Shopping for groceries this week? Go easy on foods with trans fatty acids, found in many processed foods.
What makes them unhealthy? Processing these plant-based fats has made them saturated. Trans fatty acids may boost harmful LDL-blood cholesterol levels, perhaps more than other saturated fats do, while lowering protective HDL-cholesterol.
How much transfat is okay? The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) advises that you keep trans fatty acids as low as you can. They have no known health benefits.
How low can you go? Opting out completely isn’t practical since they’re in so many types of foods and some are naturally found in food. With an all-out ban you’d probably find it too hard to get the other nutrients you need.
Cut back on trans fats by knowing where they hide.
- Check ingredients on food labels for partially hydrogenated oils. Hydrogenation turns unsaturated vegetable fats into trans fats. Some foods with trans fats: margarine, cookies, frosting, snack cakes, pastry, pie crust. More and more foods list trans fats on the Nutrition Facts.
- Look for food products labeled “transfat free.”
- Eat more of foods with few, if any, trans fats: fruit, vegetables, whole-grain foods, fish, lean meat and poultry, nuts, and olive, canola, and safflower oils.
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