spreads and dressings yellow fat spreads for this invention can comprise 0 zero to 90 fat usually 5 80 dressings can comprise 0 to 85 fat usually 5 80 shortenings cooking and frying oil more than 95 fat the most advantageous level of sterols to be esterified within the teaching of the present invention depends on the fat level in the food product and the total level of stanols including the stanol fatty acid esters therein at a given total stanol amount in the product the most advantageous degree of esterification will be lower for high fat levels than for low fat levels based on total food product for example at total stanol equivalent levels of about 10 and at fat levels in the range of 50 90 the degree of esterification is suitably optimized in the range of 40 75 whereas at a total stanol equivalent level of about 10 and a fat level in the range of 0 50 the degree of esterification optimum will be found in the range of 60 90 also higher stanol equivalent levels at given fat level will lead to optimization at higher degrees of esterification the preparation of the fat based food products comprising the stanol fatty acid esters of the invention can be carried out in any suitable manner commonly known suitably the stanol fatty acid ester mixture can be added and dissolved to the fat prior to combining with the aqueous phase of the product to be prepared in a preferred embodiment the food product is a yellow fat spread comprising 0 to 80 fat and at least 1 wt and preferably at least 2 wt and more preferably at least 5 wt stanol equivalents present as free stanols and stanol ester.