How to Recognize Trans Fats
Recognize the characteristics of food high in trans fat., Understand the difference between synthetic and natural trans fat., Know the foods that contain natural trans fat., Know the foods that contain synthetic trans fat., Read the nutrition label...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Recognize the characteristics of food high in trans fat.
Trans fat is a semi-solid or soft solid fat at room temperature.
This differs from unsaturated fat, which is a liquid at room temperature, and saturated fat, which is a hard solid at room temperature.
Trans fat makes fats and oils pliable.
Many foods containing trans fat will be soft and pliable, giving a creamy mouth feel and smooth consistency.
Trans fat gives a crispy, more shelf-stable fried food.
Many commercial fried foods are fried in oil that is high in trans fat because it is easier to work with commercially than saturated fats.
It is a way to obtain the properties of saturated fat without using saturated fat.
The oil will be less prone to oxidation and maintain its liquid state during storage and processing.
It has a low melting point and high smoke point, which makes it ideal for frying at very high temperatures.
It is a good idea to check the label of fried foods for the following to confirm trans fat in the food: trans fat content, the words partially hydrogenated, or the words fully hydrogenated. -
Step 2: Understand the difference between synthetic and natural trans fat.
There is a chemical difference between natural and synthetic trans fats.
Natural trans fats are shown to cause fewer health problems as a result.
They can be processed by the body while synthetic trans fats cannot.
As a result, synthetic trans fats slow metabolism and increase the risk of heart disease. , Foods that contain natural trans fat do so in small amounts.
These foods also contain other vital nutrients and should not be cut out of the diet because they contain trans fat.
It is important to recognize though in order to understand how much trans fat is actually being consumed.
The foods that naturally contain trans fat are butter, milk, cheese, beef, lamb and pork.
These foods contain small amounts of trans fat and consumption should be limited, but not excluded. , There are many more foods containing synthetic trans fat than natural trans fat.
This is because partially hydrogenated oil is a commonly used ingredient in food processing.
Partially hydrogenated oil is created by adding hydrogen to oil high in unsaturated fat.
It will convert the fats to trans fat and some saturated fats.
This gives the oil more desirable properties, such as creamy texture and semi-solid state at room temperature while still retaining unsaturated fats.
It wasn’t until the last ten years that studies began consistently confirming the negative effects of trans fat, so, for many years it was considered the healthy alternative to saturated fat.
Foods high in synthetic trans fat are partially hydrogenated oils, fried foods, cakes, icings, sweet goods, baked goods, shortening and margarine.
This may not be the case for all foods of those types.
Many companies are working to eliminate synthetic trans fat and reading the labels will help identify which companies have done so. , Trans fat is required to be labeled in many countries, including the United States and Canada.
However, it is only required to be labeled if the food contains more than
0.5 g per serving; this is where trans fat labeling is tricky.
Many companies will reduce the serving size to claim 0 g trans fat on the label, but there is still trans fat in the product and if more than a serving size is consumed, the consumer could be taking in quite a bit of trans fat.
Read the ingredient statement to verify trans fat.
If the ingredient statement contains partially hydrogenated oil, fully hydrogenated oil, beef, butter, milk fat, high fat cheese, goat, pork or lamb then there is trans fat in the product regardless of what the nutrition facts panel states.
Fully hydrogenated oil only contributes minimal trans fat.
Unlike partially hydrogenated oil where trans fat is mostly yielded, fully hydrogenated oil yields mostly saturated fats. -
Step 3: Know the foods that contain natural trans fat.
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Step 4: Know the foods that contain synthetic trans fat.
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Step 5: Read the nutrition label and ingredient statement.
Detailed Guide
Trans fat is a semi-solid or soft solid fat at room temperature.
This differs from unsaturated fat, which is a liquid at room temperature, and saturated fat, which is a hard solid at room temperature.
Trans fat makes fats and oils pliable.
Many foods containing trans fat will be soft and pliable, giving a creamy mouth feel and smooth consistency.
Trans fat gives a crispy, more shelf-stable fried food.
Many commercial fried foods are fried in oil that is high in trans fat because it is easier to work with commercially than saturated fats.
It is a way to obtain the properties of saturated fat without using saturated fat.
The oil will be less prone to oxidation and maintain its liquid state during storage and processing.
It has a low melting point and high smoke point, which makes it ideal for frying at very high temperatures.
It is a good idea to check the label of fried foods for the following to confirm trans fat in the food: trans fat content, the words partially hydrogenated, or the words fully hydrogenated.
There is a chemical difference between natural and synthetic trans fats.
Natural trans fats are shown to cause fewer health problems as a result.
They can be processed by the body while synthetic trans fats cannot.
As a result, synthetic trans fats slow metabolism and increase the risk of heart disease. , Foods that contain natural trans fat do so in small amounts.
These foods also contain other vital nutrients and should not be cut out of the diet because they contain trans fat.
It is important to recognize though in order to understand how much trans fat is actually being consumed.
The foods that naturally contain trans fat are butter, milk, cheese, beef, lamb and pork.
These foods contain small amounts of trans fat and consumption should be limited, but not excluded. , There are many more foods containing synthetic trans fat than natural trans fat.
This is because partially hydrogenated oil is a commonly used ingredient in food processing.
Partially hydrogenated oil is created by adding hydrogen to oil high in unsaturated fat.
It will convert the fats to trans fat and some saturated fats.
This gives the oil more desirable properties, such as creamy texture and semi-solid state at room temperature while still retaining unsaturated fats.
It wasn’t until the last ten years that studies began consistently confirming the negative effects of trans fat, so, for many years it was considered the healthy alternative to saturated fat.
Foods high in synthetic trans fat are partially hydrogenated oils, fried foods, cakes, icings, sweet goods, baked goods, shortening and margarine.
This may not be the case for all foods of those types.
Many companies are working to eliminate synthetic trans fat and reading the labels will help identify which companies have done so. , Trans fat is required to be labeled in many countries, including the United States and Canada.
However, it is only required to be labeled if the food contains more than
0.5 g per serving; this is where trans fat labeling is tricky.
Many companies will reduce the serving size to claim 0 g trans fat on the label, but there is still trans fat in the product and if more than a serving size is consumed, the consumer could be taking in quite a bit of trans fat.
Read the ingredient statement to verify trans fat.
If the ingredient statement contains partially hydrogenated oil, fully hydrogenated oil, beef, butter, milk fat, high fat cheese, goat, pork or lamb then there is trans fat in the product regardless of what the nutrition facts panel states.
Fully hydrogenated oil only contributes minimal trans fat.
Unlike partially hydrogenated oil where trans fat is mostly yielded, fully hydrogenated oil yields mostly saturated fats.
About the Author
Christopher Hernandez
Experienced content creator specializing in crafts guides and tutorials.
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