The Sneak Attack of Trans- Fats by Meri Raffetto RD

If you are like most people, you are probably confused about trans fats. What are they? Which foods have them? What is the health risk?

The truth is, trans fats are everywhere. They are lurking on the shelves in almost every aisle of our grocery stores. Just when you think that bag of microwave popcorn was a healthy choice for a snack... it might not be. Not because of the popcorn itself but because of what has been added to it.

So what are they? Trans fats are the result of a process called hydrogenation where they take relatively healthy oil and turn it into a solid form to help prolong the shelf life and freshness of the product. When these fats become solid, our bodies treat them more like saturated fats. Evidence shows that consumption of both saturated fat and trans fat can increase our LDL (“bad”) cholesterol that increases the risk of coronary artery disease. There is also some evidence to support that trans fats may actually decrease our HDL (“good”) cholesterol. Nearly 13 million Americans suffer from coronary artery disease and more than 500,000 die each year from causes related to coronary artery disease. Heart Disease is the number one cause of death for both men and women in the United States.

Unfortunately, trans fats have been a “hidden” fat for years. They are very popular in fast food chains because they are inexpensive to produce, easy to use, and they don’t spatter. The reality is… it is in everything from crackers to breads to cereals and therefore, people who thought they were making good food choices may have been adding more fat to their diet than they anticipated.

Here are some samples of the surprise attack of trans fats:

1.Spreads. Margarine and shortening are loaded with trans fats.

Stick margarine has 2.8 grams of trans fat per tablespoon

Shortening has 4.2 grams of trans fat per tablespoon

Tip: look for soft tub margarines that say “no trans fats” on the container

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BIO:

Meri Raffetto is a Registered Dietitian and a recognized professional in the area of nutrition and wellness. She has developed online weight management programs to help people get off of diets and get into way of life. For more information or to sign up for our free newsletter, visit www.reallivingnutrition.com.

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