The Truth About Trans Fats a.k.a. Partially Hydrogenated Oil

After a little "vacation" from the blog world, I am back and ready for more! The topic of trans fats is one that really gets me going. So, let the rant begin!

So, what is a trans fat anyway? It is a specific type of fat formed when liquid oils are made into solid fats (i.e. shortening). This is accomplished by adding hydrogen to the oil - this is called hydrogenation. They do this to make it more solid, enhance flavor and extend shelf life of the product. Plus, this is much more affordable for the food industry.

Why is it bad for me? Trans fats increased bad cholesterol (LDL) and decrease good cholesterol (HDL). Additionally, is causes heart disease and stroke and recent studies show is even contributes to diabetes. Serious effects happen at low levels of consumption. For instance, the Harvard School of Public Health did a study on this and found that if you add just 2% more calories from trans fats it increases your risk for heart disease by 23%. Additional studies found a direct link between the spike in heart disease in the U.S. and the release and regular use of trans fats in our everyday foods. Remember, heart disease is still the #1 killer in America.

The nutritional labels lie! But you say, hey I read the nutritional labels of my food and only buy the stuff that says Trans Fat 0 g. According to FDA regulations, food labels can legally do this if the trans fat per serving is 0.49 grams or under. What does this mean? You are actually consuming trans fats and being mislead by the agency that is supposed to protect us. In other words, when a label shows 0 grams trans fat per serving it may contain up to 0.49 grams of trans fat per serving.

How much can I consume and still be safe? The American Heart Association recommends limiting your daily intake to less than 2 grams. Supermarket shelves are loaded with processed foods labled as 0 grams of trans fats. The consumption of these hidden fats adds up fast. For instance, suppose you are using margarine or another buttery spread labeled 0 grams of trans fats per serving, but it actually contains just under 0.5 grams per serving. If you use 2 servings per meal, you are already over your 2 g daily limit.

Look for hidden fats. To identify products containing trans fat despite a Nutrition Facts panel claiming zero grams trans fat per serving, consumers can read ingredient lists and look for ingredients referred to as “partially hydrogenated” oils or “shortening.”

Common foods that contain trans fats. Trans fat can be found in foods including shortenings, some margarines, crackers, candies, potato chips, cookies, pies, bread, peanut butter, snack foods, fast food, salad dressing, fried foods, baked goods, breakfast cereal and other processed foods with partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.

What are my alternatives? There are a lot of natural foods available today that do not use these fats. Check out your grocer's natural food section and you will be surprised by the selection of foods that are readily available to us that are made with safe, all natural ingredients. You know, the foods that have ingredient labels that you can actually understand and recognize all of the contents.

First, avoid too many processed foods. I know, people are busy and love the convenience. Think about your health and the health of your family. Is it really worth it? When it comes down to it - NO NO NO. Your health is everything and you need to do everything in your ability to preserve it - you only get one body and one chance.

Look for natural oils such as canola, peanut, olive, palm fruit and soybean...avoid anything that says "partially hydrogenated" or "hydrogenated" as well as coconut oil and palm kernel oil (unless they are unrefined). Earth Balance is a great margarine or butter alternative. It is widely available in grocery stores and is made from a blend of natural oils.

Thanks for reading and smart eating to all!