3 Sneaky Places Trans Fat is Hiding

3 Sneaky Places Trans Fat is Hiding

(AscendHealthy.com) – Avoiding trans fat is an important part of good heart health. But there are a lot of unexpected places trans fat can hide. You may be eating it — even if the label says zero grams. We’ve got a list of three sneaky places trans fat is hiding.

1. Microwave Popcorn

Before artificial trans fat was essentially made illegal in 2018, microwave popcorn was one of the biggest culprits for this particular type of fat. Some brands had more than 5 grams in every three-ounce serving, which was more than double the World Health Organization (WHO)’s recommendation. Trans fat made up the oils the popcorn was popped in. But the “0 grams per serving” seen on labels today can be deceptive, as anything less than 0.5 grams per serving doesn’t have to be counted or listed on the label.

2. Breakfast Sandwiches

A lot of premade breakfast sandwiches, like the ones found in the freezer case, may also harbor trans fat. They don’t all carry it, but it can be hard to tell which ones do and which ones don’t. Look for labels that list fully or partially hydrogenated oils, and avoid those to reduce the risk of ingesting trans fat in your diet. Trans fats occur naturally in animal products, and that type of trans fat isn’t banned. The FDA only banned artificial types of these fats.

3. Desserts

A lot of frozen foods contain chemicals, fats and preservatives, and that’s certainly true of desserts like cakes and pies. Even if they say they don’t contain trans fat, they can still have small concentrations of it that aren’t required to be listed on the package. That means people could still be eating it, even if they don’t intend to. And if they eat more than one serving, they could be getting more than what’s considered safe.

The bottom line with trans fats is that the United States banned the artificial kind in 2018, but there may still be small amounts in some foods because trans fat also occurs naturally. Foods imported from overseas, where the restrictions on trans fats are different or nonexistent, may also include them. By reading product labels and choosing more healthy whole foods that aren’t prepackaged, anyone wanting to reduce their risk of ingesting trans fats can do so more easily. That may help them focus on better health and not be fooled by sneaky trans fat in unexpected places.

~Here’s to Your Healthy Ascension

Copyright 2023, AscendHealthy.com