The Danger Of Trans Fats
Trans fats do take up residence, however, in a disturbingly high number of foods that we consume, such as:
- Spreads, such as hydrogenated margarines, non-butter spreads and shortening
- Store-bought cookies
- Potato chips and crackers
- Baked goods, such as doughnuts, muffins, commercial cakes, and pastries
- Packaged foods, such as cake mixes, gravy mixes and pancake mixes
- Frozen French fries, pies, waffles, pizzas, and fish sticks
- Pre-fried noodles and soup cups
- Non-dairy creamers, flavored coffees and whipped toppings
what can you do?
Read the food labelsSome companies already list the amount of trans fat in a product directly under the saturated fat listing on the nutrition label, but this will only become required practice as of January 1, 2006. Once food manufacturers are forced to tell how much trans fat a particular product contains, you'll be able to make a conscious choice as to whether or not you want to ingest it. The FDA estimates that three years after the effective date, the labeling rules may save more lives, by preventing from 600 to 1,200 heart attacks a year.
Cook with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatsLiquid vegetable cooking oils, such as olive oil, canola oil, soybean oil, corn oil, and sunflower oil are all happily trans fat-free.
Eat more naturally low-fat foodsVeggies, whole grains, fruits, and beans are all foods of champions.
Go fishMost fish are low in saturated fats, and some fish, such as salmon, mackerel, herring, and sardines, are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which lower the body's cholesterol levels and help fight heart disease.
Choose soft margarinesNot only are softies easier to get along with, but soft margarines, such as Becel, are also non-hydrogenated and free of trans fats.
Cut down on commercially-made baked goodsSay goodbye to grocery store sweets; in particular, ignore the tempting calls of those gooey concoctions wrapped in pastry or dough.
Choose the smart way to fryKeep your heart happy by avoiding foods fried in shortening, hydrogenated oils or hard margarines... at least as often as you can.
Be selective when you eat outTry a turkey sandwich at a deli, or broiled fish or grilled chicken at a restaurant, and beware of restaurant trickery — even when restaurants claim to use "pure vegetable oil," this oil may still be hydrogenated.
Seek out trans fat-free productsI'll give you a head start. Under Canadian and U.S. laws, products are considered free of trans fats if they contain no more than 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving. That said, Voortman cookies began producing trans fat-free cookies in March 2004, Kellogg hopes to be trans fat-free by 2006, while McCain's Superfries are also being marketed as trans fat-free.
elimination roundOkay, we did liken trans fats to the antichrist, but experts still agree that 10% of the calories we take in should come from "bad" fats — unfortunately, most North Americans currently consume five times that much.
Furthermore, completely eliminating trans fats from your diet would require you to cut out so many foods that your body would most likely become nutrient deficient, not only making you look like you just took part in a season of Survivor , but also creating many unnecessary health risks.
Realistically, cutting yourself off from the world of trans fats would be next to impossible and just plain painful. Sure, you could try to cut out all trans fats from your diet, but then you run the risk of becoming the guy who never gets invited out to eat anymore, or worse, the guy who never gets invited out, period.
So short of alternating between celery sticks and lettuce for your daily meals, you are bound to consume some trans fats throughout your daily eating regime. But to avoid becoming a prime candidate for triple bypass surgery, you can still cut back on trans fats by making informed and intelligent food choices, saving both your heart and your social life.