Olive Oil vs Avocado Oil: How They Compare
Olive oil and avocado oil sit side by side on most pantry shelves, and both are mostly monounsaturated fat. They differ in how they are made, how they taste, how hot the brands say they can go and how the label words are defined. This explainer compares the two, using the oils we carry as examples: California Olive Ranch 100% California Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Chosen Foods 100% Pure Avocado Oil.
The short answer: extra virgin olive oil is pressed and bottled without refining, and the brand describes its flavor as floral and grassy, for everyday roasting, sautéing, baking and frying. The Chosen Foods avocado oil is refined, with a neutral taste and a brand-listed smoke point of up to 500°F, so it suits searing and dishes where you do not want the oil to add flavor. Per tablespoon, USDA data shows the two are close in calories and fat.
How we wrote this: definitions come from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and nutrition data comes from USDA FoodData Central, both linked in each section. Product facts come from the brand and an independent listing; where only the brand states something, we say so. We have not tested these oils, and this is not diet or medical advice.
How each oil is made
Extra virgin olive oil
“Extra virgin” is a defined grade. Under the USDA grade standards for olive oil, virgin olive oils are obtained from olives solely by mechanical or other physical means, under conditions, including temperature, that do not alter the oil, with no treatment other than washing, decanting, centrifuging and filtering, and no additives of any kind. U.S. Extra Virgin Olive Oil is the top virgin grade: it must have excellent flavor and odor with no sensory defects, and a free fatty acid level of no more than 0.8 g per 100 g. These USDA standards are voluntary.
The same standard ranks the grades. Extra virgin comes first, then virgin. Below the virgin oils are refined olive oil, which the USDA describes as flavorless and odorless, and oil sold simply as “olive oil,” a blend of refined and virgin oils. So “olive oil” on a label and “extra virgin olive oil” are not the same product. For each grade’s limits, and the harvest code and seals on a real bottle, see our olive oil label guide.
The California Olive Ranch 100% California oil is cold pressed from olives grown on the brand’s farms and by grower partners in California, and its only ingredient is extra virgin olive oil, which Open Food Facts also lists. California Olive Ranch says every bottle is certified extra virgin by independent third parties, and its label shows an Applied Sensory certification badge.
Refined avocado oil
Avocado oil comes in unrefined and refined styles. The Chosen Foods oil is refined. Chosen Foods describes it as naturally refined: avocados are pressed, the oil is filtered, then refined at a specialized facility where impurities are removed. The Hannaford listing also labels it naturally refined. Its only ingredient is avocado oil.
The USDA olive oil grades do not apply to avocado oil, so words like “extra virgin” and “refined” on an avocado oil bottle are not defined by that standard. Read how the brand says it makes the oil. Our avocado oil label guide covers the rest of the bottle.
Flavor and everyday uses
- California Olive Ranch EVOO: the brand’s tasting notes describe it as complex and floral, with notes of fresh herbs and grass. The brand suggests it for everyday roasting, grilling, sautéing, baking and frying.
- Chosen Foods avocado oil: Chosen Foods describes a smooth, neutral taste, and Hannaford lists it as neutral too. The brand suggests it for sautéing, roasting, grilling, searing and baking.
Smoke point
The smoke point is the temperature at which an oil starts to smoke. Both brands publish their own figures:
- Chosen Foods avocado oil: up to 500°F, per Chosen Foods and the Hannaford listing.
- California Olive Ranch EVOO: California Olive Ranch says its testing shows a smoke point well over 425°F and that its olive oil is fine for frying. This figure comes from the brand only.
Both makers list their oil for stovetop cooking. If you often sear at very high heat, the avocado oil has the higher listed figure. These numbers are for these two products, so check the brand’s page for any other oil you buy.
