Trans Fat…What’s That?

There’s been a lot of buzz about trans fat lately. So what exactly is trans fat and how can you tell if it’s in the food you’re eating? Read on...

Trans fat is made when hydrogen is added to vegetable oil. These oils are called partially hydrogenated. Any food made with partially hydrogenated oil contains trans fat. Trans fat extends the shelf life of a product. Unfortunately, it may decrease your shelf life instead.

We need some fats. Fats are essential to give your body energy and to support cell growth. They also help protect your organs and help to keep your body warm. Your body definitely needs fat, but not as much fat as most people eat.

The major fats in foods are: monosaturated and polyunsaturated fats (the “better” fats) and saturated fats and trans fats (the “bad” fats). The different fats have characteristics that affect heart health.

Trans fat is unhealthy. Trans fat – like saturated fat – increases the risk of heart disease by raising “bad” cholesterol and lowering “good” cholesterol. Trans fat is the most dangerous type of dietary fat.

Looking for Trans Fat...Consult the Food Label

Learning how to read a food label can help you make healthier choices. Here are some tips from the American Heart Association. 

Start here. Note the size of a single serving and how many servings are in the package.

Check total calories per serving. Look at the serving size and how many servings you’re really consuming. If you double the servings you eat, you double the calories and nutrients, including the Percent Daily Value (% DV).

Limit these nutrients. Remember, you need to limit your total fat to no more than 56–78 grams a day- including no more than 16 grams of saturated fat, less than two grams of trans fat, and less than 300 mg cholesterol (for a 2,000 calorie diet).

Get enough of these nutrients. Make sure you get 100 percent of the fiber, vitamins and other nutrients you need every day.

Quick guide to % DV. The % DV section tells you the percent of each nutrient in a single serving, in terms of the daily recommended amount. As a guide, if you want to consume less of a nutrient (such as saturated fat, cholesterol or sodium), choose foods with a lower % DV - 5 percent or less is low. If you want to consume more of a nutrient (such as fiber), seek foods with a higher % DV - 20 percent or more is high.

Remember that the information shown on food labels is based on a 2,000-calorie diet. You may need to consume less or more than 2,000 calories depending on your age, gender, activity level, and whether you’re trying to lose, gain or maintain your weight.

• In general, as you think about the amount of calories in a food per serving, remember that for a 2,000-calorie diet:
  • 40 calories per serving is considered low;
  • 100 calories per serving is considered moderate; and
  • 400 calories or more per serving is considered high.
• There is no % DV shown for trans fat on the panel because the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not have enough scientific information to set this value. The American Heart Association recommends eating less than 20 calories or (less than two grams of trans fat) a day – that’s less than 1 percent of your total daily calories (for a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet).
• When the Nutrition Facts panel says the food contains “0 g” of trans fat, it means the food contains less than 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving.
• When the Nutrition Facts label says a food contains “0 g” of trans fat, but includes “partially hydrogenated oil” in the ingredient list, it means the food contains trans fat, but less than 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving. So, if you eat more than one serving, you could quickly reach your daily limit of trans fat.

Living a Healthy Lifestyle

Fit Arlington fosters a community in which being healthy and fit is a way of life for all ages and abilities. Reducing trans fat in your diet contributes to a healthy lifestyle. Follow these tips for healthy living:

• Reduce trans fat
• Monitor portion sizes
• Watch your intake of cholesterol, sodium, and added sugars
• Make sure to eat nutrient-rich foods every day
• Get regular physical activity
• Avoid smoking

Resources for Restaurants & Other Food Establishments

Arlington County wants to help restaurants offer healthier food choices to their patrons. In an effort to do this, a brochure was created specifically for restaurant/food establishment owners and managers. This brochure offers tips on how eliminate trans fat from menus. Take a look.

Trans Fat Brochure - English (269 KB)

Trans Fat Brochure - Spanish (263 KB)