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With New York recently banning them in restaurants, and Los Angeles looking to do the same, trans fats are quickly becoming infamous. And this time, the FDA is actually ahead of the game. As of January 2006, the FDA has required the trans fats content to be labeled in the Nutrition Fact panel of all food packaging. But what are trans fats, and why aren’t they good for us? |
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While unsaturated fats (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated) are beneficial when consumed in moderation, saturated and trans fats are not. According to the FDA and the American Heart Association, studies have shown that trans fats and saturated fats can raise LDL (bad) cholesterol while decreasing HDL (good) cholesterol, thus increasing the risk of heart disease. What exactly are trans fats anyway? Trans fats are formed when hydrogen is added to vegetable oil, a process known as hydrogenation. These fats are chemically changed to turn liquid vegetable oils into solid fats that remain solid at room temperature. Although small amounts of trans fats can occur naturally in animal products, most are found in processed foods. Their main use is to increase the shelf life and flavor stability of foods. What foods contain trans fats? Trans fats can be found in shortenings, margarine, snack foods, peanut butter, crackers, and fried foods. Partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, a common form of trans fat, is used for frying and baking and turns up in a host of processed foods: cookies, pizza dough, crackers and pre-made blends like pancake mix. How can you avoid trans fats?
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