Is Trans Fat Hiding in Your Favorite Foods?
Fast-food and other restaurants often use trans fat - Ask all restaurants you visit to use trans-fat-free oils.
You've probably heard about trans fat, but which foods have it and why is it bad for you? Trans fat is formed when oil is hydrogenated. Manufacturers like to use this type of oil because it is more stable and has a longer shelf life.
Unfortunately for us, trans fat increases the risk of heart disease by elevating your cholesterol and triglycerides, and damaging your arteries. The good news is that trans fat amounts are now listed on nutrition labels.
But Kaiser Permanente registered dietitian Carole Bartolotto says we are not out of the woods yet. The new labeling laws allow food companies to say that a food item is trans-fat-free if it has less than half a gram of trans fat. So, you could eat several servings of an item labeled "trans-fat-free" and still get too much trans fat. As little as 2 to 7 grams a day can substantially increase your risk of heart disease, according to an april 13 article in The New England Journal of Medicine.
In addition, fast-food and other restaurants often use trans fat. How much trans fat should you eat? Ideally zero grams a day; half a gram daily is probably safe.
Amounts of trans fat in typical servings of common foods
- French fries: 4.7 to 6.1 grams
- Breaded fish sandwich: 5.6 grams
- Breaded chicken nuggets: 5 grams
- Pie: 3.9 grams
- Danish or sweet roll: 3.3 grams
- Pancakes: 3.1 grams
- Doughnuts: 2.7 grams
- Stick margarine: 0.9 to 2.5 grams
- Crackers: 2.1 grams
The Bottom Line
Read labels and look for the words "partially hydrogenated oil" on foods labeled trans-fat-free. If you see that, only eat one serving; better yet, don't eat it at all. Ask all restaurants you visit to use trans-fat-free oils. Consumer pressure may help force them to switch to a healthier oil. Limit consumption of fried fast food, restaurant foods, and other foods listed above.