Baked Tostitos

What these products, Dunkin Donuts, apple pie Mrs. Smith (frozen), Chips Ahoy Nabisco, Kellogg's Low Fat Granola (without raisins) Pillsbury Buttermilk Waffles (frozen), Jell-O Pudding Chocolate Snacks Tang, Frito-Lay Tostitos Restaurant Style Tortilla Chips * have in common aside from being such all-time American favorite goodies? All are guilty of trans fats, as tested by Consumers Union of U.S., an independent nonprofit organization whose mission is to enable consumers to protect themselves, were conducted.

What is trans fat, you may ask? As you now know, foods that often have no label, but this principle. Trans fat results from hydrogenation. Hydrogenation is a cooking process in which hydrogen is added to vegetable oil, that a certain percentage of unsaturated fat is then transformed into trans fatty acids. Trans fat contains features that make it useful for several reasons:

aec Increases the shelf life of packaged food.
aec Stabilizes the flavor of foods containing saturated fats, among others.
aec solidifies other key elements, such as margarine and other bakery products.

Unfortunately, it acts like saturated fat because it clogs the arteries of the heart. This is a serious concern that most Americans consume 4-5 times as much saturated fat as trans fat in their diet.

The alarm sounded more trans fat is due to the recommendation of the National Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medicine, the body that advises the government on health policy. On July 2002, they published their official stance on trans fat levels of trans fats are worse blood cholesterol and almost certainly increases the risk of heart disease.

For this reason, FDA has issued a decision in which food manufacturers were given until 1 January 2006, to list trans fats on nutrition labels. The transition has been made to minimize the need for multiple labeling changes, to allow small businesses to use current label inventories, and provide a measure of savings.

Note also that the health experts say it is not possible to completely eliminate trans fats from your diet. However, you can take the following steps to ensure it remains at a minimum.

Most food manufacturers have been moving to list trans fats before the deadline, so you can check the list trans fat on the Nutrition Facts panel directly under the line of saturated fat.

When choosing to choose foods low in saturated fat and cholesterol, use of the rule. It is noted that 5 per cent of the daily value or less is low and 20 percent or more is high.

You can also make compromises, you definitely do not give up a favorite food to eat more healthily. Try to choose low-fat version of this favorite food, or when you eat foods that are high in saturated fats, eat more foods low in fat, for the day.

You should also be aware that the energy bar you eat perhaps because it is healthier that might contain trans fats. Again, it is in your interest to check the nutrition panel. Due to the requirement of the FDA new label, food supplements containing 0.5 grams of trans fat saturated fats r, must be listed in the supplement facts panel.

This is why trans fat is called stealth fat, it is found in many dietary supplements and health foods. You may think you are healthier food choices, whereas the reality is what you are doing is clogging your arteries with a new type of bad fat!