Nutrition expert uncovers the truth about trans fats and hydrogenated oils

• January 2006 not only rings in the New Year, but also the mandated new food labels required by the Food and Drug Administration.
• Because of health concerns, food labels must now report the amount of trans fat the food contains.
• As a result, food processors have been scrambling to make changes in food products to lower or eliminate ingredients containing trans fats.
• The reason for identifying trans fats in foods is that they are not beneficial to health.
• Studies have shown that trans fats can increase the "bad cholesterol" and lower the "good cholesterol."
• For this reason, the Institute of the National Academy of Sciences advises minimal intake of trans fats.
• When oils are chemically changed from a liquid to a more solid fat, they undergo a process called "hydrogenation" (hydrogen is added).
• Originally, this was done to replace animal fats like butter and lard because it was cheaper and thought to be healthier.
• Another example of hydrogenation is stick margarine, which may have started out as a liquid corn oil.
• Fast food restaurants tend to fry their foods in partially hydrogenated oils and have been more resistant to changing, as compared to packaged food processors.
• But another concern is that some of the food processors have replaced the trans fats with saturated fats - not really a healthy move.
• As with the fat-free craze, keep in mind that just because a food is "trans-free" does not necessarily mean it is a healthy food nor that it is lower in calories.
• The goal is to watch the amount of saturated and trans fats you consume while consuming unsaturated fats (nuts, seeds, peanut butter, avocado, olive or canola oil) frequently but in moderation.