Many snack
foods and spreads on the market are now free of artery-clogging trans fat, but
consumers still need to be savvy label-readers, according to researchers.
In a sampling of packaged
foods at a local Wal-Mart, researchers at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis found that a majority of margarines and butters, cookies, cakes and snack foods had gone trans fat free.
However, a number of
products still had substantial amounts of the fat, the researchers report in
the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.
For example, three of 40
brands of chips, crackers and popcorn contained at least 3 grams of trans fat
per serving, according to the products' labels.
So, despite the food
industry's move toward cutting trans fat, consumers still need to check labels,
according to the researchers, led by graduate student Matthew J. Albers.
Trans fat has become
notorious because it not only raises "bad" LDL cholesterol, but also
lowers heart-protective HDL cholesterol. The main source of trans fat in the diet
is the partially hydrogenated oil used in many commercially prepared baked and
fried foods -- including cookies, crackers, chips, breads and french fries.
Since 2006, food
manufacturers have been required to list trans-fat content on products'
"Nutrition Information" labels. That has spurred many brands to cut
the fat out.
In their study, conducted
in July 2006, Albers and his colleagues found that 21 of 29 margarines and
butters were labeled as containing 0 grams of trans fat. The same was true of
34 out of 44 cookies and snack cakes, and 31 of 40 savory snacks -- chips,
crackers and popcorn.
The findings show that the
food industry has made "progress," the researchers say, but consumers
still need to watch out for not only trans fat, but LDL-raising saturated fat
as well.
"When choosing between
products...the consumer should add together the trans- and saturated-fat
content listed on the product label and select a brand that has the least of
these two fatty acids," advised Dr. Lisa J. Harnack, an associate
professor at the University of Minnesota and a co-researcher
on the study.
A brand of butter, for
example, might have less trans fat than the margarine next to it, but contain
significantly more saturated fat.
If you're craving a snack and unsure of its fat content you could always choose a wholesome
option, such as fruits and vegetables. A good "test" for yourself is the next time you're craving a snack have an apple. If you don't want the apple you aren't really hungry, you're just eating to eat.
Jason - a Lumen
