Additive guides · Product label guide

Worst cooking oils? What regulators and heart-health reviews actually say.

Updated October 24, 2026

Is there a worst cooking oil? A sourced look at the FDA’s removal of partially hydrogenated oils, the American Heart Association advice on saturated and polyunsaturated fats, the FDA oleic acid claim, canola and cottonseed oil, and the cooking oils in our catalog.

Quick answer

No agency publishes a ranking of worst cooking oils. The one cooking-oil ingredient US regulators removed over health concerns is partially hydrogenated oil, the main source of artificial trans fat (FDA determination of 2015). Beyond that, the American Heart Association’s 2017 advisory favors replacing saturated fat with polyunsaturated vegetable oils such as soybean oil and advises limiting coconut oil and dairy fat, while others argue for avoiding seed oils; that part of the evidence is debated. Canola and cottonseed oil are seed oils, not banned ingredients.

Removed by FDA: Partially hydrogenated oils
AHA 2017: Swap saturated for polyunsaturated fat
FDA claim (2018): High-oleic oils, qualified
Ranking by agencies: None exists

Your avoid list

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01 · A closer look

What regulators have actually decided.

In June 2015 the FDA made a final determination that partially hydrogenated oils, the major dietary source of artificial trans fat, are not generally recognized as safe for use in food. That is the only cooking-oil ingredient in this guide that US regulators removed over health concerns. The determination does not say anything about olive, canola, soybean, coconut or other oils.

FDA: final determination regarding partially hydrogenated oils (content current as of Oct 1, 2024)

02 · A closer look

What the heart-health reviews say.

The American Heart Association’s 2017 presidential advisory concluded that replacing saturated fat with polyunsaturated vegetable oils lowers cardiovascular disease risk, and named coconut oil and dairy fat as sources of saturated fat to limit. A 2016 reanalysis of the Minnesota Coronary Experiment found that a linoleic-acid-rich diet lowered cholesterol without improving survival, so the benefit of that swap is debated. The full picture is on the seed oil evidence guide.

What a primary source says about each kind of cooking fat
Kind of fat	What the source says	Source
Partially hydrogenated oils	FDA: not generally recognized as safe in food (2015)	FDA
Soybean, corn, sunflower and other polyunsaturated oils	AHA: replacing saturated fat with them lowers cardiovascular risk; a 2016 reanalysis disputes the benefit	AHA 2017; BMJ 2016
Coconut oil and dairy fat	AHA: sources of saturated fat to limit	AHA 2017
High-oleic oils (at least 70 percent oleic acid), such as olive, high-oleic canola and high-oleic sunflower	FDA: a qualified claim that about 1½ tablespoons (20 grams) a day in place of saturated-fat sources may reduce coronary heart disease risk; the FDA calls the support supportive but not conclusive	FDA 2018

Sacks et al., Dietary Fats and Cardiovascular Disease: AHA Presidential Advisory, Circulation (2017)

03 · A closer look

Canola oil.

Canola oil is a seed oil pressed from rapeseed, and this site flags it as one. Whether to avoid it is a personal choice: it is a polyunsaturated-rich oil of the kind the AHA advisory discusses, and it is not restricted by the FDA. The FDA’s oleic acid claim covers oils with at least 70 percent oleic acid and names high-oleic canola oil as an example, so it attaches to oils that meet that level rather than to canola oil in general.

FDA: completes review of qualified health claim petition for oleic acid and the risk of coronary heart disease (Nov 19, 2018)

04 · A closer look

Cottonseed oil.

Cottonseed oil is on the seed oil list. It is allowed in food, and we found no primary source ranking it above or below other oils, so this site states only where it appears. If you avoid it, read the label for “cottonseed oil” and for “hydrogenated cottonseed oil”, which falls under the hydrogenated oils group.

05 · A closer look

Why “worst” depends on your goal.

People who ask for the worst oil usually mean one of four things: artificial trans fat, saturated fat, heavy processing, or reheated frying oil. Regulators acted on the first, the AHA advises on the second, and the last two are preferences that no primary source cited here settles. The products below are the cooking oils and fats in our catalog; open any to read the exact ingredient statement, and use the avoid list to flag the groups you care about.

