Trans fat has come into the spotlight! All companies must list the amount of trans fat in food products on the Nutrition Facts label. This is required for all foods made and shipped to stores after January 1, 2006.
What prompted this new labeling requirement? Health experts now know that this unhealthy fat is linked to heart disease. This new tool gives consumers a way to check how much trans fat is in many popular processed foods. Now we can make better choices in the supermarket aisle.
Why is trans fat an unhealthy fat? Trans fat raises levels of "bad" cholesterol in our blood that can clog arteries. It also takes away "good" cholesterol that keep arteries clean. High levels of "bad" or LDL cholesterol and low levels of "good" or HDL cholesterol in our diets are linked to heart disease. Very simply, the stiffer and more solid fats are, the more they clog our arteries.
What is trans fat? Trans fat is a hard fat made from liquid oil. To make this happen, hydrogen gas is bubbled through hot vegetable oil. This process is called "hydrogenation." The bonds in the oil are changed to make it more stable. This new fat, called trans fat, gives processed foods better texture, appearance, and flavor for a longer period of time. It makes our favorite crisp foods crunchier and creamy foods creamier.
What foods contain trans fat? A small amount of trans fat occurs naturally in some animal products, such as beef, butter, milk, cheese, and lamb. However, most of it comes from popular, tasty processed foods made with partially hydrogenated margarines and solid cooking fats. The main sources of trans fat in our diet are stick margarines, shortening, salad dressings, fried foods, and microwave popcorn. Baked goods - breads, cakes, cookies, crackers, doughnuts, muffins, pies, waffles - are a major source, too. Trans fat is hard to avoid because it is used in so many foods we like.
Trans fat is not good news. So now food manufacturers are responding to the government's new food labeling requirement by changing the recipes for many products. They are testing other oils to cut the amount of saturated and trans fats and still give us the flavor and texture that we prefer.
What are some healthy food choices? Nutritionists advise that a heart-healthy diet is low in total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol AND trans fat. Now the new food label helps us check how much trans fat and other fats are in foods before we put them in our grocery baskets. More and more restaurants are listing nutrient and fat content of menu items, as well.
Here are action steps for a healthier diet lower in total fats, saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol:
1) Choose liquid vegetable oils - such as olive, canola, soybean, corn, and sunflower oils - and soft margarines instead of stiffer margarines and shortenings when you are cooking.
2) Consider other sources of healthy fats such as nuts and fish.
3) Select low-fat or non-fat dairy items and lean meats.
4) Emphasize vegetables and fruits in place of baked goods and fried foods.
5) Control calories and portion sizes. All fats add calories. You will find the number of calories and the portion size at the top of the Nutrition Facts panel on the package label.
