Tag Archives: trans fat

High-Fat Diets Actually Help the Heart, Study Finds

File this one in the “goes against everything we’ve been told” file.

A recent study published in American Journal of Physiology-Heart and Circulatory Physiology suggests that a high-fat diet is OK and even beneficial for the heart. The study, which looked at cardiac function in patients suffering from heart failure, found that that a high-fat diet improved the heart’s ability to pump, along with boosting cardiac insulin resistance (which reduces the risk of diabetes). Sounds pretty different than what we’ve been told all along right? That eating too much fat is bad for the heart?

Not so fast. According to the study which was  funded by the National Institutes of Health, the American Heart Association, and the Case Center for Imaging Research, all fats are not created equal. In fact, a balanced diet that includes mono- and polyunsaturated fats, and which replaces simple sugars and highly processed foods with complex carbs, are most beneficial for damaged hearts. Notice what wasn’t on that list of a healthy diet? Trans fats or saturated fats.

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Posted on May 10, 2023 by Jennipher

Trans Fats Cause Depression

Are you feeling down in the dumps about all that junk food you’ve been eating lately? Well, it may literally be the junk food that is making you depressed.

The results of a six-year study out of Spain has come to the conclusion that people who eat food high in trans fats and saturated fats have an increased risk of depression. Trans fats are used in fried foods, shortening and all kinds of processed foods.

“Participants with an elevated consumption of trans fats presented up to a 48 percent increase in the risk of depression when they were compared to participants who did not consume these fats,” said Almudena Sanchez-Villegas, associate professor of preventive medicine at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. (more…)

Posted on February 1, 2024 by Jason

2024 Dietary Guidelines for Americans Finally Released, Not Much Has Changed

Well, they came a month late, but the much anticipated 2024 Dietary Guidelines for Americans have finally been released. The USDA and Department of Health and Human Services work together every five years to update the Dietary Guidelines to reflect changing and new research. The new guidelines aren’t drastically different than years before, but do reflect an urgency to address the growing obesity epidemic.

A few highlights from the new guidelines include a push to reduce daily sodium intake, eat more fresh fruits and vegetables and cut added sugars, especially those in sugary drinks.

Learn more in this video recapping the new guidelines:

The average American consumes around 3,400 mg of sodium per day. The new Guidelines recommend reducing that number to 1,500 mg, or 1 teaspoon, of sodium, especially for those who are 51 and older, African American, or have hypertension, diabetes, and/or chronic kidney disease. Many believe that focusing on slashing salt in our diets will in turn also cut our saturated fat intake.

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Posted on January 31, 2024 by Kelly

Simple Fat Swaps to Better-for-You Baked Goods

If you’re like me and have a serious sweet tooth, sometimes baked goods are just too hard to resist. But with many baked goods being high in trans fats (especially the processed ones or recipes with shortening) and low in nutrition, they’re really best eaten rarely- very rarely.

There is a loophole, though — making your own! When you bake at home you know exactly what’s in your food, so you can nosh guilt-free. In fact, there are tons of tricks to turning a regular recipe into a low-fat recipe! All it takes is a little ingredient experimentation and some time in the kitchen. (more…)

Posted on October 26, 2023 by Jennipher

What You Should Know about Interesterified Fat

Now that Americans, food manufacturers and restaurant chains have made trans-fats part of their every day vernacular and a daily avoidance in their diets, enter a new unhealthy fat also found in processed foods: Interesterified fat.

A bit more difficult to pronounce than “trans fatty acids,” but equally dangerous, interesterified fats are liquid oils, rather than a semi-solid fat, like the now taboo, trans fats.

To get a jump on this new addition to the health dictionary, read on to learn where this additive may be lurking in your kitchen and how it might be hurting your health.

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Posted on August 26, 2023 by heather

Consumer Reports Gives Chicken Nuggets Failing Grades

If you followed along with Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution, you might have seen his experiment on the very first episode with a handful of elementary school children and chicken nuggets. In the experiment, Jamie shows how all the “unused” bits and pieces of chicken are ground up along with all the fat to then be processed into what we all know as the chicken nugget. While the children shrieked during the process, upon completion of cooking these nuggets, Jamie was shocked to learn they were still open to eating them.

