Cooking oils and fats · IFCT 2017
Corn oil: nutrition per 100 g
Per 100 g, corn oil carries 49.74 g polyunsaturated fat, 33.67 g monounsaturated fat and 16.6 g saturated fat, according to IFCT 2017. Nearly half of it is polyunsaturated, mostly omega-6, and it holds 760 mg of plant omega-3, 4th of the 10 oils with a value and 10th of 203 foods overall.
About corn oil
Corn oil is pressed and extracted from the germ of the maize kernel, usually as a by-product of the industries that turn maize into starch and glucose. It is not a traditional Indian oil, and it has no regional names in IFCT 2017. It arrived on Indian shelves as a refined, branded oil sold to urban families looking for a light, heart-friendly alternative to ghee and vanaspati.
In Indian kitchens it is used as an all-purpose refined oil: for sabzi and dal tadka, for shallow-frying parathas and cutlets, and for deep-frying puris and pakoras. Its pale colour and neutral taste do not change the flavour of spices, which is why it suits cooks who want the masala, not the oil, to come through. Bakers also use it in eggless cakes.
Unlike groundnut, mustard or gingelly oil, corn oil is almost never cold-pressed at home or in a village ghani. The germ holds only a small share of the kernel's weight, so the oil has to be extracted with solvents and then refined, bleached and deodorised before it is fit to cook with.
What corn oil brings to a meal
- 01
Mostly polyunsaturated
Corn oil has 49.74 g polyunsaturated fat per 100 g, one of the higher shares among the 14 oils and fats in IFCT 2017. Nearly all of that is linoleic acid, the main omega-6 fat in seed oils.
- 02
Useful plant omega-3
At 760 mg of alpha-linolenic acid per 100 g, corn oil ranks 4th of the 10 oils with a value and 10th of 203 foods, ahead of rice bran, sesame and palm oil.
- 03
Moderate monounsaturated fat
It carries 33.67 g monounsaturated fat per 100 g, roughly a third of the oil, the same kind of fat that dominates mustard and groundnut oil.
- 04
Low saturated fat
Corn oil has 16.6 g saturated fat per 100 g, well below palm oil, ghee and coconut oil and close to gingelly and soyabean oil.
Corn oil nutrition facts per 100 g
Every value IFCT 2017 reports for the edible portion, with the share of an adult's daily need that 100 g covers where ICMR-NIN sets a requirement.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Adult man | Adult woman |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy and macronutrients | |||
| Energy | 884 kcal | 42% | 53% |
| Protein | 0 g | ||
| Carbohydrate (available) | 0 g | ||
| Dietary fibre | 0 g | ||
| Total fat | 100 g | ||
| Water | 0 g | ||
| Fats | |||
| Saturated fat | 16.6 g | ||
| Monounsaturated fat | 33.67 g | ||
| Polyunsaturated fat | 49.74 g | ||
| Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) | 760 mg | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | ||
Values per 100 g of the edible portion. Source: Longvah T, Ananthan R, Bhaskarachary K, Venkaiah K. Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. National Institute of Nutrition, Indian Council of Medical Research, Hyderabad. Daily-need shares use the ICMR-NIN 2020 recommended dietary allowances for a 65 kg man and a 55 kg woman doing sedentary work (ICMR-NIN brief note). Nutrients IFCT did not analyse for this food are left out rather than shown as zero. IFCT 2017 reports no energy value for fats and oils, so the energy shown is calculated from the fat content at 37 kJ per gram.
Cite this page
NNWA Nutrition and Wellness Academy. Corn oil: nutrition per 100 g. Data: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. https://nnwa.in/foods/oils-and-fats/corn-oil/
Where corn oil sits among Indian foods
Ranked per 100 g against the other 13 cooking oils and fats and every food in the tables.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | In cooking oils and fats | Among all foods |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 884 kcal | 2nd of 14 | 2nd of 257 |
| Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) | 760 mg | 4th of 10 | 10th of 202 |
How corn oil is eaten
- Everyday tadka: cumin, mustard seeds and curry leaves crackled in corn oil for dal and sabzi.
- Shallow-frying: parathas, cutlets, tikkis and dosas on a tawa.
- Deep-frying at home: puris and pakoras, with fresh oil each time rather than reused oil.
- Eggless baking: as the fat in cakes and muffins, where its neutral taste helps.
- Salad dressings: whisked with lemon juice, salt and roasted cumin for a kachumber dressing.
Before you plan around it
A high share of polyunsaturated fat makes corn oil prone to oxidation when it is heated for long or reused, so it is better for everyday cooking than for a kadai of oil that is fried in day after day. Most of its polyunsaturated fat is omega-6; rotating with mustard or soyabean oil adds more omega-3. Corn oil's energy, about 884 kcal per 100 g, is calculated from its fat, since IFCT 2017 does not report energy for fats; spoon for spoon, like any oil, it is the richest energy source in a meal. Store the bottle away from light and heat once opened.
Food composition is general information, not a diet plan. Anyone managing a medical condition should plan their diet with a doctor or a registered dietitian.
What people ask about corn oil
Is corn oil good for Indian cooking?
Corn oil works well for everyday Indian cooking because it is neutral in taste and low in saturated fat, 16.6 g per 100 g in IFCT 2017. Its polyunsaturated fat breaks down with repeated heating, so avoid reusing it for deep-frying.
Is corn oil healthy for the heart?
Corn oil is low in saturated fat and rich in unsaturated fat, a pattern linked with better blood cholesterol. It is mostly omega-6, though, so it is best used in rotation with other oils. People with heart disease should plan fats with their doctor or dietitian.
Does corn oil have omega-3?
Some. IFCT 2017 lists 760 mg of plant omega-3 per 100 g of corn oil, 4th of the 10 oils with a value. Mustard oil and soyabean oil carry many times more.
Is corn oil the same as maize oil?
Yes. Corn and maize are the same plant, and corn oil is made from the germ of the maize kernel. In India it is sold mostly as refined corn oil under branded labels.
Related foods and tables
Maize (corn)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Sunflower oil
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Soyabean oil
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Rice bran oil
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Safflower oil
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Learn to use this data
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