Not all cooking oils are created equal. Choosing the wrong one can affect more than just flavor. It can also impact your health, digestion, and how well your body absorbs nutrients.

Ghee and olive oil are two widely used fats with very different profiles. Ghee, a type of clarified butter rich in anhydrous milk fat, is a staple in Indian cooking and valued for its high smoke point and rich, creamy taste. Olive oil, especially extra virgin olive oil, plays a central role in Mediterranean diets and is known for its monounsaturated fats and cardiovascular health-related effects.

Knowing how both ghee and olive oil function in your usual diet can help you make better choices, especially when you're trying to replace dietary fats high in saturated fats or cook at high temperatures.

This article breaks down the facts so you can decide which oil best fits your health goals, taste preferences, and cooking style.

Ghee is a type of clarified butter made by simmering butter to remove water and milk solids, leaving behind a rich fat known as anhydrous milk fat. It's been used for centuries in Indian cooking and Ayurveda, offering a unique flavor and health benefits compared to other cooking oils.

Unlike coconut oil or vegetable oils, ghee is predominantly saturated fat, making it stable for high-heat cooking and long storage without refrigeration. It's still widely used in traditional Indian cuisine, but its popularity is growing worldwide.

Ghee is created by heating regular butter until the milk solids separate and sink. The clear golden liquid left behind is strained to remove impurities, resulting in pure clarified butter. This process also enhances its shelf life and boosts its smoke point.

Desi ghee has been a staple in South Asian kitchens for centuries. While originally made from cow or buffalo milk, modern food technology allows for mass production using cream or cultured butter.

In Indian cooking, ghee is used for frying, sautéing, and tempering spices. It's also added to rice, lentils, and flatbreads for a richer taste. Ayurveda views ghee as a healing fat that supports digestion, strengthens the body, and delivers fat-soluble vitamins.

Ghee plays a key role in daily meals and rituals, especially in diets rich in grains and legumes. It's also combined with herbs for therapeutic uses.

Ghee contains fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E, and K, which are essential for vision, immune function, and bone health. It also includes medium-chain triglycerides and conjugated linoleic acid, which have been studied for their potential link to anti-inflammatory properties and improved fat metabolism.

Because it's free of lactose and casein, ghee is easier to digest than regular butter for many people. It’s considered a source of healthy fats in moderation, especially for those following a ketogenic or low-carb diet.

Olive oil is a plant-based cooking oil pressed from olives, known for its high content of monounsaturated fats and antioxidants. It’s a core part of the Mediterranean diet and widely used around the world for both cooking and skin care.

Olive oil has gained attention for its role in diets studied for their potential to support heart health, blood pressure, and inflammation. It's also considered a smart choice for replacing dietary fats with high saturated fats.

Olive oil comes in several forms, and each type has its own benefits depending on how you plan to use it. Understanding the differences between extra virgin, light, and refined olive oil can help you choose the right option for flavor, nutrition, and cooking method.

Here’s a breakdown of the main types of olive oil:

• Extra virgin olive oil is cold-pressed and unrefined, making it the most flavorful and nutrient-rich. It’s high in antioxidants and best used for salad dressing, drizzling, or light sautéing.

• Light olive oil is more processed and has a milder taste. The term "light" refers to its subtle flavor and aroma, not the color or calorie content. In fact, it contains the same amount of calories as other types of olive oil. It’s better suited for baking or cooking, where you don’t want a strong olive flavor, especially in dishes that call for a more neutral taste.

• Refined olive oil undergoes additional filtering and heating, which removes most of the aroma and taste. It has a higher smoke point than extra virgin and is more stable for high-heat cooking like frying.

In Mediterranean diets, olive oil is a daily staple. The consumption of olive oil as part of a Mediterranean-style diet has been associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and improved cardiometabolic risk factors in some clinical trials. Many diet groups now recommend olive oil as a component of a healthy eating pattern.

Olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fats, particularly oleic acid, which has been linked to lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and improved high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels. It also offers essential vitamins like E and K, plus polyphenols that fight oxidative stress.

Olive oil contains antioxidants that have been studied for their potential to protect blood vessels and reduce inflammation, making it a valuable addition to diets focused on heart health and longevity.

Ghee and olive oil differ in their fatty acid composition and how they affect your body. Ghee is higher in saturated fats, while olive oil provides more unsaturated fats, especially monounsaturated fats known for their heart benefits.

Choosing between ghee and olive oil depends on your goals. For example, one may support better cholesterol levels while the other holds up better in high-heat cooking.

