Two Healthy Fats

• Both olive oil and corn oil are two of the healthiest fats for cooking. Olive oil is a monounsaturated fat that has been shown to reduce cholesterol and other fats in blood, and to help regulate insulin levels, a benefit to people with Type 2 diabetes. In contrast, corn oil has a small amount of saturated fat, which can clog arteries in large quantities, but it also contains monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. In addition, it features plant sterols, a type of micronutrient that can reduce the intestinal absorption of cholesterol. A 2013 study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture found that corn oil contains four times the amount of plant sterols as extra virgin olive oil.

Compare the Qualities

• Understand the characteristics of olive oil and corn oil, both liquid fats, before you decide to make a substitution. For example, olive oil comes in nine grades, depending on whether it's mixed with other more refined oils. Extra virgin olive oil, the type to which corn oil is most often compared, comes from the first pressing of olives. It is the most pure and has the strongest flavor. Corn oil is extracted from the germ of corn kernels and has a milder, fresher flavor than olive oil. All grades of olive oil have a lower "smoke point" than corn oil, meaning that olive oil begins to burn at lower temperatures than corn oil.

A Milder Flavor

• One of corn oil's benefits is its milder flavor, compared with olive oil's strong, distinctive taste. A strong taste may be what you want for some recipes but not others, such as when you're baking something sweet. Substitute corn oil, which has a fresher, slightly sweeter taste, for the full amount of olive oil in any recipe. When you want to reduce, but not eliminate, olive oil's flavor, replace only a portion of the olive oil with corn oil. The olive oil flavor will come through even in small amounts.

Corn Oil More Economical

• Another consideration when substituting corn oil for olive oil is cost. All grades of olive oil are much more expensive than corn oil. Cost may not be a issue if you're substituting corn oil for olive oil to freshen the taste in a loaf of quick bread. However, the cost increases when a large amount of oil is needed, such as for deep-frying. In this case, corn oil is preferred over olive oil because it's less expensive.