Most of our pantries are filled with beautiful words on boxes like "partially hydrogenated oils," "trans fat," and "saturated fat." If they don't sound healthy to you, it's because they are not.

FACT: Heart disease is the #1 killer among women (Center for Disease Control and Prevention Feb. 2007). Are you born with heart disease? Not likely. Could what you eat cause it? More likely. Could what you eat prevent it? Most likely.

KNOW YOUR STUFF: Partial hydrogenation is an industrial process used to make a perfectly good oil, such as soybean oil, into a perfectly bad oil. The process is used to make an oil more solid; provide longer shelf-life in baked products; provide longer fry-life for cooking oils, and provide a certain kind of texture or "mouthfeel."

Whether you are trying to lose weight or maintain a healthy lifestyle, here are SIX rules to live by in order to avoid bad fats.

1. Don't eat any product which has the words "partially hydrogenated" or "shortening" in the ingredients list.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration advises: Consumers can know if a food contains trans fat by looking at the ingredient list on the food label. If the ingredient list includes the words “shortening,” “partially hydrogenated vegetable oil” or “hydrogenated vegetable oil,” the food contains trans fat. Because ingredients are listed in descending order of predominance, smaller amounts are present when the ingredient is close to the end of the list. Note: Fully hydrogenated oils do not contain trans fat. However, if the word "hydrogenated" is used without the word "partially," that product may contain partially hydrogenated oil. Not all labeling is accurate and the word "partially" may have been wrongfully omitted on some products.

2. If the label says zero trans fats, don't believe it. If the words "partially hydrogenated" or "shortening" are in the ingredients list, it DOES contain trans fat.

Under FDA regulations in effect in the United States, "if the serving contains less than 0.5 gram [of trans fat], the content, when declared, shall be expressed as zero." Suppose a product contains 0.4 grams per serving and you eat four servings (which is not uncommon). You have just consumed 1.6 grams of trans fat, despite the fact that the package claims that the product contains zero grams of trans fat per serving.

3. Be careful when consuming products with labels from outside the United States. Sometimes they contain partially hydrogenated oil but it's not on the label.

4. In restaurants, bakeries, and other eateries, ask whether they use partially hydrogenated oil for frying or baking or in salad dressings. If they say they use vegetable oil, ask whether it is partially hydrogenated. Don't be shy about asking. Assume that all unlabeled baked and fried goods contain partially hydrogenated oil, unless you know otherwise. Ask about that fried food. Ask about the oil in the salad dressing. Ask about that donut. Ask about that pie crust. Ask about that bread. When you ask, you are sending a message to the seller of the food that you don't want trans fats.

5. Keep saturated fat intake low too. This is very important.

6. Remember that polyunsaturated fat and monounsaturated fats are good fats.

One more thing. Cholesterol that affects our arteries comes from two sources: (i) animal products and (ii) bad fats. If a product is "cholesterol free," that doesn't mean that it won't raise your bad cholesterol. If the product itself contains no cholesterol but it does contain trans fat or saturated fat, it will raise your bad cholesterol.

Think about what goes into your body. Does it seem like you always have a stomach ache or constant fatigue? If you eat lots of pre-packaged foods (frozen or otherwise), this could be the root of your problem. Think fresh to live a more healthy lifestyle. Do it for your family. Do it for yourself. With a little planning and organization at the grocery store, you CAN cut out these damaging ingredients from your diet.

Source: www.bantransfats.com

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