Nutrition per tablespoon
Both oils are 100% fat. USDA FoodData Central lists the same 884 calories per 100 g for each, and both are mostly monounsaturated fat. The table uses the USDA’s general entries, not the brands’ labels, so the two oils are measured the same way.
| Per 1 tablespoon (USDA) | Olive oil | Avocado oil |
|---|---|---|
| USDA entry | FDC 171413, 13.5 g | FDC 173573, 14 g |
| Calories | About 119 | About 124 |
| Total fat | 13.5 g | 14 g |
| Saturated fat | 1.9 g | 1.6 g |
| Monounsaturated fat | 9.9 g | 9.9 g |
| Polyunsaturated fat | 1.4 g | 1.9 g |
The small calorie and total fat difference comes mostly from the USDA’s tablespoon weights (13.5 g for olive oil, 14 g for avocado oil); per 100 g, the calories are the same. Per 100 g, the USDA data puts avocado oil slightly lower in saturated fat and slightly higher in polyunsaturated fat.
The product labels are close to the USDA figures. The California Olive Ranch label lists 130 calories, 14 g fat, 2 g saturated and 11 g monounsaturated fat per tablespoon (California Olive Ranch; Open Food Facts). Chosen Foods lists 10 g monounsaturated fat per serving (Chosen Foods; Hannaford). For more on reading these panels, see our Nutrition Facts label guide.
Storage and cloudiness
- California Olive Ranch EVOO: the brand’s FAQ says to store the oil in a cool, dark pantry away from light and heat, and to use it within 30 to 60 days of opening. It also says cloudy bits at the bottom are natural waxes that separate after a temperature change, such as cold during shipping.
- Chosen Foods avocado oil: the brand does not publish a storage or use-within rule. Chosen Foods says the oil may turn cloudy or crystallize at very low temperatures because of natural waxes, that this does not change its nutritional value, and that it clears when warmed; Hannaford notes the same.
Side by side
| California Olive Ranch EVOO | Chosen Foods avocado oil | |
|---|---|---|
| Style | Extra virgin, cold pressed | Naturally refined |
| Ingredient | Extra virgin olive oil | Avocado oil |
| Flavor | Floral, fresh herbs, grass (brand) | Neutral |
| Smoke point | Well over 425°F (brand only) | Up to 500°F |
| Brand’s suggested uses | Roasting, grilling, sautéing, baking, frying | Sautéing, roasting, grilling, searing, baking |
| Grade standard | USDA extra virgin grade applies | No USDA olive oil grade |
| Storage per brand | Cool, dark place; use within 30 to 60 days of opening | No rule published |
Which oil suits you
- Choose extra virgin olive oil if you want an oil with its own flavor for everyday roasting, grilling, sautéing and baking, the uses the brand lists. Our pick: California Olive Ranch 100% California EVOO.
- Choose refined avocado oil if you want a neutral taste and a higher listed smoke point for searing, sautéing and baking, the uses the brand lists. Our pick: Chosen Foods 100% Pure Avocado Oil.
You can also keep both: olive oil when you want its flavor and avocado oil when you want a neutral taste.
FAQ
Is avocado oil the same as olive oil?
No. They come from different fruits and, per USDA FoodData Central, have similar but not identical fat profiles. Both are mostly monounsaturated fat.
What does “extra virgin” mean?
In the USDA grade standards, extra virgin olive oil is virgin oil, made only by mechanical or physical means without altering the oil, that has excellent flavor and odor with no defects and a free fatty acid level of no more than 0.8 g per 100 g.
Is “olive oil” on a label the same as extra virgin?
No. In the USDA standards, oil labeled simply “olive oil” is a blend of refined and virgin olive oils and ranks below the virgin grades.
Which oil has the higher smoke point?
Of the two we carry, Chosen Foods lists its avocado oil at up to 500°F, and California Olive Ranch says its olive oil is well over 425°F. Both figures come from the brands.
Can I fry with extra virgin olive oil?
California Olive Ranch says its olive oil is fine for frying, and lists frying among its uses.
Why is my oil cloudy?
Both brands say cloudiness comes from natural waxes that separate in the cold. Chosen Foods says its oil clears when warmed.
Do they have the same calories?
Per 100 g, USDA FoodData Central lists 884 calories for each. Per tablespoon the figures differ slightly because the USDA uses slightly different tablespoon weights.
Where to go next
See both oils with the rest of our pantry picks in the healthy pantry staples guide. Both also appear in our gluten-free snacks and pantry staples and vegan snacks and pantry staples roundups. For coconut oil, see our refined vs unrefined coconut oil labels guide.