22/07/2026
🐤 Cholesterol only comes from animals.
🌾 Fibre only comes from plants.
Two facts. But the food industry has been quietly exploiting both.
Ever seen “Zero Cholesterol!” splashed across a pack of chips, cooking oil, or oat cookies? Sounds healthy, right?
Here’s the thing: if there’s no animal product in the box, there was never any cholesterol to begin with.
Look at the cooking oils in your kitchen right now. Canola oil, sunflower oil, vegetable oil, sesame oil, coconut oil, olive oil, every single one of them is “zero cholesterol.” Not because they’re specially formulated to be heart-healthy, but because they’re made from plants, and plants naturally don’t contain cholesterol.
So while “cholesterol-free” is technically true, it doesn’t necessarily tell you much about how nutritious a product is.
Instead of focusing on the claims on the front of the pack, it’s always worth taking a closer look at the ingredients and nutrition label.
On the flip side, fibre only comes from plants.
No matter how much meat, eggs, or dairy you eat, you’re getting zero grams of fibre. And with carnivore and high-protein diets becoming more popular, this is something worth paying attention to.
Your gut bacteria don’t survive on protein, they rely on fibre. Without enough fibre, beneficial gut bacteria have less to feed on, which may affect the balance of your gut microbiome. Over time, this can contribute to issues like bloating, constipation, and a less diverse microbiome, which has been linked to poorer overall health.
The recommended daily fibre intake is 25g. Most Singaporeans are getting about 13g. If your plate is mostly animal protein with very few plant foods, your gut may not be getting what it needs.
The bottom line:
“Zero cholesterol” on a plant-based product doesn’t automatically make it healthy, it simply reflects where cholesterol comes from. And if your meals are low in plant foods, you could be missing out on the fibre your gut depends on.
Know what you’re actually eating 🌱
💬 Which “zero cholesterol” product surprised you the most? Drop it in the comments 👇
📲 Follow iAM Health for gut health
