There are good fats and bad fats. Trans fats are the bad guys of the fat world. Learn to recognize them and take steps to avoid them.

We all know it’s important to limit the amount of fat in our daily diet for weight control and healthy hearts. There are some good fats we should eat, and bad ones we should avoid. Trans fats are the bad guys of the fat world and are best avoided.

According to good health food pyramids, fat should make up no more than 30 per cent of our daily food intake. In fact, the USDA Food Guide Pyramid suggests we ‘eat sparingly’ of fats and sugars.

Not All Fat is Good Fat

The human body needs fats to enable the nervous system to function correctly, and for healthy skin, mucus membranes and even good eyesight.

The good fats are polyunsaturated and monounsaturated, containing Omega 3 and Omega 6. They should be used sparingly but regularly, keeping the balance between Omega 3 and Omega 6 at approximately one to four.

The one group of fats to avoid in every way possible is the trans fats, most often found as solid margarine or shortening and in commercial baked cakes and pastries, and in deep fried foods such as doughnuts and french fries.

Cholesterol Double Whammy

Trans fats or trans-fatty acids, are formed when liquid oils are made into solid fats such as shortening and hard margarine. Because of their long shelf life and appealing texture, synthetic trans fats have been favored ingredients in commercially baked goods such as cakes, cookies, crackers and crusts.

Commercially fried foods, such as doughnuts and french fries, also often contain trans fats.

Trans fats are described in the April issue of Mayo Clinic Women’s HealthSource as a ‘cholesterol double whammy’. They raise low-density lipoprotein (LDL or ‘bad’) cholesterol and lower high-density lipoprotein (HDL or ‘good’) cholesterol.

Not only that, but trans fats contribute to heart disease by promoting low-grade inflammation in the blood vessels. Plus they are associated with a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Avoiding Trans Fats

New York City made headlines when it banned trans fats in restaurants in December 2006, with the ban to take effect from July this year. Other cities are considering going trans-fat free. Some food manufacturers are reducing or eliminating trans fats in their products.

The American Heart Association recommends limiting trans fats to less than one percent of your daily calories. That’s just 20 calories (2 grams) in a 2,000-calorie per day diet.

There’s a catch – that amount could easily come from naturally occurring trans-fatty acids in dairy products and meat from cows, goats and sheep.

Perhaps that’s another good reason to reduce your consumption of dairy products and red meat!

However, if you’re serious about avoiding trans fats, as with all food you have not made or grown yourself, the rule is – read the labels.

Nutrition Labels Tell the Story

By law, product nutrition labels in the US must carry trans fat information. However, a product that has less than ½ gram of trans fat can be labeled as zero. Eating even modest amounts of these products can easily add up to more than two grams of trans fats.

Key words to watch out for are ‘shortening,’ ‘partially hydrogenated’ and ‘hydrogenated’. They indicate that the food contains trans fats even when the chart on the label suggests none.

When eating out, remember that many restaurants continue to use trans fats for deep-fried foods. A better choice would be grilled or baked foods, which are more likely to be trans-fat free.

See also: Read Food Labels to be Heart Smart

See also: Choose a Heart-Healthy Lifestyle