Though it may seem counterintuitive, foods labeled trans-fat free may contain a small amount, less than 0.5 gram, of trans fats -- which can add up, especially if you consume more than one serving.
Trans fats are probably the unhealthiest fats in the American diet. They not only raise low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or "bad") cholesterol but also lower the "good” high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. In fact, trans fats are so harmful to your health that the Institute of Medicine says there is no safe level of intake and recommends consuming as little of this fat as possible.
-
The American Heart Association put a number on "as little as possible," advising Americans to keep their trans fat intake below 1% of total calories. To make it easier for you to reduce trans fat intake, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration now requires food manufacturers to list the amount of this fat on the Nutrition Facts panel. (The amount is listed beneath the entry for saturated fat.)
What’s more, many food manufacturers have developed trans fat–free versions of a variety of foods. But some of these trans fat-free products may not be as good for your health as you might think. Here’s why.
The government allows manufacturers to say their product has no trans fats if it has less than half a gram (0.5 g) per serving. That mean "if you’re eating more than one serving of a "no trans fat" product or several products that are labeled "not a significant source of trans fat," you could be eating more trans fat than you realize.
-
For instance, a product that claims it has no trans fat can legitimately have up to 0.49 g of trans fat per serving. So if you eat two or more servings of that food in one sitting, you could be consuming close to 1 g or more of trans fat.
So how can you reduce the possible trans and saturated fats you take in from products labeled trans fat free? It’s as simple as reading the ingredients list.
- If the list of ingredients mentions partially hydrogenated oil, hydrogenated oil, or shortening, the product isn’t technically trans fat free. When eating these products, you should estimate that you are getting 1 g of trans fat for every two servings you eat. You can find the size of a serving at the top of the Nutrition Facts panel. Beware: It might be smaller than the amount you usually consume.
- Also, be on the lookout for palm oil, palm kernel oil, and coconut oil in the ingredient list. These are the saturated fats commonly used in place of trans fat, because they are similar in taste and stability. When eating these products, check the Nutrition Facts panel for the grams of saturated fat per serving. You want to limit your daily intake of saturated fat to less than 7% of total calories.
