What Do You Know About Trans Fats?

What makes trans fats so unhealthy? Here are some facts: 1. Trans fats come in natural & artificial forms. Short for trans fatty acids, they are found naturally in some meat & dairy products, but in very small amounts. The artificial versions are industrially manufactured trans fats, which are created when hydrogen is added to vegetable oil to make it more solid. These partially hydrogenated oils are inexpensive & often used by food companies to improve the texture, shelf life & flavor of foods. According to the FDA, they are a main source of trans fat in the U.S.A., & the FDA aims to eliminate partially hydrogenated oils from the processed food supply. 2. Trans fats are bad for your heart. Trans fats raise your bad, or LDL, cholesterol & lower your good, or HDL; having high LDL cholesterol increases your risk of developing heart disease, the #1 killer in the U.S.A. It is, also, associated with a higher risk of developing type-2 diabetes. 3. You can find them in your favorite foods. French fries, doughnuts, and baked goods such as cookies, crackers, & cakes contain trans fats, as well as, frozen pizzas, pancakes & waffles, pies, ice cream, pudding, margarines & spreads, ready-to-use frosting & coffee creamers. Snacks like microwave popcorn can contain up to 7 grams of trans fats per serving. The American Heart Association recommends limiting trans fats you eat to less than 1% of your total daily calories. For example, if you eat 2,000 calories a day, you can have 2 grams of trans fats daily. When you consider naturally occurring trans fats, there's no room for the artificial kind according to the AHA.
4. Trans fats can hide in the ingredients list. Food manufacturers have to list any amount of trans fat above 0.5 grams per serving on the nutrition label, which means even if the label says 0 grams, there can be trace amounts. Check the ingredients list. If it contains partially hydrogenated oil, the product contains trans fats. Also, when eating out, ask what kind of oil is used in cooking. Choose oils that are monunsaturated & polyunsaturated, such as olive & canola oil.