How to eliminate trans fats from your food
To save cost and increase the shelf life of their products, food companies began the use of hydrogenated oils. Most of the trans fats in commercially processed foods come from processed hydrogenated fats. They are responsible for lowering good cholesterol and increasing bad cholesterol. But food companies use hydrogenated oils to extend shelf life, save money, increase the stability of the product and add texture. This article is about ways you can avoid and spot hydrogenated oils.
- Avoid products with hydrogenated oils: Foods with saturated fats like vegetable shortening, margarine, packed snacks, baked foods, fried foods, coffee creamers and ready to use dough have good amounts of partially hydrogenated oils in them.
- Read food labels: Trans fats come along with hydrogenated oils so avoiding such products is the best option. If the trans fat content is 0.5g or less per serving then the food companies label their products trans fat-free so it is very important to read labels.
- Use vegetable oils for cooking: Heart-healthy vegetable oils like olive oil and avocado oil help to reduce inflammation and have antioxidants along with essential fatty acids.
- Limit consumption of packaged foods: Food preservation and hydrogenated oils are linked with each other therefore if you decrease your consumption of packaged foods then your consumption of hydrogenated oils also decreases.
- Choose whole foods as a snack option: Snacks that come in a packet have high amounts of hydrogenated oils so opting for a trans-fat-free option like bananas, carrot sticks, mixed nuts, plain yoghurt, apples, etc. prevents us from developing risk factors for lifestyle conditions and diseases.
In conclusion, to keep up with your health and fitness and to avoid consumption of hydrogenated oils always try to avoid highly processed and packaged foods and always check the labels of the packaged goods that you buy. For example food companies might add hydrogenated oils to peanut butter, hummus and yoghurt, etc.
References :
Kristeen Cherney. (2018).5 Ways to Avoid Hydrogenated Oil.Healthline.https://www.healthline.com/health/ways-to-avoid-hydrogenated-oil