Trans-fat free does not necessarily make a product healthy – yes girl scout cookies are now trans-fat free but that does not mean they are good for you! Labels can be deceiving when it comes to trans-fats, because manufacturers are legally allowed to state that their products contain “0 trans-fats” when in fact they contain 0.5g or less per serving. Quite misleading. Plus, since we tend to eat more than just one serving (especially when the serving size has been reduced to make the numbers work in the manufacturers’ favor), we are eating plenty of trans-fats. Trans-fats are created when vegetable oils or unsaturated fats are hydrogenated in order to create a more saturated or solid fat, such as margarine. These fatty acids are toxic to the body and can increase our disposition toward disease, including heart disease. Packaged foods, cookies, muffins and other baked goods are common places where hydrogenated oils are used and hence have higher levels of trans-fats in them. As more research is being released on the harmful effects of trans-fats, more and more companies and food chains are reducing or eliminating the trans-fat content of their foods so they can claim they are healthy foods. Keep in mind, processed foods, even if ‘truly” trans-fat free, often have other processed vegetable oils, high sugar content or artificial sweeteners, additives, chemicals and dyes that also all lead to poor health.
