Say Goodbye to Trans Fats

There is never a right time or wrong time to lose weight. The beginning of the year is a hot time for getting the treadmill out of mothballs and revving up the exercise program. Part of losing weight also involves watching what you eat.

The one part of losing weight that is hard for anyone to manage is changing food intake. It’s not that you can’t give up all those foods that are on the quote “naughty list” but the thought of deprivation makes you want to eat them every day. The mind is funny that way.

A good rule of thumb is to remember to eat everything in moderation. In small amounts, some foods that would normally be restricted are okay to eat. Your body and your mind don’t feel deprived and those treadmill workouts start paying off in lost pounds.

Now, there are certain foods that everyone can cut out of their diets. These foods are not good for the body even in small amounts. One such food is trans fat. You’ve heard a lot about these greasy offenders over the last several years. They can do far more damage than just making you fat.

Trans fats appear everywhere from fast food restaurants to processed foods to your own kitchen. No one knew just how bad they were or that there was any problem at all until our eyes were opened. Since 2006, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration required that food labels list the amount of trans fat in a serving size. Many fast food restaurants announced that they were going “trans fat” free.

So, what exactly is trans fat? You might be surprised to know that trans fat can be naturally occurring or artificially made. Some trans fats are created in laboratories. The ones that occur in nature come from dairy products and beef.

Artificial trans fats are made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oils. It’s like a stick of margarine. The trans fats can be shaped into solids. They are created when hydrogen reacts with these vegetable oils. If you ever look at food labels, most of the prepackaged food we eat like donuts, chips, crackers, and cookies all contain some amount of artificial trans fat.

Why should you be concerned? Well, trans fats are bad fatty acids that cause your bad cholesterol (LDL) levels to rise and lower your good cholesterol (HDL) levels. Bad cholesterol forms the sticky plaques that adhere to our artery walls and narrow our vessels leading to heart disease, hypertension, and strokes.

Eating trans fats increases your chances of developing heart disease and associated conditions. Do yourself a favor. The next time you are in the supermarket, check the food labels. Eliminate any foods that contain trans fats. You’ll be healthier for it.