Trans Fats

Slash trans fat from your diet — especially if you’re a postmenopausal woman. New research in the Annals of Neurology suggests that women over 50 who consumed the most trans fat (about six grams a day) had a nearly 40 percent increased risk of stroke, compared with those who ate the least.
 But don’t assume the fat is safe to eat if you’re a man or haven’t yet experienced the midlife change. Partially hydrogenated fat packs a double whammy against the heart, lowering “helpful” HDL cholesterol while raising “lousy” LDL cholesterol.
 Even if a product claims to be trans-fat-free, you still need to read the ingredients label. Food manufacturers can say their food contains no trans fat as long as there is only half a gram or less per serving. That means, if you eat three servings of a so-called trans-fat-free snack, you could potentially consume nearly 1.5 grams of trans fat in one sitting. Check ingredients for the words “hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated,” and if either is present, don’t put the item in your shopping cart.