FitSugar

Fat Talk: Trans Fatty Acids

FitSugar — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 03:00:01 PDT

Not all fats are bad for us, but too many saturated fats (ones derived from animals) can be bad news for your heart. Another fat on the naughty list are trans fatty acids. Commonly called trans fat, these are "the chemically-altered fats." Most trans fats are a side effect of partial hydrogenation of plant oils (companies use them to increase the shelf life of their products). Trans fat is neither required nor beneficial to our bodies, and eating trans fat can increase your risk of heart disease, miscarriages, and type 2 diabetes.

Some trans fats can occur naturally in small quantities in meat and dairy products such as beef, lamb, and butterfat. It's not clear whether these have the same negative effects on your cholesterol levels as the manufactured kind.

The American Heart Association recommends that less than one percent of your total daily calories should be trans fat. That means if you eat a 2,000-calorie diet, eat less than two grams a day.

There may be trans fat lurking in your foods without you even knowing. To find out why

Reading nutrition labels on packages may seem like a no-brainer way to find trans fat. The problem is that a product may claim to have zero grams of trans fat, when in reality it may contain less than .5 grams. That's because companies aren't required to list it on the label if it contains this much. Sneaky, I know, but you can be just as crafty by looking at the ingredient list. Assume a food contains trans fat if the ingredients include any of the following: shortening, partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, or hydrogenated vegetable oil. Here's a list of common products you should watch out for.

Is There Trans Fat Lurking in Your Granola Bar?

FitSugar — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 09:00:00 PDT

As I waited in the longest line at the grocery store, which meant standing in the snack aisle, there was plenty of time to check out the well-stocked area full of various bars. Naturally, I picked up some new products that looked interesting and began reading the list of ingredients. While my interest was piqued by a new Quaker bar that has 35 percent of my daily recommended fiber intake and contains healthy omega-3s, what I saw in the list of ingredients caused me to put the box back where I found it. To find out what I saw,

There was partially hydrogenated oil near the beginning of the ingredient list, as with several of the other products I skimmed over. This means there's trans fat in these seemingly healthy snacks - you know, the stuff that can cause colon cancer, raise LDL (bad) cholesterol levels, and decrease HDL (good) cholesterol levels. It's tricky that products can claim to have zero trans fat, when the inclusion of partially hydrogenated oil indicates that's not the case.

When you're shopping, don't assume that something is healthy simply because it says so on the front of the box. Get the whole story by turning the product over and giving the ingredient list a quick scan. Choose bars that have short ingredient lists with recognizable components. Check your cabinets - is there trans fat lurking in your snack bars?

Source

Ditching Trans Fat: The Benefits Exceed the Cost

FitSugar — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 17:30:00 PST

We're all excited about about how many cities, states and companies are banning trans fats, but how are they going to deliver the same beloved French Fries and fried chicken that so many of their customers crave?

This Chicago restaurant owner, Ina Pinkney, might have paved the way - she eliminated trans fat from her menu a few years ago, and made the switch to Canola oil. She says that going trans fat free was a recipe for success.

She feared that the partially hydrogenated vegetable oils used in her foods were endangering her customers' health. Using Canola oil is not only healthier for her customers, but it's cheaper for her - she says it cooks so much better, so she uses less oil.

The oil's "fry life" and taste are virtually the same, but Canola oil is about 30% more expensive than partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. That's why a lot of restaurant owners are reluctant to make the switch. They just need to talk to Ina since she thinks it is cost beneficial.

But in the end switching over to Canola oil will prove beneficial because if patrons know the food is healthier, they'll probably be eating it more often (and MORE of it).

Label Able: Mono- and Diglycerides

FitSugar — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 12:00:00 PDT

Reading ingredient labels has become a form of entertainment for me, weird I know, but I see a lot of ingredients I have never heard of, let alone can pronounce. I came across an ingredient so bizarre that it requires a hyphen: mono- and diglycerides. This food combination is considered one ingredient and can be found in beverages, ice cream, gum, whipped toppings, margarine, bread, and other baked goods. Just like partially hydrogenated oils, they're everywhere, and that's what makes me suspect.

To find out if they are healthy or harmful

Mono- and diglycerides are a kind of incomplete fat, but they really have no caloric impact since they're added to foods in such tiny amounts. These not-quite-whole fats are common food additives used to blend ingredients together that don't naturally blend well, such as oil and water. Think of processed peanut butter like Jif. It contains mono- and diglycerides to give it a creamy consistency, and to prevent the oil from separating and sitting on the top. My natural peanut butter separates and I really don't mind. Just like hydrogenated oils, mono- and diglycerides increase the shelf life of foods, but they are on the GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) list according to the FDA.

