Hidden killer
It's trans fat. It's dangerous. And it's in food you eat every
day.
Virtually every french fry is cooked in trans fat-filled grease.
Almost half of all cereals contain it. So do 70 percent of cake
mixes, 75 percent of chips and other salty snacks, 80 percent of
frozen breakfast foods like waffles, and 95 percent of
cookies.
Trans fat is found in numerous foods - Indeed, any packaged goods
that contains "partially-hydrogenated vegetable oils",
"hydrogenated vegetable oils" or "shortening" most likely contain
trans fat.
Some studies also showed that a diet high in trans fatty acids may
be linked to a greater risk of Type 2 Diabetes, and of course- the
dreaded Heart Disease
Check the ingredients list. If the words "partially hydrogenated"
appear in the ingredients, the product contains trans fat. Also
note that if the word "shortening" in the ingredient, the product
probably contains partially hydrogenated oil which means that it
contains trans fat.
What can we do ?
# avoid using cooking oils that are high in saturated fats and/or
trans fats such as coconut oil, palm oil or vegetable shortening.
Instead, use oils that are low in saturated fats and high in mono-
and polyunsaturated fats such as canola oil, olive oil and flax
seed oil.
# minimize using commercially packaged foods which are high in
trans fats. Always read labels to look for trans-fat free
alternatives.
