How to Stock a Trans Fat Free Kitchen

Trans fats can raise the level of LDL cholesterol in the body which can then increase your risk of heart disease. Food manufacturers must list the amounts of trans fats on their labels, which can help you stock a trans fat free kitchen. Read on to learn what to look for on food labels to help you make healthier choices.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Bake your cakes and cookies from scratch using butter or trans fat free margarine. Commercially prepared baked goods provide the highest percentage of trans fats in American diets.
2. Look for the word "hydrogenated" on the ingredient list. If the amount of trans fats in a product is less than ½ g, manufacturers aren't required to list it on the nutrition facts. The word hydrogenated provides a clue that small amounts of trans fats are present.
3. Buy frozen vegetables without sauces or gravies. Unadorned vegetables do not contain fat. Flavor your vegetables with a splash of herb infused olive oil.
4. Choose plain varieties of beans, rice and pasta. Season them yourself with vegetable oils, liquid margarine and herbs.
5. Create your own salad dressings with heart healthy oils. Commercial salad dressings depend on hydrogenated oils to stabilize the product. Soybean oil and olive oil are better choices.
6. Use cooking spray to grease pans instead of shortening. Hydrogenation turns a fat that would normally be a liquid into a solid fat by packing hydrogen atoms onto the fatty chains.