| Food and Nutrition Q&A: | |
by Chelsy Leslie, RD, from the September 2003 newsletter
As you may know, not all fats are created equal. Saturated fat, which can be found in animal products and snack foods, can increase blood cholesterol levels and contribute to heart disease. Saturated fats are solid at room temperature (e.g. butter). Unsaturated fat, on the other hand, can be found in oils, nuts, avocados, olives and some seafood. Unsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature and are more heart-healthy when they replace saturated fat in the diet.
There is another type of dietary fat, called ‘trans fat,’ that many people haven’t heard much about. Trans fats are formed by taking unsaturated fats and changing the chemical structure to make them solid at room temperature. This process is called hydrogenation. Products containing hydrogenated oils can stay on the shelf longer without becoming rancid. Unfortunately, trans fats act similar to saturated fats in the body by increasing LDL or “bad” cholesterol in the body that increases your risk of coronary heart disease.
Trans fats can be found in vegetable shortenings, margarine, crackers, cookies, snack foods, fried foods, baked goods, and other processed foods made with ‘partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.’ These foods should be limited in your diet not only for their trans fat content, but also because they can be high in saturated fat, sugar, and calories.
Many people ask which is better, butter or margarine? Butter is higher in saturated fat, while margarine has more trans fat. However, butter is higher in combined saturated and trans fat, making it still the less healthy option. If you use margarine, choose softer tub margarines over stick margarine whenever possible. Generally the softer the margarine, the less trans fat it has. Remember that both butter and margarine are high in calories and should be used minimally, especially if you are trying to follow a heart-healthy diet.
Recently the FDA passed a rule that requires the amount of trans fat in a serving be listed on the Nutrition Facts panel to help you make more informed food choices. This is the first significant change to the food label since 1993. Although food manufacturers have until January 1, 2006, to make this change to food labels, you may start to see the amount of trans fat listed under saturated fat on some products right away.
When the new food labels come out, compare labels for the foods you usually buy. Be sure to look at both saturated and trans fats to get the most accurate picture of the cholesterol-raising potential. Until all labels list trans fat, you can look on the ingredient list for hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils to determine if a food has any trans fat.
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