Trans-Fats

To lower your trans fat intake, avoid packaged food with “hydrogenated” in the ingredients label. And skip deep-fried food.

Did you know that just one package or serving of a “trans-fat-free” food may contain nearly half the daily limit of the artery-clogging fat? Americans are advised to eat no more than 1.11 grams of trans fat each day (though no amount of trans fat is safe). Because of labeling guidelines, packaged foods can claim “zero trans fat” if they contain less than 0.5 grams per serving. This means that if the microwave popcorn you bought contains 0.49 grams of trans fat per serving, you can and will exceed the recommended limit just by eating slightly more than two servings.  To banish trans fat from your diet, follow these guidelines instead: Read the ingredients label. If you see “hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated,” do not buy it. Foods most likely to contain trans fat include non-dairy creamers; cake, muffin and pancake mixes; microwave popcorn; ramen noodles; baked goods; snack foods; margarine; instant cocoa mix; and frozen fast-food meals like waffles and chicken pot pie.  When dining out, avoid deep-fried food. For cooking at home, always choose heart-healthy oils like olive oil and canola oil over margarine, shortening and non-dairy creamers.