Trans fats are a type of dietary fat, and excessive amounts can be dangerous to your health. Diets high in trans fat may increase the risk of heart disease and other chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes.
Some animal products naturally contain trace amounts of trans fats. In contrast, the top sources of trans fats are baked goods, fried foods, and shortening. Here’s more information about popular trans fat foods.
What Are Trans Fats?
Trans fats are a type of dietary fat. Fat is an important part of your diet and provides you with energy. For example, your body burns carbohydrates during physical activity, but after 20 minutes, it starts burning fat. Although you need to eat fats, some fats, including trans fats, can be harmful.
Trans fats are naturally found in some animal products. Trans fats also include partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs) or vegetable oils that have been turned into solid fats. Food manufacturers utilize this process to keep food fresh, known as hydrogenation.
Why Are Trans Fats Unhealthy?
Studies have found that trans fats have harmful health effects, including:
- Activates apoptosis or programmed cell death
- Raise LDL (“bad”) cholesterol
- Causes inflammation
- Lowers HDL (“good”) cholesterol
- Increased risk of atherosclerosis or fat and cholesterol buildup in the arteries
Both high-low-density lipoprotein and low-HDL cholesterol are risk factors for heart disease, which is the leading cause of death in the United States. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends removing trans fats and PHOs from the diet to prevent heart disease, including heart attacks.
Foods That Contain Trans Fats
Most of the time, food manufacturers and restaurants have eliminated trans fats because of their harmful effects. Still, you can find PHO in a variety of foods.
You can help reduce your risk of heart disease by reducing or eliminating your intake of the following foods. Talk regularly with your healthcare provider about your cholesterol levels and how to build a heart-healthy diet.
1. Any Fried or Coated Food
Many restaurants use PHOs to make fried and battered foods. For example, many restaurants may use oil that contains trans fats to fry chicken. These oils are an inexpensive option that can improve the taste and texture of dishes.
Not frying food in PHO can significantly reduce the amount of trans fats in takeaway foods. Despite this, some restaurants still list trans fats on their nutrition labels.
2. Baked Goods
Various bakery products may contain trans fats. Some examples include:
- Biscuits and bread
- Cakes, cupcakes and muffins
- Cookies and brownies
- pie
- Sweet rolls, such as cinnamon rolls
3. Baking ingredients
As with baked goods, many of the ingredients used in baking can contain trans fats, such as:
- Cake mix and frosting
- Margarine sticks
- Pie crust
- Shorten
4. Breakfast Food
Some pancake and waffle mixes may contain PHO. Many popular brands don’t, but it doesn’t hurt to check the nutrition label. You may still find some PHO on the ingredient list.
Some restaurant biscuit breakfast sandwiches contain up to 6 grams of trans fat. At the grocery store, each serving of frozen sandwiches may contain a small amount of trans fats.
5. Frozen Food
Frozen foods may contain trans fats, not only to make the food more stable but also to give them a fatty sensation in the mouth. Not all frozen foods are problematic, though. For example, frozen fish and frozen vegetables can make nutritious meals.
In addition, specific flavored ice cream can contain up to 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving. If you read the ingredient list, then the detailed list of PHOs will be lost.
6. Meat Products
Beef may contain natural trans fats. Some chains have removed PHO from fried foods. Still, some of the burgers served by restaurants still contain a lot of trans fats. You’ll find trans fats in the following products:
- Beef sausage
- Canned or frozen beef chili
- Frozen burgers
- Ground beef
- Hot dog
- Meat sticks
7. Oily Powder
If you’re a coffee lover, creamer may become a regular part of your morning. Over time, these creamers can add trans fats to your diet.
The ingredients listed on some creamers may include 0 grams of trans fat per serving. However, PHOs may be the second or third ingredient listed, meaning they are one of the most important. If you drink multiple servings of coffee per day, these fats will increase.
8. Snacks
Some cookies may not have any trans fats listed on the nutrition label. Despite this, some varieties still contain partially hydrogenated cottonseed oil in their nutrition labels. If you eat a lot, even a small amount will add up.
Popcorn is a healthy snack that provides a serving of whole grains. Add ingredients to taste. Many microwave popcorn may contain a certain amount of trans fat. Even organic brands of popcorn may contain some trans fats.
How to Avoid Trans Fats
If you’re in doubt, it’s important to check the label to avoid consuming too much trans fat. Manufacturers must list the trans fat content of the food. However, please note that if a product contains less than 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving, the company may round up and label it as “zero grams” on the nutrition label.
Additionally, finding nutritional information can be difficult for small and local restaurants. One way to find out how much trans fat is to look at a business’s website to see what oils they use. You can then ask if the content is not listed when you arrive at the restaurant.
You can reduce trans fats by making changes to your diet, including:
- Eat plant-based meals and snacks
- Limit foods that contain natural trans fats
- Choose low-trans fat toppings for desserts like cakes and cupcakes
Conclusion
A variety of foods – such as some breakfast foods, meat products, and non-dairy creamer – can be sources of trans fats. One of the best ways to avoid trans fats is to check the nutrition labels of foods purchased from the grocery store. Read the ingredient list to find out if the product contains PHO (which contains trans fats). Also, if you’re planning to eat out, check the restaurant’s website or ask what frying oil they use.
