How to Cut Back on Trans Fats

Trans fats (also known as hydrogenated fats or oils) are naturally occurring in some foods, such as cow's milk and some other animal-based products. But, trans fats are also found in a number of processed foods such as ready meals, peanut butter, prepared cakes and pies. Health care professionals often advise patients to cut back on their consumption of trans fats, as these can increase the risk of high cholesterol, heart disease and other conditions. What can you do to cut back on trans fats from your diet?

Read Labels Carefully

If you do not already do so, it is important to get into the habit of reading food labels carefully. Do not just rely on nutrition facts alone.

A dietitian recently told me that food companies often claim that a product has "0g trans fats" per serving, even if there is a trace of trans fat in their product. That is why a little extra digging is required to unearth sneaky manufacturer claims. Look at the list of ingredients and if it contains any trans fats or hydrogenated fats, the ingredient will be listed.

Cut Back on Processed Foods

Processed foods are full of artificial, harmful ingredients that you would do well to cut back on. If you are trying to reduce your intake of trans fats, go easy on processed foods such as ready meals, snack bars, boxed varieties of flavoured rice and pasta, and overly processed cakes and desserts.

Limit the consumption of processed foods and try to look for natural ingredients instead. A good way to start is to look at the ingredients list of products. The least amount of ingredients used, the better, especially if the ingredients used are natural, fresh ingredients.

Cook from Scratch

Admittedly, cooking from scratch takes more time than microwaving a ready meal, but the payoff is well worth the effort. If possible, set aside one day each week to cook for the week ahead. Buy plain rice, pasta and other staples and add your own flavourings, rather than relying on boxed varieties, where you cannot always be sure of what you are eating.

Experiment with fresh or dried herbs and spices, add fresh vegetables and freeze leftovers for future use. Limit the use of fats and oils in cooking that have been hydrogenated and make more use of water, fat-free sprays, fruit and vegetable juices, broths and other liquids.

Trans fats are found in so many different products that it can seem difficult to cut back, but it is possible. Start off by reading food labels more closely, cutting back on processed foods and cooking more from scratch. These steps will help you make healthier food and lifestyle choices.