8 alternatives for common products where trans fat still lurks
![8 alternatives for common products where trans fat still lurks 8 alternatives for common products where trans fat still lurks](https://eu-images.contentstack.com/v3/assets/blt09e5e63517a16184/bltafc06db067aebac6/64cbf83cdb0bcc7a8de33eaa/NewHopeNetwork_Horizontal_RGB.png?width=700&auto=webp&quality=80&disable=upscale)
Eliminating trans fats—particularly partially hydrogenated oil—from our food system has been a battle since the early 1990s. Recently, the FDA made a final determination that there is no longer a consensus among qualified experts that partially hydrogenated oils are generally recognized as safe for use in human food. Food companies must comply by the ruling no later than June 18, 2018. While many restaurants and packaged foods companies—especially natural foods manufacturers—have already voluntarily reduced or removed trans fats from their products (or never included them in the first place), there are still many companies lagging behind. Current guidelines allow companies to round down and put “0 grams” on the nutrition label if their product contains 0.5 grams of trans fats or less per serving. But even small amounts of trans fats here and there add up, and it can be especially dangerous if people don’t even know they're eating it. Until the ruling takes effect, encourage customers to reduce their intake of trans fats by offering smart alternatives to some of the most common food products that contain partially hydrogenated oils.
Premade dough and premade graham cracker crusts are some of the worst offenders for added trans fats. Also avoid frozen vegetable-and-meat potpies or completely assembled frozen pies—a single serving can contain between 2 and 4.5 grams of artery-clogging trans fats! We suggest: Maine Pie Co. Gluten Free Pie Shell
Most people grew up on margarine because it was marketed as a healthier alternative to butter. A new day has dawned. True, margarine is made with lower-in-saturated fat and cholesterol-free vegetable oil instead of dairy or animal products, but in order for margarine to maintain its solid form at room temperature (like butter does), it has to be loaded up with hydrogenated oils that are high in trans fats. Several butter alternatives have made the shift away from trans fats and now even include cholesterol-lowering plant sterols. However, you can still find many stick margarines and buttery spreads that contain trans fats. We suggest: Earth Balance Organic Coconut Spread
Conventional cake mixes and whipped frosting are two of the most trans-fat-containing products that exist. Even cake (and bread, muffin and pancake) mixes that are labeled “0 grams trans fats” often still contain shortening and other ingredients with trace amounts of the cholesterol-loving compound. Luckily, there are some great trans-fat-free alternatives in the baking mix category. We suggest: Arrowhead Mills Organic Chocolate Cake Mix
Air-popped popcorn is a healthy snack—3 cups provide 4 grams of fiber for just 90 calories. But some microwave popcorns (the ones that contain butter or caramel flavors, specifically) can contain up to 15 heart-stopping grams of trans fats per bag. We suggest: Quinn Popcorn Vermont Maple & Sea Salt
People who flavor coffee with powdered or liquid creamer may, unknowingly, be taking in a daily dose of trans fats. Again, you’re not likely to see trans fats listed on the Nutrition Facts panel, but if you scroll down to the ingredients list you’ll see that partially hydrogenated oil is often the second or third ingredient listed. We suggest: Califia Farms Almondmilk Creamer Original
French fries, fried chicken and all those greasy fried pickles and chips in a restaurant appetizer sampler are usually cooked in vats of hydrogenated oils. Some states have banned restaurants from using trans fats, but not all. Unless you know an establishment does not fry its foods in hydrogenated oils, assume that it does. But we all know how appealing that crispy crunch can be, so if your customers are looking for a fried foods fix, offer these cleaner picks instead. We suggest: Garden of Eatin’ Baked Cheddar Puffs
Store-bought cookies, boxed cookies and premade cookie dough can contain upwards of 2 grams trans fats per cookie. Oreos voluntarily removed trans fats in 2006 after Kraft Foods was sued by the Campaign to Ban Partially Hydrogenated Oils, but Chips Ahoy!, Nilla wafers and Girl Scout cookies still contain trace amounts of trans fats (below the 0.5 gram per serving mark required on the Nutrition Facts panel). We suggest: Jovial Ginger Spice Einkorn Cookies
True, many crackers don’t contain hydrogenated oils, but several brands (including Nabisco’s Saltines and Ritz) contain less than 0.5 grams of trans fats per serving from partially hydrogenated cottonseed oil—but it’s easy to eat more than the serving size listed on the box, which is how the trans fats add up. We suggest: Back To Nature Classic Round Crackers
True, many crackers don’t contain hydrogenated oils, but several brands (including Nabisco’s Saltines and Ritz) contain less than 0.5 grams of trans fats per serving from partially hydrogenated cottonseed oil—but it’s easy to eat more than the serving size listed on the box, which is how the trans fats add up. We suggest: Back To Nature Classic Round Crackers
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