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Posted on May 7, 2023 by Amy

3 Healthy Fats You Should be Eating

Well, not being fat. But, eating certain fats is not only good, but necessary for optimal health. You should also realize that you don’t have to totally eliminate so-called “bad” fat, such as saturated and trans fats, from your diet; the key is to minimize. Once you do that, it’s time to recognize the fats that are beneficial to your health.

The good news of certain fats being healthy has been pretty well propagated in recent years. But, many people still don’t know it. Or, if you do know, you may not know which name they go by and where you can find them. Here’s the 4-1-1 on healthy fats:

Monounsaturated Fats

Monounsaturated fats have an amazing trait: they have the selective power of lowering LDL “bad” cholesterol, while increasing HDL “good” cholesterol. So, where do you get these wonder fats? Nuts like peanuts, walnuts, almonds and pistachios are all good sources of monounsaturated fats. Other sources include avocado, canola oil, and olive oil. Monounsaturated fats have also been found to help with losing weight. (more…)

Posted on March 9, 2024 by Jason

Three Steps to Lowering Your Cholesterol

February is American Heart Month. It’s a time to bring awareness to heart disease and stroke, the number one killer in the United States, so you and people you love don’t become a statistic.

heart appleBe honest. Do you know your numbers? Your cholesterol numbers. You should have your cholesterol measured once a year after age 30, especially if you have a family history of high cholesterol or heart problems. High cholesterol can double the risk for heart disease. It’s entirely possible that your body will produce too much cholesterol, even if you take steps to lower it. However, many people are successful at lowering their cholesterol with some simple changes.

There are three ways you can make your cholesterol levels better. (more…)

Posted on February 15, 2024 by Rebecca

Trans Fat Ban Starts in California

california bans trans fatIn summer 2024, we told you about a pending ban on trans fats in California. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed legislation banning the use of trans fats in the state’s restaurants. The ban has taken effect as of January 1, 2024.

The new law, passed by the California Legislature in 2024, gave restaurants plenty of time to change their menu items to trans fat-free meals. California has also passed a new law that applies to baked goods. This legislation will take effect on January 1, 2024.

While some people have cynically scoffed at this as government intrusion, I think they really miss the point. People know too little about what goes into their foods. And they are particularly vulnerable when they go out to eat. (more…)

Posted on January 7, 2024 by Jason

Decoding Trans Fat Product Claims by Smart Balance

Smart Balance is using a very good marketing tool to grab shoppers’ attention by discussing trans fat.

smart balance

One Tbsp. of Smart Balance Buttery Spread has 80 calories, 9g fat, and 90mg sodium.

Before we dive into their claim, let’s do a quick trans fat 101.

  • Trans fat (aka trans fatty acids, partially hydrogenated oils) are created in an industrial process, by adding hydrogen to liquid vegetable oils, making them more solid.
  • Trans fat is used because it’s easy and inexpensive to produce. These products have a longer shelf life and it gives desirable taste and texture.
  • However, trans fat is terrible for your health! They raise LDL (bad) cholesterol & lower HDL (good) cholesterol; therefore increasing your risk of heart disease and stroke! (more…)
Posted on March 9, 2024 by Kinsey

Trans Fats: Do You Know What Foods Have Them?

Most of us know that trans fats are bad for our health. In fact, a recent survey showed that a convincing 73 percent of us do. But only 21 percent of Americans can name three food sources of trans fat without the aid of multiple choice.trans fats

The thing is, even if you don’t know that the following foods have trans fats, you should certainly know that they are bad for you:

  • French fries
  • Potato chips
  • Doughnuts
  • Pastries
  • Hard margarine
  • Vegetable shortening
  • Cookies
  • Candy

Trans fats have a double whammy effect on your health. They increase your bad cholesterol (LDL), and they even lower the good kind (HDL). (more…)

Posted on February 20, 2024 by Jason