Supermarket shelves are loaded with products claiming "zero trans fat." But that "zero" on the label isn't necessarily a true zero. According to FDA guidelines, products containing less than 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving can list "zero grams trans fat" on their nutritional label. As a result, just one "zero grams trans fat" serving could contain as much as 0.49 grams of trans fat. For example, Shedd's Spread Country Creek regular soft margarine has 0.44 grams of trans fat per serving. By comparison, Smart Balance Buttery Spread regular margarine has just 0.07 grams of trans fat. Both are listed as "zero" on their respective labels. Thank you FDA!

Over the course of three meals, just one serving of "zero grams trans fat" at each meal can add up to almost 1.5 grams of trans fat for the day. Why is this important? Because the American Heart Association recommends your daily trans fat intake to be less than 2 grams. So, you could be consuming almost 75% of your daily limit in "zero grams of trans fat" foods.

Instead of relying on advertising, I always check out the ingredients listed in the Nutrition Facts. If you see ingredients referred to as "partially hydrogenated" or "shortening," you've found trans fat. Avoid these foods.
1 | Left by Anon | Sep. 19, 2010 at 3:17pm