Duncan Chiropractic Group Newsletter

From Your Howell Michigan Area Chiropractor

Trans Fats are Dangerous Enough to Earn Place on Food Labels

Dr. Jackie St.Cyr

Trans fats (also known as trans fatty acids) have gotten a bad name - and deservedly so. Trans fats are comparable to saturated fats in terms of heart-disease risk; they increase blood cholesterol levels in a manner similar to that of saturated fats.

Government agencies say we have a right to know if we're consuming trans fats. So according to a new law, food manufacturers are required to list foods' trans fat grams by January 2006. (You may notice some labels that already itemize trans fats, but you can bet those foods contain little if any.)

For the time being, then, you won't know the amount of trans fats in many foods. There is one trick, however, that can help you identify trans fats: Read the ingredients list. If the terms "hydrogenated" or "partially hydrogenated" appear near the top of the list, the food is probably high in trans fats.

Foods that usually contain high levels of trans fats: Pastries and cakes, French fries (unless fried in lard / dripping), Doughnuts, Cookies, Biscuits, Chocolate, Margerine, Shortening, Fried chicken, Crackers and Potato chips.