The study, published in the Journal of Clinical Lipidology, has shown, that corn oil reduces low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or bad, cholesterol better than the olive variety.

54 healthy men and women participated in the study and received four tablespoons of one of the oils in the same foods every day. Researchers measured the participants’ fasting blood samples before and after each treatment phase of the study.

It was found that corn oil lowered LDL cholesterol by nearly 11 percent, compared to extra virgin olive oil’s 3.5 percent reduction. Corn oil similarly lowered total cholesterol by over 8 percent compared to about 2 percent for extra virgin olive oil.

It should be noted that having high cholesterol is a risk factor for developing cardiovascular disease, which is the leading cause of death in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 600,000 Americans die of heart disease every year. That means the condition is responsible for 1 in 4 total annual deaths in the U.S.

Corn oil is rich in plant sterols, also found in nuts, seeds, legumes and vegetable oils.  A growing body of evidence suggests that they play a crucial role in maintaining a heart-healthy diet.

Compared to extra virgin olive oil’s 30 milligrams of plant sterols per serving, corn oil contains about 136 milligrams of plant sterols per serving.