When Zero Equals 'Small Amounts'

Q: My question regards trans fats and partially hydrogenated oil. I was under the impression that partially hydrogenated oil was a trans fat. However, in the grocery store, I often see products that claim on their boxes “Zero Trans Fats!” but then list partially hydrogenated vegetable oil as an ingredient. Is that false advertising or am I misinformed? Do I need to try to avoid partially hydrogenated oils?

A: Your careful eye has caught a loophole in the regulations. The Food and Drug Administration permits manufacturers to claim zero trans fats on a nutrition label if the product has less than 0.5 grams of these fats. This is why you see foods that contain shortening or partially hydrogenated vegetable oil but still bear that “trans fat free” sticker. Technically, it’s not false advertising.

Trans fats are used in food manufacturing because they increase shelf life of junk foods like potato chips, cookies and cakes. These fats also solidify shortenings, margarines and spreads and allow them to be heat stable. Trans fats are more harmful than saturated fats because they not only cause hardening of the arteries, but lower your good cholesterol. You should avoid them as much as possible.

So, continue to read labels and leave products that contain partially hydrogenated oils and other trans fats on the grocery store shelf. You can live with less junk food—the primary source of trans fats for most people. The small amounts that you eat here and there can add up over time. Plus, there are better snack foods out there, like carrots, apples, celery and berries.

One final note: There are some foods that naturally contain small amounts of trans fats, foods such as butter, milk, cheese, lamb and beef. Eat lower-fat options for these products.

Find More on MSN Health & Fitness:

• Trans Fats Dirty Dozen
• Trans fat: Avoid this cholesterol double whammy
• The Best Foods to Lower Your Cholesterol

Find all articles by Keecha.

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Keecha Harris is President of Harris and Associates, a food systems and public health consulting firm based in Birmingham, Ala. (Read her full bio.)