But The Box Says Zero Trans Fat

If you think that just because the label on the box says "zero" trans fat that you're safe from this demon of all fats, think again!

For those not quite sure how trans fat differs from other types of fat, let's start with a quick primer.

Trans fats are vegetable fats that have been chemically altered by a process called hydrogenation.

The process of hydrogenation involves adding hydrogen to liquid unsaturated fats to provide greater stability. This stability means a longer shelf life for products containing trans fat due to the fact that the hydrogenation process makes the liquid fats solid at room temperature.

While this is obviously good news for the food manufacturers, it is bad for the consumer. While our digestive system views hydrogenated fat as food, the bloodstream cannot use it. The hydrogenated fat remains in the blood stream for an extended period of time and leads to the subsequent formation of plaque which, in turn, leads to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

The evils of trans fat have been well documented and in January 2006 it became mandatory for food manufacturer's to list how much trans fat is in their products. Today it is commonplace to see the phrase “0 Grams Trans Fat” splattered across food packaging.

However, 2 1/2 years later, what many people don’t know is that while the nutrition label may say “0 Grams Trans Fat”, the product may still actually contain trans fat.

When the Food and Drug Administration passed this regulation there was a loophole created whereas any food that contains less than 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving can say it contains "0 grams of trans fat". This enables some foods to appear much healthier than they really are.

Before you grab that box of crackers that you think may be good for you, check the ingredients listing and make certain that neither partially hydrogenated vegetable oil or vegetable shortening are listed.

If they are, you know that product contains trans fat and you can now make an educated decision – do you really want to put that into your body?

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan