Hi,

Sorry if this is the wrong forum to ask this, but in my effort to reduce my cholesterol, I have had to learn more about the ingredients in food we buy.

There is lots to take in, but one thing still confuses me: How is it possible for some products to state that they are free of trans fat (trans fatty acids), while they still contain vegetable shortening and/or hydrogenated oils? I frequently see this on labels. Is this not a contradication?

Thanks for any help! Heidi

Head for your Public library or the government's FDA website for a copy of FDA Consumer magazine (it's online too), the Sept/Oct 2003 issue for an article on trans fats that may explain things better than I could. The FDA website is fda.gov

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Heidi,

It does sound contradictory...

I'd play it safe - just avoid anything that says 'hydrogenated' or 'partially hydrogenated' in the label.

It's the hydrogenation process (used to make oils more stable and have longer shelf life) that creates trans-fats...

HubbleRules

Heidi,

It's usually because of the government's rule that allows any food with less than .5 grams of a substance to call it zero.
Often a product with trans fats because of hydrogenation is listed with a vanishingly small "serving size" that reduced the trans-fats to .49999 grams and thus ZERO.

If you hydrogenate you distort the "cis" double bond in an unsaturated fat molecule and transform it to a "trans" fat.

Thing is though, 1/2 gram of trans fats won't hurt you much if at all...unless you eat 20 servings of the stuff at a sitting.

To eliminate ALL trans fats from your diet you can eat NOTHING that has been hydrogenated.

I believe Lenin is correct about the government's ruling regarding trans fats. Considering such a minuscule quantity which may happen to be present in some foods, there's really no point worrying about it. After all, considering all of the media blitz about all the foods that are supposed to be bad for us (it seems like every week there's another depressing report), they've already succeeded in taking much of the enjoyment out of eating. It's a shame. I can remember there was a time when I can freely enjoy many different foods without having to feel the least bit guilty about it. Unfortunately, so much has changed since those happy-go-lucky, carefree days. :(