Simply Said: "Cholesterol Free"

Ah, this sneaky tactic unfortunately works on many consumers every year.

A "cholesterol" free label with bright capital letters will jump out from some food packaging, and some people put that item in their shopping carts virtuously, believing they are choosing a healthier product.

Not necessarily! All "cholesterol-free" means is that that particular product is not an animal product or by-product, as those are the foods that naturally contain cholesterol.

For instance, a package of Oreo cookies will advertise itself as "cholesterol free". Fair enough, but 3 of those cookies contain 160 calories, 7 grams of fat, 2 grams of saturated fat, 3 1/2 tablespoons of added sugar, and practically no vitamins and minerals.

Meanwhile, a can of salmon, while not cholesterol free, offers a mountain of nutrients (including heart-healthy fats) that an Oreo cookie could never dream of offering.

And, remember, our blood cholesterol is not affected by the cholesterol found in foods. Shunning shrimp, salmon, or lean meats in favor of cholesterol-free processed food will not do you any favors.