What "Zero Trans Fat" Means
Written by Sofia Layarda, MPH, RD
Published in June 2009
(HealthCastle.com) You hear it over and over: read nutrition labels to know where the trans fat is hiding. However, that is only part of the story. Under FDA guidelines, foods labeled "zero trans fat" can still have up to 0.49 g trans fat per serving. Depending on the serving size specified, you may be gobbling up far more trans fat than you expected in one meal. The American Heart Association's recommended limit for trans fat intake is a max of 2 g per day, but there is general agreement that the less trans fat you consume, the better.
How to Find Trans Fat in Foods When "Zero" Isn't Really Zero
If the ingredients list includes any vegetable oil that is partially hydrogenated, the food
contains trans fat. Here are some examples of products we found that contain trans fat, even
though the Nutrition Facts label shows zero grams of trans fat:
Chips
- Nabisco 100 Calorie Packs – Toasted Chips Ritz Snack Mix
(contains partially hydrogenated cottonseed oil)
Cookies
- Chips Ahoy Chocolate Chip Cookies
(contains partially hydrogenated cottonseed oil)
- Quaker Breakfast Cookies – Oatmeal Chocolate Chip
(contains partially hydrogenated soybean and cottonseed oils)
Crackers
- Keebler Wheatables – Hearty Multigrain (contains partially hydrogenated soybean and/or
cottonseed oils)
- Keebler Grahams (contains partially hydrogenated soybean and cottonseed oils)
Cereal
- Kellogg's Rice Krispies Treats Cereal
(contains partially hydrogenated soybean oil)
- Kellogg's Special K Cereal Bars – Strawberry (contains partially hydrogenated soybean
or cottonseed oil)
Salad Dressing
Baking Needs
- Kraft Shake 'N Bake Seasoned Coating Mix – Extra Crispy (contains partially
hydrogenated soybean and cottonseed oils)
- Crisco All-Vegetable Shortening (contains partially hydrogenated cottonseed and
soybean oils)
Boxed/Convenience Meals
- Chef Boyardee Mac & Cheese (contains partially hydrogenated soybean oil)
- Zatarain's New Orleans Style Pasta Dinner Mix (contains partially hydrogenated
soybean oil)
Note: The above is not a complete list at all. It is intended to show how prevalent partially hydrogenated oil is present in our food.
Because of huge consumer concern and the spotlight on the "evils" of trans fat, many food
companies appear to be making the switch, where possible, to trans-fat-free ingredients. However,
unless the labeling requirements around trans fat change, the only sure way to locate hidden trans
fat is by looking at the ingredients list. Remember: any vegetable oil that is partially
hydrogenated contains trans fat.
|
The Bottom Line
|
Whenever possible, avoid overly processed convenience foods, which often contain trans fats. And remember that just because a food has no trans fats, it's not necessarily "healthy." Trans fat was invented to emulate the role of saturated fats in cooking and baking, so foods that have (or used to have) trans fat in them will probably have a saturated fat source added back in. Watch out for plant-based saturated fats, such as palm or coconut oils, and avoid them too.
|
|
Feed
Recent Diet Tips
