DID YOU KNOW? TRANS FATS

McClatchy Newspapers

Published Sunday, September 21, 2008

Trans fats appeared in our food supply more than 50 years ago when we thought it was a good idea to eat more plant sources of fats (like margarines made with “partially hydrogenated” vegetable oils) and fewer saturated animals fats (like butter). All was well until researchers discovered that trans fats produced from partially hydrogenated oils were linked to heart disease. Now food manufacturers are scrambling to remove trans fats from our food supply.

What’s so hard about that? It’s difficult, say some foodies, to find more healthful fats with favorable stability and cooking properties. Pure liquid vegetable oils, for example, are more likely to become rancid than those that are "partially hydrogenated."

So why not just stick with butter, which is free of trans fats? We could. But butter is high in saturated fat, which is also is bad for our arteries.

Here’s the good news: Many soft tub or liquid margarines today are low in saturated fat and free of trans fats. And it’s now easy to find this information on food labels because both types of fat are required to be listed. Our goal? Select products with the least total amount of trans and saturated fats.

As trans fats make their exit, look for other types of fats to appear on food labels. "Interesterified" fats, for example, are free of trans fats but have desirable cooking properties and stability.

They do contain saturated fat, but it is stearic acid - a saturated fat that does not affect blood cholesterol levels.

And if we want to be really confused, consider that there are some "natural" trans fats that might actually be beneficial for our health. Conjugated linoleic acid found in meat and dairy foods, for example, is a naturally-occurring trans fat being studied for its ability to decrease body fat and improve immune function.

But with our current epidemic of obesity, we’d all be smart not to go overboard with any type of fat. And remember that trans fats are most prevalent in processed snacks and fried foods with little redeeming nutritional value.

What’s left to eat? Plenty. Avocados, nuts, seeds, olives and liquid oils made from these plant foods are free of trans fats and contain very small amounts of saturated fat. Enjoy butter and other highly saturated fats in tiny amounts. And fill your shopping basket with staples that are low in saturated and trans fats - fresh fruit, vegetables, whole grains, beans, fish, poultry, lean meat and low-fat dairy foods.