Trans Fats
Trans fat, once considered to be a healthy substitute for saturated fat, has been found to raise cholesterol levels and has been associated with an increased risk of heart disease. Trans fat is created when hydrogen is added to vegetable oil, which is a liquid, to create a solid substance. It can be found in foods such as vegetable shortening, some margarines, crackers, candies, baked goods, cookies, snack foods, fried foods, salad dressings and many processed foods. To determine whether a food item you are eating contains trans fat look for the following ingredients on the food label:
- Shortening
- Hydrogenated vegetable oil
- Partially hydrogenated vegetable oil