Ghee is made up of predominantly saturated fats, including medium-chain fatty acids that may support fat metabolism. Olive oil, on the other hand, is mostly unsaturated fats, including monounsaturated and some polyunsaturated fats.

Both are considered healthy fats when consumed in moderation, but they differ significantly in how they affect total cholesterol and non-HDL cholesterol.

Olive oil contains polyphenols and vitamin E, which offer anti-inflammatory properties and protect against oxidative stress. Ghee offers fat-soluble vitamins like A and D, along with small amounts of conjugated linoleic acid.

While both ghee and olive oil contain essential nutrients, olive oil may provide stronger antioxidant activity, especially when cold-pressed and unrefined.

Several studies in clinical nutrition have shown that diets rich in olive oil may reduce cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk and improve blood pressure and cholesterol levels.  In one clinical trial involving 28 healthy adults over the age of 50, participants consumed 20 grams of extra virgin olive oil daily for six weeks without changing their usual diet. The results showed significant reductions in total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, along with improved cholesterol ratios, suggesting a favorable effect on the overall lipoprotein profile.

While olive oil continues to show promising links to heart health, ghee presents a more complex picture. Ghee is made up of predominantly saturated fats, and although some studies suggest it may have a neutral or slightly beneficial effect when consumed in moderation, the evidence is still limited. More research is needed to fully understand how consuming ghee affects long-term heart disease risk, especially in comparison to diets rich in unsaturated fats like those found in olive oil.

Ghee handles high heat better due to its high smoke point, while olive oil shines in lower-heat methods and cold dishes. Choosing between the two depends on what and how you're cooking.

The right choice can improve both flavor and nutritional value in your daily meals.

Ghee has a smoke point of around 450°F, which makes it suitable for high-temperature cooking such as frying and sautéing. Since the milk solids are removed during clarification, it resists burning. While ghee performs well under heat, other cooking oils like avocado oil or refined sunflower oil have similar or even higher smoke points.

Extra virgin olive oil has a lower smoke point, closer to 375°F. Refined or light olive oil can tolerate higher temperatures, but it still falls short of ghee’s stability under heat.

Ghee and olive oil serve different purposes in the kitchen, depending on how you plan to cook. Here’s how each one performs when it comes to frying, sautéing, baking, and drizzling:

• Frying: Ghee is better for frying due to its high smoke point and stable saturated fats, making it suitable for deep frying or pan-frying at high temperatures.

• Sautéing: Both ghee and olive oil can be used for sautéing, but ghee adds a richer flavor, especially in Indian cuisine, while olive oil brings a lighter, fresher taste to vegetables and lean proteins.

• Baking: Ghee works well in baked goods that benefit from a buttery depth, while olive oil, especially light or refined types, is commonly used in Mediterranean baking for a soft, moist texture.

• Drizzling: Extra virgin olive oil is the preferred choice for drizzling over salads, grains, or roasted vegetables because of its bold, fruity flavor and monounsaturated fats. Ghee is less common here but can be used melted over rice or lentils.

Combining both ghee and olive oil can balance flavor and performance. Ghee gives richness and heat stability, while olive oil adds antioxidants and a lighter texture.

Some home cooks mix the two for better fatty acid composition and taste, especially when aiming to replace dietary fats high in less stable vegetable oils.

Both ghee and olive oil can support different dietary goals, depending on what your body needs. Ghee is ideal for low-carb or high-fat diets, while olive oil works better in heart-friendly or anti-inflammatory eating patterns.

Understanding how they affect digestion, weight, and overall wellness can help you choose the right one for your usual diet.

Ghee is high in predominantly saturated fats and contains medium-chain triglycerides, which are often used for quick energy. These fats don’t store as easily in the body and may support weight loss when part of a ketogenic or low-carb plan.

Because ghee has no milk solids, it’s easier on digestion and fits well into fat-focused diet groups that avoid carbs. Its high smoke point also makes it a go-to cooking oil for searing meat or roasting vegetables.

Olive oil, especially extra virgin olive oil, contains monounsaturated fats that are a key component of diets that have been studied for their potential to support heart health. In a dietary intervention, consuming olive oil reduced non-HDL cholesterol compared to diets high in saturated fats. However, these studies show a correlation, not a guaranteed effect, and more research is needed to confirm a direct impact across the general population.

Its anti-inflammatory properties also make it a good choice for people managing joint pain, blood pressure, or cardiometabolic risk factors. Olive oil, which contains polyphenols, has been studied for its potential to support a reduction in chronic inflammation.

Ghee contains short and medium-chain fatty acids, which are easier for the body to break down. Ayurveda considers ghee soothing for digestion and often recommends it for people with sensitive stomachs.

