trans fats

**bluebird** · #1 (**permalink**) 01-23-2006, 11:16 AM

I would like to cut out all trans fats from my diet. Right now we get trans fats from cake mixes, frozen french fries, chips, crackers. I can make cakes from scratch. Make my own fries. Chips..... there is only one brand dd can eat and we have them seldom. Crackes I am stumped on due to dd's allergies. I have recipes to make homemade crackers but not enough hours in the day!

Anyone looking to cut trans fats out of thier diet?

**DeBora4BobbyL** · #2 (**permalink**) 02-01-2006, 06:08 PM

Connie, I too avoid trans fat. You can read the labels and it will tell you exactly how many grams of trans fat that that item has. I try and go for the fresh or natural foods when possible--like real butter. However, trans fat can be hidden in things, like the frozen potatoes like you said. Good luck!

**bluebird** · #3 (**permalink**) 02-01-2006, 07:16 PM

I use real butter too. Now dh has to have the fake stuff. I did buy some that said no trans fats.... sounds doubtful to me.

lindaljh1 · #4 (**permalink**) 02-01-2006, 07:49 PM

Carr's biscuits (crackers) use oil instead of hydrogenated oil or shortening so they are truly 0 trans fat. I got mine at the dollar store.

It can say 0 trans fat and still have "only" a trace of trans fat. Look for partially hydrogenated oils and vegetable shortening in the ingredients.

If something had "only" a trace of dog poop in it would you still eat it?

My old brand of crackers said 0 trans fats but they contained vegetable shortening which is a trans fat (think dog poop).

my fish sticks have partially hydrogenated soybean oil (healthy dog poop?) way down at the bottom of the ingredient list. I almost missed it because they had vegetable oil listed near the top. Soybean is good, I don't understand why they had to ruin it.

Love & Prayers,
Linda

**bluebird** · #5 (**permalink**) 02-02-2006, 07:56 AM

Carr's biscuits (crackers) use oil instead of hydrogenated oil or shortening so they are truly 0 trans fat. I got mine at the dollar store.

Thanks! I will check those out. Dd has so many food allergies.......

**Sammi1961** · #6 (**permalink**) 02-02-2006, 10:58 AM

I watched a new story about transfat the other day. Apparently, it is almost impossible to completely get rid of transfat in a diet because it is in almost everything often hidden under different names. I did learn that soft margarine (the tub kind) has less than the stick kind. I think the only thing you can do is learn the names used and carefully read labels. I am trying really had to do that. I am finding it in some foods I would never have expected.

**DeBora4BobbyL** · #7 (**permalink**) 02-02-2006, 01:12 PM

I try to stick with the real butter, olive oil, and other natural oils when I can. But, I agree that trans fat is hidden in so many things. They only way to know for sure is to make things from scratch, which most ppl can't do.

**Sammi1961** · #8 (**permalink**) 02-02-2006, 04:45 PM

I had to go to the grocery store today and checked a couple lables that said "0 Trans Fat" right on the front of their packaging. While reading the ingredients, I found "partially hydrogenated" ingredients in all of them which means they do contain trans fat. Anything that is partially hydrogenated means it is trans fat. How can they legally say they are trans fat free?

**DeBora4BobbyL** · #9 (**permalink**) 02-02-2006, 08:50 PM

Sammi, that is an excellant question! I have checked and checked. I am sure that the answers are there somewhere, but I cannot find them. Here's a link to the FDA. There is an email for them on this page as well if you want to ask: http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/2003/503_fats.html

If I find out anything else, I'll post it here.

**bluebird** · #10 (**permalink**) 02-03-2006, 08:55 AM

I don't have time to check into the website but I know from dd's food allergies that companys can and will find anyway not to be honest with labeling. The new food labeling laws should take care of that. BUT that is what the government thought with the 1994 laws too!