Q: What are trans fatty acids?

A: Trans fatty acids are fats that are found in foods such as vegetable shortening, margarines, crackers, candies, baked goods, cookies, snack foods, fried foods, salad dressings, and most processed foods.

Q: Why should I care about trans fat?

A: Because there is a direct, proven relationship between diets high in trans fat content and LDL cholesterol levels. This relates directly to an increased level of bad cholesterol. Elevated cholesterol in your body increases your chance of getting heart disease more so than in those individuals who have a healthy cholesterol level. Over time, bad cholesterol can build up on the walls of the arteries that carry blood to your heart and brain.

Q: What is cholesterol?

A: Cholesterol is a waxy material found in all parts of your body. It is used to make your cells, some hormones, and vitamin D. It’s source(s) is two-fold; your body makes it and the foods you eat contain it. Your liver makes all the cholesterol your body needs.

Q: Aren’t all fats bad?

A: No. There are good fats and bad fats. Similarly, there exists good and bad blood cholesterol. Saturated fats and trans fat have bad effects on cholesterol levels. Polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats (such as olive oil, soybean oil, and corn oil) have good effects. Good cholesterol (HDL) takes the bad cholesterol out of your blood and keeps it from building up in your arteries. Bad cholesterol (LDL) makes cholesterol build up on the walls of your arteries and increases your chances of heart disease and strokes.

“Elevated cholesterol in your body increases your chance of getting heart disease
more so than in those individuals who have a healthy cholesterol level.”

Q: How much trans fat is too much?

A: Research studies are currently underway to try and determine this. However, it is accurate to say that the less saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol consumed the better. Trans fat, while pervasive in many of the foods that you may choose to eat, is not essential to a healthy diet.

Q: How can consumers know if a product contains trans fat if it’s not identified on the nutrition label?

A: Consumers can know if a food contains trans fat by looking at the ingredients list on the food label. If the ingredients list includes the words shortening, partially hydrogenatedvegetable oil or hydrogenated vegetable oil, the food contains trans fat. Because ingredients are listed in descending order of predominance, smaller amounts are present when the ingredient is close to the end of the list.

Q: What can I do to lower my cholesterol levels?

A: Here are several ways to lower your cholesterol levels thereby helping lower your
chance of heart disease:

• Eat foods with less fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol and avoid trans fats.

• Take off the skin and fat from meat, poultry, and fish.

• Broil, bake, roast, or poach instead of frying foods.

• Eat lots of fruits, whole grains and vegetables everyday.

• Eat less sausage, bacon, salami, bologna, other fatty sandwich meats, whole milk, cheese, butter, and avoid partially hydrogenated oils.

• Read food labels to learn how much fat is in the food you eat. Also look for the amount of trans fats, saturated fat and cholesterol in food.

• Get plenty of exercise everyday. Some examples of good ways to exercise include walking, yard work, housework, dancing, aerobic dance, running, swimming, jumping rope, and bicycling.

• Lose weight if you are overweight.

• Stop smoking. Talk to us about tailoring a program that is right for you.

“Consumers can know if a food contains trans fat by looking at the ingredients list on the food label.”

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