Catherine Saxelby's Foodwatch | Q. How can a product be labelled “cholesterol free” if it’s high in fat?

Q. How can a product be labelled “cholesterol free” if it’s high in fat?

A. Fat and cholesterol are two separate components of food. Only animal foods such as prawns, eggs, meat and milk contain cholesterol, while plant-based foods do not.

Recent changes to Australian food regulations limit cholesterol-free claims only to those foods that have negligible cholesterol AND are also low in fat or low in saturated fat. Remember it’s generally the saturated fat that needs to be limited, not the cholesterol.

Margarines, salad dressings, mayonnaise and oils – which are high in fat – can be free of cholesterol, if based on a suitable vegetable oil such as canola, olive or sunflower.

But be wary of claims on foods like potato crisps, snack foods, biscuits and fried food. Check the type of oil that’s used. If the label simply lists VEGETABLE OIL, it’s most likely to be palm oil, which is saturated and not a good choice.