Fat gets a bad rap, but is actually a vital part of your diet and is very beneficial. Things like avocados, almonds, olive oil, and other healthy fats are awesome. But there is a specific kind of fat you should avoid.
Have you heard of trans fat? You probably have since you read your food lables, but what are they? Some trans fats occur naturally in foods, but the artificial kind is a little trickier.
I failed chemistry in college, but let me take a crack at it. Food manufacturers take a good fat ( the unsaturated fat) and an extra hydrogen atom to it through a process called hydrogenation. So you've probably seen hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated foods. They are not good for you.
Food manufacturers do this to increase shelf life and to make a more desirable product. Anything that is built to sit longer on a shelf you don't want! Cheese that sits on a shelf comes to mind. Velveeta I'm looking at you.
Trans fat increases LDL cholesterol (AKA the Bad cholesterol), and decreases HDL (the good cholesterol). That combination will greatly increase your risk of heart disease, the #1 killer in America.
Trans fat consumption has also been linked to: cancer, diabetes, liver dysfunction, depression, and Alzheimer’s.
Pretty bad stuff. So how much should you eat? I would say zero. The FDA tends to agree, they are looking to ban all artificial trans fats in the food supply by 2018.
Let's play a game. Take a look at this list of the Top 10 WORST Trans Fat Foods in the Supermarket courtesy of Eat This Not That. Can you beat it with anything you currently have in your pantry?
10. Pillsbury White Chunk Macadamia Nut Big Deluxe Classics
9. Pasta Roni Fettuccine Alfredo
8. Jimmy Dean Sausage, egg, and cheese croissant sandwich (I thought we all agreed to call those croissanwiches)
7. Kraft Macaroni and Cheese (D'oh! How many of you have that in the pantry?)
6. Pillsbury Perfect Portions Buttermilk Biscuits
5. Austin Cheese Crackers with Cheddar Jack Cheese (crackers are secretly one of the worst things you can eat)
4. Pillsbury Grands! Flaky Supreme Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls with icing
3. Celeste Original Pizza For One
2. Pop-Secret Kettle Corn
1. THE WORST OF ALL is...................... Drake's Cherry Fruit Pie! It has 4 days worth of trans fats in ONE pie!
