Foods with trans fats
So, we know trans fats (also known as trans fatty acids) are everywhere... But what foods are they most commonly found in? The best way to find out (before the FDA's new labeling law takes effect) is to look at the ingredient list for partially hydrogenated oil. If it lists it, it has some amount of trans fat.
But, to save time, here is a basic list of trans fat filled food:
* Shortening and margarine: Any kind of solid margarine or vegetable shortening is probably trans fat laden, unless it has recently been reformulated or unless it says in clear lettering on the label that it is trans fat free.
* Baked products such as pies, cakes and cookies. Yes, these commonly have the aforementioned shortening in them, so check the label for partially hydrogenated shortening.
* Crackers and chips. Both baked and fried snack foods may contain large amounts of trans fat.
* Prepared meals (such as frozen dinners)
Some quick ways to avoid trans fats in your food:
Is it fat free? Then, it doesn't have any trans fat. :)
Is the fat in a liquid form such as olive oil or corn oil? No trans fatty acids.
And, the closer the food is to its natural form (fresh fruits and vegetables, grains, etc) the less likely it is to have trans fat.
But, to save time, here is a basic list of trans fat filled food:
* Shortening and margarine: Any kind of solid margarine or vegetable shortening is probably trans fat laden, unless it has recently been reformulated or unless it says in clear lettering on the label that it is trans fat free.
* Baked products such as pies, cakes and cookies. Yes, these commonly have the aforementioned shortening in them, so check the label for partially hydrogenated shortening.
* Crackers and chips. Both baked and fried snack foods may contain large amounts of trans fat.
* Prepared meals (such as frozen dinners)
Some quick ways to avoid trans fats in your food:
Is it fat free? Then, it doesn't have any trans fat. :)
Is the fat in a liquid form such as olive oil or corn oil? No trans fatty acids.
And, the closer the food is to its natural form (fresh fruits and vegetables, grains, etc) the less likely it is to have trans fat.
2 Comments:
"No Trans" and "Zero Trans" are not the same!
The FDA defines "No Trans" as trace amounts of trans fats per container where as "Zero Trans" is defined as less than 1 gram per serving! Since some package food companies lessen the serving size to hide the trans fat content, the true tale tale is the ingredients list. "Hydrogenated" or "Partially Hydragented" are the words that describe the contents of foods with transfats to be avoided.
Yes, you're absolutely correct. You can find more information on the difference here: http://transfatfree.com/pages/art_labels.htm
But, all things considered, drastically reduced trans fats are better than lots of trans fats. :)
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