Trans Fats The next big thing in foodservices (2/4)

Although some food products already have trans fat on the label, food manufacturers have until January 2006 to list it on all their products. You will find trans fat listed on the Nutrition Facts panel directly under the line for saturated fat. Which are the WORST foods, and the BEST when you’re watching out for trans fat? 1. Spreads. Margarine is a twisted sister -- it's loaded with trans fats and saturated fats, both of which can lead to heart disease. Other non-butter spreads and shortening also contain large amounts of trans fat and saturated fat: ? Stick margarine has 2.8 grams of trans fat per tablespoon, and 2.1 grams of saturated fat. ? Tub margarine has 0.6 grams of trans fat per tablespoon, and 1.2 grams of saturated fat. ? Shortening has 4.2 grams of trans fat per tablespoon, and 3.4 grams of saturated fat. ? Butter has 0.3 grams of trans fat per tablespoon, and 7.2 grams of saturated fat. Tip: Look for soft-tub margarine, because it is less likely to have trans fat. Some margarines already say that on the packaging. [Important note: When you cook with margarine or shortening, you will not increase the amount of trans fat in food, says Cindy Moore, MS, RD, director of nutrition therapy at The Cleveland Clinic. Cooking is not the same as the hydrogenation process. "Margarine and shortening are already bad, but you won't make them any worse."] 2. Packaged foods. Cake mixes, Bisquick, and other mixes all have several grams of trans fat per serving. Tip: Add flour and baking powder to your grocery list; do-it-yourself baking is about your only option right now, says Moore. Or watch for reduced-fat mixes. 3. Soups. Ramen noodles and soup cups contain very high levels of trans fat. Tip: Get out the crock-pot and recipe book. Or try the fat-free and reduced-fat canned soups. 4. Fast Food. Bad news here: Fries, chicken, and other foods are deep-fried in partially hydrogenated oil. Even if the chains use liquid oil, fries are sometimes partially fried in trans fat before they're shipped to the restaurant. Pancakes and grilled sandwiches also have some trans fat, from margarine slathered on the grill. Examples: ? Fries (a medium order) contain 14.5 grams. ? A KFC Original Recipe chicken dinner has 7 grams, mostly from the chicken and biscuit. ? Burger King Dutch Apple Pie has 2 grams. Tip: Order your meat broiled or baked. Skip the pie. Forget the biscuit. Skip the fries -- or share them with many friends. 5. Frozen Food. Those yummy frozen pies, pot pies, waffles, pizzas, even breaded fish sticks contain trans fat. Even if the label says it's low-fat, it still has trans fat. ? Mrs. Smith's Apple Pie has 4 grams trans fat in every delicious slice. ? Swanson Potato Topped Chicken Pot Pie has 1 gram trans fat. ? Banquet Chicken Pot Pie has no trans fat. Tip: In frozen foods, baked is always heart-healthier than breaded. Even vegetable pizzas aren't flawless; they likely have trans fat in the dough. Pot pies are often loaded with too much saturated fat, even if they have no trans fat, so forget about it. 6. Baked Goods. Even worse news -- more trans fats are used in commercially baked products than any other foods. Doughnuts contain shortening in the dough and are cooked in trans fat. Cookies and cakes (with shortening-based frostings) from supermarket bakeries have plenty of trans fat. Some higher-quality baked goods use butter instead of margarine, so they contain less trans fat, but more saturated fat. ? Donuts have about 5 grams of trans fat apiece, and nearly 5 grams of saturated fat. ? Cream-filled cookies have 1.9 grams of trans fat, and 1.2 grams of saturated fat. ? Pound cake has 4.3 grams of trans fat per slice, and 3.4 grams of saturated fat.