Useful answers

What is the worst cooking oil?

No agency ranks cooking oils. The FDA removed partially hydrogenated oils, the main source of artificial trans fat, from general use in 2015. For other oils the evidence is debated.

Which cooking oils are healthiest?

The AHA advises replacing saturated fat with polyunsaturated vegetable oils, and the FDA allows a qualified heart-disease claim for oils with at least 70 percent oleic acid, such as olive oil. Neither is a guarantee; ask a clinician or dietitian about your own diet.

Is canola oil bad for you?

It is a seed oil that regulators allow. Heart-health reviews of polyunsaturated oils are mixed, and this site does not rate it as harmful.

Is cottonseed oil bad for you?

We found no primary source classing it as worse than other oils. It is a seed oil and is flagged as one here.

Is coconut oil healthy?

The AHA names coconut oil as a source of saturated fat to limit. Some shoppers prefer it as a non-seed oil; that is a preference, not an AHA recommendation.

Are partially hydrogenated oils still allowed?

The FDA determined in 2015 they are not generally recognized as safe, with compliance dates in 2018 and 2019. Check labels for “partially hydrogenated”.

An ingredient check is not a nutrition, contaminant, allergy, or safety assessment.

The short answer

Our picks for worst cooking oils

Clear winnerJovial Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 100/100: no tracked additive group on its label, verified organic claim.

Runners-upCalifornia Olive Ranch 100% California Extra Virgin Olive Oil (71) and Fatworks Wild Boar Lard (71).

Clear noNone. Nothing scored here lists any of the nine groups we check, so there’s no additive to rule out. We also can’t vouch for the 11 products without a verified current label; treat them as “not yet”.

Ranked from 3 of 14 products with current labels. Every product is in the table below; a score reflects labels and claims, not nutrition, allergies or safety.

Compare the recorded labels

Find the ingredients that matter to you.

Only show matches

14 of 14 products

“No …” columns: None found on the label · Listed on the label · Unknown. Diet fit: Fits · Doesn’t fit · Unknown (rules; not medical advice). Claims: verified · not established. Default: most check marks first; not a health score.

