Is Grapeseed Oil Healthy? A Deep Dive Into Its Nutrition Profile

Here’s what you need to know about grapeseed oil, including its nutritional profile, pros, cons, and where to use it (hint: it’s not in the kitchen).

However, it's not as common in processed and packaged foods because it tends to be more expensive than other popular seed oils like soybean oil and corn oil.

One tablespoon of grapeseed oil2 contains:

Omega-6 fats are found in many packaged or processed foods, so most of us get plenty of them in our diets and would be better off with cooking oils that have a healthier fatty acid ratio.

Most of the grapeseed oil you'll find in stores is refined. However, you can also find less processed versions such as cold-pressed, organic grapeseed oil:

Here’s a look at some of the health benefits of grapeseed oil.

Emerging research has also found that a grapeseed oil emulsion improved pigmentation, redness, oil production, as well as pores and skin elasticity4 when tested on 15 individuals for 12 weeks in a split-face, blinded, placebo-controlled study. “This is important because it means that grapeseed oil can potentially be used on acne-prone skin,” says Kobets.

Kobets adds that for those concerned about hair loss, grapeseed oil can be used in conjunction with castor oil or rosemary oil which can support healthy hair and potentially promote growth as well.

In one review, researchers stated that the composition and nutritional profile of grapeseed oil, including tocopherol, linolenic acid, resveratrol, quercetin, procyanidins, carotenoids, and phytosterols, offer cardioprotective benefits, as well as protecting against inflammation (and thus over time, chronic diseases) and cancer6. Yet, it’s worth noting that the amount of grapeseed oil needed to yield such benefits would likely need to be substantial (i.e., more than what you get cooking with it once in a while).

Preclinical trials8 have found that winery residues have reduced cholesterol in rats by half, while increasing HDL “good” cholesterol. This has led researchers to believe that grapeseed extract can help reduce the risk and protect against cardiovascular disease by improving LDL levels as well as the function of blood vessels, reducing the risk of plaque buildup and blood clots, and lowering blood pressure, too.

This could potentially help reduce the risk of vascular disease, improve the condition of the liver, and in turn help stabilize blood sugar levels9 in those with diabetes.

The preclinical studies on grapeseed oil and grapeseed extract look promising, but more work needs to be done to determine if these benefits are applicable for humans. In many cases, the large quantities of oil needed to see improvement may not be worth risking the omega-6 to omega-3 imbalance in the body. Plus, it’s likely these benefits can be achieved through other dietary means.

If you are allergic to grapes (or wine) then grapeseed oil isn’t a fit for you. Likewise, if you’re concerned about limiting your solvent or chemical exposure, many of the refined, store-bought grapeseed oils contain these. As such, you may be better off choosing a different seed and plant oil that can be more easily found cold-pressed, like walnut oil or sesame oil.

Grapeseed oil has a high amount of omega-6 fatty acids, thus incorporating it into your diet may add to inflammation10 if you’re already consuming large amounts of omega-6s.

“Pure grapeseed oil may not have the same benefits or may even be damaging by clogging pores and worsening acne," she says. Using grapeseed oil on the scalp may be a bit more forgiving, but it can still cause irritation so you should always do a small test patch first.

Cooking with grapeseed oil isn’t a bad thing, but nutritionally speaking, oils like avocado oil and olive oil are healthier. This is because grapeseed oil can be highly refined, and has a higher omega-6 content than other oils.

While grapeseed oil does have some health benefits, you're better off sticking to olive or avocado oil for cooking (and other nut oils like walnut oil for finishing) and using grapeseed oil topically for your complexion and hair health instead.