TRANS FATS HUM-FNW-4:Evaluate nutritional information in relation to wellness for individuals and families. 4.5:Determine the allowable amount of trans fats in foods.

Trans Fat Formed During Food Processing – Created when hydrogen is added to vegetable oil (Hydrogenation) to make it more solid. – Used to improve texture, shelf life and flavor stability of foods – “Partially Hydrogenated Oils” Look for this on packaging Trans Fats Formed Naturally – Produced in the gut of some grazing animals – Small quantities of trans fats can be found in animal products like milk, milk products and meat. TWO SOURCES OF TRANS FATS AKA: Trans Fatty Acids

TRANS FATS & CHOLESTEROL HDL-Good Cholesterol Lowers your HDL May do more unknown damage not yet researched. LDL – Bad Cholesterol Raises your LDL Increases the risk of – Heart Disease – Stroke – Also associated with a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

PURPOSE OF TRANS FATS & FOODS THAT CONTAIN TRANS FATS Why Do Companies Use Trans Fats? Inexpensive to produce Long Lasting Gives foods a desirable taste and texture. Trans fats oils can be used many times in commercial fryers. (Fried Foods) What are some food examples for non-natural occurring trans fat foods? Fried Foods (French fries & doughnuts) Baked Goods (pastries, pie crusts, biscuits, pizza dough, cookies, crackers) Stick Margarines Shortenings Frozen Pizza Coffee Creamer Ready to use frostings Pre mixed cake mixes & pancake mixes Chips Microwave Popcorn Frozen Dinners

Small Amounts occur naturally in things like… – Meat Beef Lamb – Dairy Products – Butter Fat It isn’t clear in research if the naturally occurring trans fats have the same negative affects to the body as the industrially manufactured ones. NATURALLY OCCURRING TRANS FATS

Given the amount of naturally occurring trans fats a person consumes in one day it doesn’t leave much room for added trans fats from industrially manufactured foods. See Chart Below HOW MUCH TRANS FAT SHOULD I EAT EACH DAY? Total Calories In DietAllowable Grams of Trans Fats 2,000About 2g 1,500About 1.5g 1,200Slightly More Than 1

HOW CAN YOU AVOID TRANS FATS? Trans Fats have NO Percent Daily Value (%DV) Check Food Labels for “Partially Hydrogenated Oils” Facts Labels can state “0 Trans Fats” if it contains less than.5g of Trans Fat per serving. Being a Smart Consumer Food Choices & Preparation Methods Choose low fat foods like whole grains, fruit and vegetables Eat more seafood in place of meat & poultry Eat Healthy Fats (walnuts, avocado, olives &almonds) Bake, Steam, Grill or Broil instead of frying. Cook & bake with vegetable oils – NOT Solid Fats like Shortenings Butter Lard