Compare product claims and recorded ingredients. Click a column heading to sort.
		Buy
	100 / 1009 of 9 groups clear · organic	Buy on Amazon ↗Product details →	5
Recorded ingredients 100% organic extra virgin olive oil Label checked 2026-10-16 · US Ingredient evidence source ↗ Sourcing claim evidence ↗ · reviewed 2026-10-05 Producer claims Organic The exact source catalog title states: “Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 500 ml”. Source catalog claims are shown separately from ingredient checks. Producer claim source ↗ Reviewed 2026-10-05
	71 / 1009 of 9 groups clear · no organic claim	Buy on Amazon ↗Product details →	4
Recorded ingredients Extra Virgin Olive Oil Label checked 2026-10-05 · US Ingredient evidence source ↗
	71 / 1009 of 9 groups clear · no organic claim	Buy on Amazon ↗Product details →	4
Recorded ingredients Wild Boar Fat, Organic Rosemary Extract Label checked 2026-10-05 · US Ingredient evidence source ↗ Producer claims Sourcing claim not reviewed The catalog establishes this product’s name and photograph. Sourcing claims and a complete ingredient label may still need review. Producer claim source ↗ Reviewed
	Not scored	Find where to buy ↗Product details →	0
Recorded ingredients Unknown Label needs review — · US Producer claims Sourcing claim not reviewed The catalog establishes this product’s name and photograph. Sourcing claims and a complete ingredient label may still need review. Producer claim source ↗ Reviewed
	Not scored	Buy on Amazon ↗Product details →	1
Recorded ingredients Unknown Label needs review — · US Sourcing claim evidence ↗ · reviewed 2026-10-11 Producer claims Organic The exact source catalog title states: “Organic Avocado Oil Spray 4.7 Fl Oz”. Source catalog claims are shown separately from ingredient checks. Producer claim source ↗ Reviewed 2026-10-11
	Not scored	Find where to buy ↗Product details →	0
Recorded ingredients Unknown Label needs review — · US Producer claims Sourcing claim not reviewed The catalog establishes this product’s name and photograph. Sourcing claims and a complete ingredient label may still need review. Producer claim source ↗ Reviewed
	Not scored	Find where to buy ↗Product details →	0
Recorded ingredients Unknown Label needs review — · US Producer claims Sourcing claim not reviewed The catalog establishes this product’s name and photograph. Sourcing claims and a complete ingredient label may still need review. Producer claim source ↗ Reviewed
	Not scored	Find where to buy ↗Product details →	0
Recorded ingredients Unknown Label needs review — · US Producer claims Sourcing claim not reviewed The catalog establishes this product’s name and photograph. Sourcing claims and a complete ingredient label may still need review. Producer claim source ↗ Reviewed
	Not scored	Find where to buy ↗Product details →	1
Recorded ingredients Unknown Label needs review — · US Sourcing claim evidence ↗ · reviewed 2026-10-11 Producer claims Organic The exact source catalog title states: “3L Can - Organic EVOO”. Source catalog claims are shown separately from ingredient checks. Producer claim source ↗ Reviewed 2026-10-11
	Not scored	Buy on Amazon ↗Product details →	0
Recorded ingredients Unknown Label needs review — · US Producer claims Sourcing claim not reviewed The catalog establishes this product’s name and photograph. Sourcing claims and a complete ingredient label may still need review. Producer claim source ↗ Reviewed
	Not scored	Find where to buy ↗Product details →	0
Recorded ingredients Unknown Label needs review — · US Producer claims Sourcing claim not reviewed The catalog establishes this product’s name and photograph. Sourcing claims and a complete ingredient label may still need review. Producer claim source ↗ Reviewed
	Not scored	Find where to buy ↗Product details →	0
Recorded ingredients Unknown Label needs review — · US Producer claims Sourcing claim not reviewed The catalog establishes this product’s name and photograph. Sourcing claims and a complete ingredient label may still need review. Producer claim source ↗ Reviewed
	Not scored	Find where to buy ↗Product details →	1
Recorded ingredients Unknown Label needs review — · US Sourcing claim evidence ↗ · reviewed 2026-10-05 Producer claims Organic The exact source catalog title states: “3-PACK SIMPLi REGENERATIVE ORGANIC CERTIFIED® PURE AVOCADO OIL”. Source catalog claims are shown separately from ingredient checks. Producer claim source ↗ Reviewed 2026-10-05
	Not scored	Find where to buy ↗Product details →	0
Recorded ingredients Unknown Label needs review — · US Producer claims Sourcing claim not reviewed The catalog establishes this product’s name and photograph. Sourcing claims and a complete ingredient label may still need review. Producer claim source ↗ Reviewed

How the clean score works

No setup needed, and strict: a full 100 needs every additive group clear and a verified organic claim (animal foods also need a verified grass-fed or pasture-raised claim; wild seafood and salt, which have no USDA organic standard, are scored without the organic points, and plant-based milks, cheeses and proteins without the feeding claim). Points: the nine additive groups (seed oils, artificial dyes, MSG, artificial sweeteners, carrageenan, artificial preservatives, hydrogenated oils, corn syrups, banned-abroad additives) share 60 points equally — not found earns a group’s full share, “may contain” earns half, listed earns 0; a verified organic claim is worth 25; a verified grass-fed or pasture-raised claim is worth 15 and counts only for animal foods. No claim, or an expired or unverified claim, earns nothing, so products without those claims cannot reach 100. Unverified or expired ingredient labels receive no score. Equal scores are equal. Ties are ordered by brand. Unknown and stale evidence never passes “Only show matches.” Producer claims and prices do not affect this score. This is not a nutrition, allergy, or safety rating.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Buying links do not influence ingredient results. “Buy on Amazon” opens a reviewed product listing; “Find where to buy” opens the maker’s page. Confirm the package, seller, stock, and current price before checkout. Price observations expire after 30 days.

Primary sources