Scientists now agree that consuming trans fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol increases the risk of coronary heart disease, the leading cause of death in America.
African-Americans have the highest mortality rate from heart disease of any ethnic group in the country and are 29 percent more likely to die from it than non-Hispanic Whites over their lifetimes.
Many processed foods contain trans fat: shortening, deep-fried and commercially-baked items, salad dressings, potato chips, candies, cookies and other snacks. Margarine that has been hardened into sticks is another source.
Food makers add hydrogen to ordinary fat to make trans fat, which gives their products a longer shelf life. The process also makes the fat harder, and trans fat is, as a result, harder on your heart and arteries.
Since January, a federal regulation has required the labels to disclose how much "trans fat" the food contains, along with the amounts of cholesterol, sodium, sugar, protein and other nutrients. Look for the words "partially hydrogenated vegetable shortening," "partially hydrogenated vegetable oil," shortening or margarine near the top of the list of ingredients. If those substances are near the top of the list, then the product contains a significant amount of trans fats.
All of these products are to be avoided, though the Food and Drug Administration, which issued the new regulation, advises that trying to eliminate trans fat is unrealistic because it is also found in dairy products and meats. Scientists have not calculated how much of this kind of fat is safe to eat on a daily basis, so the best thing to do is to consume as little of it as possible.
In a related story that suggests a healthy trend throughout the country, one popular brand of margarine (Shedd's Country Crock Regular and Country Crock Churn Style) is now being manufactured trans fat free. You can read that story at www.unileverusa.com
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