Fitness

Trans fats not only raise the level of bad cholesterol just like saturated fats, but they also lower the good cholesterol that protects you from heart disease and increase inflammation. Many food manufacturers have removed or reduced trans fat. But it still can be found in many foods. Here is a list to watch.

Anything fried or battered

Trans fat is made by adding hydrogen to vegetable oil, so it is smart to think that anything fried or battered may have trans fat. You can always ask about the oil that the food is fried in but even if the answer is vegetable oil, it can still be hydrogenated. Your best action will be generally limiting consumption of fried foods, which are not the best for you.

Pie and piecrust

Baked products are notorious for containing trans fat, but many major restaurant chains have removed hydrogenated oils from their pies. You can still find some trans fat varieties in your grocery store. Many varieties of frozen fruit and cream pies have between two and five grams of trans fat per serving. As for piecrust, frozen deep dish all vegetable piecrust contains 2 grams of trans fat per serving. Look for those without hydrogenated oils in the ingredients list.

Margarine sticks

Not so long ago, margarine was suggested to be a healthier alternative to butter because it is made from vegetable oil instead of animal products. But for the maintaining of margarine’s solid form, many brands and especially stick varieties depend on hydrogenated oils that are high in trans fat and/or saturated as well. Steer clear of crock spreadable sticks which have two grams of trans fat per serving and instead make choice for whipped, reduced-fat, or fat-free soft spreads.

Biscuits and sweet rolls

Many chains now offer biscuits with zero grams of trans fat per serving. Although most locations are trans fat free such as all locations in New York and California, it still creeps into the products at some. Check the grocery store type. Pillsbury’s refrigerated buttermilk contains three grams each. The brand’s caramel and cinnamon rolls with icing contain one and two grams of trans fat per serving and many of the varieties in fact which list zero grams still contain hydrogenated oil.

Breakfast sandwiches

Donuts are often the poster child food for trans fat, but in 2009, donuts’ manufacturers reformulated their menu so most items now contain zero grams per serving or at least fall below 0.3 grams. Unfortunately that is not always true for breakfast sandwiches served on biscuits, some of which contain one gram of trans fat. And at the grocery store, stay clear of sandwiches, which have up to three grams of trans fat each.

Frozen and creamy beverages

Some of the manufacturers while reducing trans fats in their donuts to below 0.5 grams per serving, still appear to have a surprising not donut source of trans fat on their menu. This is a worst item on the list, in fact. A twenty-ounce chocolate avalanche contains a whopping nine grams of trans fat. Across the board, many of the restaurant’s shake and creamy drinks you love contains 1 gram or 2, hot chocolate beverages contain even more, but nothing come close to this over the top blend of soft serve ice cream and cookie dough mixes.

Source: fitnea.com