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Family Living
Healthy
Life Styles
Trans
Fats
What is
it?
Trans fats are formed when liquid oils are made into solid fats
such as margarine or shortening. This process of hydrogenation
adds hydrogen to vegetable oils to make a more solid fat.
Where is
it found? Trans fats are found in vegetable shortening, some
margarines, crackers, candies, cookies, snack foods, fried foods,
baked goods, salad dressing and other processed foods. These fats
may be found in more than 40% of foods on grocery shelves.
Should
we be concerned? "It's important to know about trans
fat because there is a direct, proven relationship between diets
high in trans fat content and LDL ("bad") cholesterol
levels and, therefore, an increased risk of coronary heart disease
- a leading cause of death in the US." (FDA Fact Sheet)
Do Labels
List Trans Fats? You will find trans fats listed under the
"fats" section of the food label on many labels. All
foods that contain trans fats will have it on the label by the
end of 2005..
What can
I do about Trans Fats? Look at the Nutrition Facts panel,
and choose the food with the lower amounts of saturated fat, trans
fat, and cholesterol. Health experts recommend that you keep your
intake of these nutrients as low as possible while consuming a
nutritionally adequate diet.
Web Resources:
Questions and Answers about Trans Fat Nutrition Labeling
http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/qatrans2.html
Trans Fat Now Listed With Saturated Fat and Cholesterol on the
Nutrition Facts Label
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/transfat.html#where
Trans Fats
101
http://www.umm.edu/features/transfats.html
(Very useful site for meal planning)
Q and A about
Trans Fats
http://www.ific.org/publications/qa/transqa.cfm
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