the healthiest oil to cook with if you care about long-term health? Let’s break it down.
Are Seed Oils Bad?
Seed oils are everywhere - in packaged foods, salad dressings, and as the default oil for restaurants. They’re cheap and neutral in taste, but they come with a hidden cost: they’re extremely high in pro-inflammatory linoleic acid, an omega-6 polyunsaturated fat (PUFA).
While small amounts of linoleic acid are fine (and actually essential), modern diets deliver far more than our bodies are designed to handle. Too much linoleic acid has been linked to:
This is why leading doctors like Dr. Cate Shanahan and Dr. Chris Knobbe have called seed oils the “worst ingredient in the modern diet.”
But Even “Healthy” Oils Contain Seed Oil’s Bad Fats
It’s not just canola oil, soybean, or sunflower oil. Even some of the oils we think of as healthy - olive oil and avocado oil - contain linoleic acid.
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Olive oil for cooking: Around 11%+ linoleic acid, depending on harvest and region.
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Avocado oil for cooking: Between 10–20% linoleic acid.
- Canola oil (is it bad for you?): Yes, over 21% linoleic acid, often heavily refined, and may be oxidized before it even hits the shelf.
This doesn’t mean you should never use olive or avocado oil - they’re still better choices than highly refined vegetable oils. But if you’re looking for the lowest linoleic acid cooking oil, there’s one clear winner.
Macadamia Oil: The Healthiest Oil to Cook With
Among all cooking oils, macadamia nut oil stands out as better than avocado oil and Extra Virgin Olive Oil for cooking. Here’s why:
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Lowest linoleic acid content - usually just ~2%, far lower than olive, avocado, or canola oil. Tied with butter, beef tallow, and coconut oil.
- Natural buttery taste - works as a perfect vegetable oil substitute in baking, frying, or salad dressings.
- High smoke point - safe for roasting, sautéing, and even frying without breaking down.
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Rich in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats (MUFA) - over 80%, making it incredibly stable.
- Contains rare omega-7s - linked to metabolic and skin health.
In short: if you want a versatile alternative to vegetable oil that avoids the inflammation trap of seed oils, macadamia oil is your best bet (here is a high quality cold-pressed Extra Virgin Macadamia Oil tested for purity).
Healthier Alternatives to Vegetable Oil
If your kitchen currently relies on canola or other seed oils, here are some swaps to make today:
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Macadamia oil → Best all-rounder, neutral flavor, ultra-low in linoleic acid.
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Extra virgin olive oil → Great for dressings and low-heat cooking (choose high-quality brands).
- Avocado oil → Higher smoke point than olive, but check purity and fatty acid profile.
- Butter & ghee → Traditional fats that are stable for high-heat cooking, but concerns around saturated fat and longevity.
The Bottom Line on Healthy Cooking Oils
Seed oils may be cheap and widely used, but their high linoleic acid content makes them far from the healthiest oils for cooking. Even “good” options like olive oil and avocado oil still carry more omega-6 than most people realize.
If you’re serious about lowering inflammation, supporting heart and metabolic health, and cooking with truly stable fats, choose macadamia nut oil. It’s the most nutrient-dense, low-PUFA, high-MUFA oil available - the ideal vegetable oil substitute for a health-conscious kitchen.