These fatty food additives may come from an animal source (derived from a pig or cow), a vegetable source (usually canola or soybean oil), or may be synthetically produced. Vegetarians and vegans should steer clear of them since manufacturers aren't required to list the source of their mono- and diglycerides. I'm not vegetarian, but I am trying to avoid processed foods so I'll be avoiding these incomplete fats because I think complete fats are just less engineered.

Veggie Burger Breakdown

FitSugar — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 11:00:00 PDT

The Fourth of July is just around the corner, and I'm sure you're gearing up for some BBQs. If you're watching your saturated fat and cholesterol intake, veggie burgers are a great option. And according to my burger poll many of you prefer veggie burgers, too. There are so many different brands and flavors out there now, the selection can be a little overwhelming. Some burgers are made with soy and others with grains. Other veggie burgers are just that and made from veggies. Sunshine even makes their burgers with sunflower seeds. Depending on the main ingredients, all your options will differ in calories, sodium, carbs, and protein, so check out this breakdown to see which one satisfies your needs.

Veggie Burger (1 patty)	Calories	Total Fat (g)	Cholesterol (mg)	Sodium (mg)	Carbs (g)	Fiber (g)	Protein (g)
Amy's Kitchen All American Veggie Burger	120	3	0	390	15	3	10
Amy's Kitchen California Veggie Burger	140	5	0	430	19	4	6
Boca All American Flame Grilled	90	3	5	280	4	4.5	14
Boca Original Vegan	70	.5	0	280	6	4	13

There's plenty more and to see them just

Veggie Burger (1 patty)	Calories	Total Fat (g)	Cholesterol (mg)	Sodium (mg)	Carbs (g)	Fiber (g)	Protein (g)
Boca Grilled Vegetable	80	1	0	300	7	4	12
Boca Cheeseburger	100	4.65	10	360	5	4	13
Boca Garden Vegetable Made With Organic Soy	130	3	0	400	9	4	15
Boca Roasted Garlic Made With Organic Soy	130	.5	0	470	9	4	16
Gardenburger Original	100	3.5	5	420	14	5	5
Gardenburger Sun-Dried Tomato Basil	100	3	5	310	15	5	5
Gardenburger Portabella	90	2.5	5	360	15	5	5
Gardenburger Black Bean Chipotle	80	2.5	0	250	13	5	5
Gardenburger GardenVegan	100	1	0	230	12	3	10
Gardenburger California Burger	90	3.5	0	380	12	2	3
Morningstar Farms Cheddar Burger (contains partially hydrogenated soybean oil)	150	7	10	480	10	3	13
Morningstar Farms Mushroom Lover's (contains corn syrup solids)	110	6	0	220	8	less than 1	7
Morningstar Farms Veggie Medley made with Organic Soy	120	4	0	260	11	2	11
Morningstar Farms Classic Burger made with Organic Soy	150	6	0	280	9	3	14
Morningstar Farms Spicy Black Bean Veggie	120	4	0	350	13	4	11
Sunshine Burger South West	240	12	0	240	26	9	6
Wildwood Tofu-Veggie Burger, Original	180	13	0	330	8	1	12
Wildwood Tofu-Veggie Burger, South West	190	13	0	320	9	2	11

I'm curious what your favorite flavor is? Tell me in the comments section below.

Tofutti Cuties: Cholesterol and Lactose Free

FitSugar — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 07:30:00 PDT

Since we all can agree that anything in moderation is good, including things made with soy, I had to tell you about a dairy-free dessert I love called Tofutti Cuties.

Not only do they have an adorable name, but they're made with protein-rich soy without the lactose (good to know if you are vegan, have high cholesterol, or are lactose intolerant).

They come in a ton of flavors, including the classic Vanilla, Chocolate, Cookies 'n Cream, Totally Vanilla (the cookies are vanilla instead of chocolate), Strawberry Wave, Chocolate Wave, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Mint Chocolate Chip, Coffee Break, Wild Berry, Blueberry Wave, and Key Lime.

Want to see the nutritional info and a picture of what they really look like? Then

Serving Size	1 sandwich
Calories	130
Total Fat	6g
Saturated Fat	1g
Cholesterol	0mg
Sodium	121mg
Carbs	17g
Fiber	less than 1g
Sugar	9g
Protein	2g

My favorite are the Vanilla. These have just the right amount of creamy, vanilla sweetness; although, I love that they are cholesterol free and low in saturated fat, I'm not that psyched that they are made with corn-syrup solids. At least they don't contain partially-hydrogenated vegetable oil, like some other ice cream sandwiches. I do love that these Tofutti Cuties are snack-sized ice cream sandwiches, so you can satisfy your sweet tooth but not fill up on a whole bunch of calories.