Olive oil helps stimulate bile production, which aids fat digestion. It may also support gut health by reducing inflammation in the digestive tract, particularly when used raw or lightly heated.

Both oils can nourish the skin and hair, but they work in different ways. Ghee is thicker and richer, while olive oil feels lighter and absorbs faster.

What you choose may depend on your skin type, hair texture, or the weather where you live.

Ghee is often used in Indian beauty rituals for dry or aging skin. It's applied as a nighttime moisturizer, lip balm, or under-eye treatment. Its fat-soluble vitamins may help repair the skin barrier and lock in moisture.

Olive oil works well as a gentle cleanser, makeup remover, or massage oil. It’s rich in antioxidants and helps calm redness or irritation, especially on sensitive skin.

Olive oil absorbs more quickly and is less likely to clog pores, making it a better choice for oily or acne-prone skin. It also causes fewer allergic reactions compared to some types of clarified butter.

Ghee may be too heavy for certain skin types, but it works well on very dry or flaky areas. Some people with dairy sensitivities should patch-test before using it topically.

Both ghee and olive oil can be used in homemade beauty products. Ghee works well in nourishing hair masks and foot creams, especially in cold or dry climates. It adds shine and softness to coarse or brittle hair.

Olive oil blends easily into massage oils or body moisturizers. When mixed with essential oils, it creates a smooth texture that hydrates without feeling greasy.

Both ghee and olive oil are generally recognized as safe for consumption during pregnancy and can be part of a balanced diet that provides nutrients for both mom and baby. The right oil depends on your digestion, dietary preferences, and nutrient needs.

Neither should replace a balanced diet, but they can be part of one.

Both ghee and olive oil provide key nutrients that can benefit pregnant women and support fetal development. These healthy fats contribute to energy, growth, and overall wellness during pregnancy.

Here’s a quick look at the nutritional benefits for mom and baby:

• Ghee contains fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E, and K, which support immune function, bone health, and fetal development.

• It provides healthy fats and quick energy without raising blood sugar, which may help meet increased calorie needs during pregnancy.

• Olive oil is rich in vitamin E and monounsaturated fats, both of which support brain and eye development in the baby.

• Studies in nutrition sciences have linked olive oil to improved cardiovascular health in pregnant women, helping manage blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Many pregnant women find ghee easier to digest than other dietary fats high in lactose or casein. It may help reduce bloating and gas in sensitive stomachs.

Olive oil, especially when used in small amounts, is also easy on digestion. It can support healthy bowel movements and reduce the chance of constipation, which is common during pregnancy.

Ghee is traditionally used in Indian households to moisturize the belly and reduce stretch marks. It softens skin and may prevent dryness in areas that stretch rapidly.

Olive oil is widely used in pregnancy skincare routines. While evidence on preventing stretch marks is limited, its antioxidant content may support overall skin health and repair.

Choosing between ghee and olive oil often comes down to how you cook, your taste preferences, and what’s available in your area. One isn’t always better than the other. They just serve different roles.

You can even keep both in your kitchen and use them based on the dish you're making.

Ghee has a rich, nutty flavor that works well in Indian cuisine, especially in lentil dishes, rice, and traditional sweets. It enhances savory and sweet flavors without overpowering them.

Olive oil has a grassy, sometimes peppery taste that shines in Mediterranean dishes. It’s better suited for salad dressings, pasta, and grilled vegetables.

Olive oil is widely available in grocery stores, often in several varieties and price points. Extra virgin olive oil tends to cost more but provides better flavor and nutrition.

Ghee can be more expensive, especially grass-fed or organic versions. Still, it’s shelf-stable and lasts longer than most cooking oils, even without refrigeration.

Olive oil generally has a lower carbon footprint because it’s plant-based and doesn’t involve dairy production. Some brands focus on sustainable farming and reduce waste during pressing.

Ghee’s impact depends on how the butter is sourced. Ethically produced desi ghee from grass-fed cows supports better animal welfare but may require more resources. When comparing sustainability, olive oil tends to come out ahead. However, local sourcing and small-batch producers can shift that outcome.

Ghee and olive oil each offer unique benefits, depending on how you use them. Ghee has a high smoke point, a rich flavor, and works especially well in Indian cuisine or low-carb diets that rely on healthy fats.

Olive oil, particularly extra virgin olive oil, is rich in monounsaturated fats and antioxidants. It’s a key part of the Mediterranean diet and widely recognized for supporting heart health.

The best choice depends on your cooking habits, health goals, and flavor preferences. Many people find that keeping both oils in the kitchen allows for more flexibility and balance in daily meals.