Are you trying to choose between these two cooking oils? Pecan oil and palm oil are unique oils that each offer their own benefits.
In this article, we’ll break down pecan oil and palm oil to see what the differences and similarities are, helping you choose the right one for your kitchen!
Comparing pecan oil vs palm oil
| Solid or Liquid? | Liquid | Semi solid |
| Smoke Point (Fahrenheit) | 470 degrees | 450 degrees |
| Primary Fat | Monounsaturated | Saturated |
| Taste | Nutty | Mild Carrot |
| Good for Cooking… | Raw, low, moderate, high heat | Raw, low, moderate, high heat |
| Allergens | Pecans, tree nut | Oil palm fruit |
| Gluten-free? | Yes | Yes |
| Keto? | Yes | Yes |
| Paleo? | Yes | Yes |
| Vegan? | Yes | Yes |
Differences between pecan oil and palm oil
Pecan oil comes from, you guessed it, pecans. A process called “cold pressing” is used, which involves pressing the pecans without using heat or chemicals. This allows the oil to retain maximal nutritional value and taste!
Palm oil, also called red palm oil due to its reddish-orange hue in its solid form, comes from the fruit of oil palm trees. The fruits are pressed and put through other heat, chemical, refining, and filtering processes to cleanse it of any impurities.
Pecan oil has a rich, nutty flavor with a taste of sweetness, making it a wonderful choice for baking, roasting, and adding a nutty twist to your salads! The unique taste is quite different from palm oil, which has a more mild, neutral flavor with a hint of carrot.
Another big difference between these two is that palm oil is semi-solid, meaning it’s solid at room temperature but liquidizes when heated (it also changes to a more golden color as it’s heated).
Baking and cooking with pecan oil vs palm oil
Both pecan oil and palm oil have high smoke points, meaning that you can use them for high-heat cooking methods like stir-fries, sauteing, and deep-frying. That being said, pecan oil has a strong, unique flavor, making it more suitable in lower doses than something like deep-frying – unless you enjoy the overpowering taste that brings!
The rich, nutty flavor of pecan oil also does great raw by being drizzled on salads, grilled or roasted meats, or in marinades. Palm oil is better for cooking things where you want the main ingredients to take center stage taste-wise, as its mild flavor doesn’t take away from the main taste of the dish – ideal for stir-fries, sauteing, and deep-frying foods!
Each oil provides a unique experience, so make sure you know what you want out of your dish before reaching for either one of these!
Can pecan oil and palm oil be substituted for each other?
On paper, pecan oil and palm oil can be substituted for each other due to their high smoke points and diet-friendly properties. However, the stronger taste of pecan oil may make it difficult to substitute for palm oil in deep-fried foods or recipes where other ingredients are supposed to be the stars of the show in terms of taste.
Palm oil also isn’t drizzled on salads the way pecan oil is, so I’d recommend avoiding it in that context.
Nutrition: pecan oil vs palm oil
Pecan oil is rich in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, which can help maintain healthy cholesterol levels. It also has polyunsaturated fats, which help lower the LDL cholesterol to promote heart health – quite similar to olive oil.
Palm oil has a higher saturated fat content which is known to have negative health impacts when eaten in excess. Another oil with a high saturated fat content is coconut oil. It does have some vitamin E, which is good for overall health.
| Per tablespoon (15mL) | Pecan oil | Palm oil/Red palm oil |
| Calories | 130 | 126 |
| Polyunsaturated | 4.5 g | 1.2 g |
| Monounsaturated | 8.0 g | 5.0 g |
| Saturated | 1.5 g | 6.7 g |
| Trans | 0 g | 0 g |
| Total Fat | 14.0 g | 13.6 g |
| Cholesterol | 0 | 0 |
How to store pecan oil and palm oil
Pecan oil has a higher omega fatty acid content, meaning it would benefit from being stored in a refrigerator to help maintain its freshness. Try using it within 6 months of opening it for the best results in your dishes!
Palm oil, on the other hand, can be stored at room temperature in a cool, dark pantry away from heat or sunlight. You’ll want to make sure it’s sealed tightly so that no air can get into the container – this will help get the longest shelf life possible!
Pecan oil vs palm oil: The ultimate verdict
This really comes down to your needs in the kitchen and for your specific dish. Pecan oil and palm oil are too different from each other taste-wise to properly choose one over the other. However, pecan oil is better nutritionally, and does better in its raw form than palm oil does. It’s also good in small doses and to add a rich, nutty flavor to your bakes and dishes.
Palm oil is better for deep-frying foods or cooking things where you don’t want the oil’s flavor to overtake the other ingredients. Palm oil has a much milder taste than pecan oil, making it the better option in that case.
Be aware of your goals with your dish, choose the right oil, and happy cooking!
FAQs
Pecan oil is definitely a healthier choice than a lot of other oils. It’s rich in monounsaturated fats, which is better for your heart than saturated fats (which are fairly high in palm oil). Still, be sure to use pecan oil in moderation, just like all other oils.
For sure! Pecan oil has a high smoke point and adds a rich, nutty flavor to your dishes.
Palm oil is good for deep-frying because of its high smoke point and neutral flavor, giving off much less of its own taste than pecan oil does.
Leave a Comment