Why isn total fat included in the qualifying criteria?
Research shows that the type of fat eaten may be more important than the total amount of fat that we eat. For example, unsaturated fats are better than saturated fats and trans fats. Unsaturated fats help prevent a build up of cholesterol in the blood, while saturated and trans fats can increase blood cholesterol, which can lead to heart disease. Total fat does make a big contribution to the quantity of calories and this is important when managing your weight. Packs with the Choices stamp will provide information on total calories per pack, per 100g/ml or per portion. In addition, future developments of the qualifying criteria will include calories, following a pilot study in the Netherlands.
