Trans Fat Facts and Fiction

Hydrogenation changes liquid oil to solid. This is done by adding hydrogen to make stick margarines and spreads. That's why stick margarines have a lot of trans fats. Rule of thumb: Softer is better. The American Heart Association recommends that you use canola oil or olive oil for cooking when possible. Look for processed foods that have no partially hydrogenated oils. Use tub margarine instead of butter, but choose a margarine that lists liquid vegetable oil as the first ingredient. It should have no more than 2 grams of saturated fat per serving.

In 2020, the FDA banned trans fats, or partially hydrogenated oils, from being added to foods. Trans fats were most often seen in foods made with partially hydrogenated oils, such as margarine, vegetable shortening, pastries, and fried foods. Some meat and dairy products naturally have small amounts, too.

The National Academy of Sciences says that trans fats offer no health benefits. The best daily intake is none at all. You should eat as little as possible. Nutrition labels are also required by the FDA to state if the food has more than 0.5 grams of trans fats per serving.

Although saturated fats can lead to heart attacks, trans fats are worse. They lower the level of HDL ("good") cholesterol. And they raise the level of LDL ("bad") cholesterol. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends using margarines that have no trans fat.

Food labels must list the amount of trans fat per serving. They also must list the amount of saturated fat and dietary cholesterol. Keep in mind that a food label can read "0 grams" of trans fat if each serving contains less than 0.5 grams of it. This means that foods may have trans fats, but the small amount per serving allows the label to state zero.

The FDA has taken steps to remove trans fats in processed foods. It now requires that food makers not add partially hydrogenated oils to foods.