Trans fat is a type of dietary fat that is strongly linked to heart disease, a major health concern in Windsor and Essex County.  Many studies have shown that trans fat in the diet increases blood levels of LDL, commonly referred to as bad cholesterol, while decreasing blood levels of HDL, the good cholesterol.  Results from the recent 2006 Canadian Cardiovascular Atlas ranked Windsor-Essex County among the worst areas in Canada when it comes to heart health.  This should alert consumers to focus on eating as little trans fat as possible.

            While trans fat occur naturally at low levels in meat and milk products, most of our intake is produced by the food industry and found in foods made with partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.  Hydrogenation is a process commonly used in food manufacturing that hardens liquid vegetable oils.  This helps maintain the flavour and smell of the oils and gives processed foods a longer shelf life.  Trans fat is mainly found in fried foods and baked goods.  However, you may be surprised to learn that high amounts are also present in some varieties of crackers, frozen products, hard margarine, instant ramen noodles, liquid coffee whitener, microwave popcorn, pudding snacks, as well as toaster pastries. Check the ingredients list on products to find words that indicate the presence of trans fat, including “partially hydrogenated vegetable oil”, “shortening”, and “vegetable shortening”. 

             How much fat do Canadians consume? According to a recent 2006 Statistics Canada report, more than a quarter of middle-aged adults consume an alarming amount of fat.  However, there has been improvement, regarding trans fat in particular, since the mid-1990’s when we were identified as a nation with one of the highest intakes of trans fat.  For example, Canada was the first country to regulate mandatory labelling of trans fat on prepackaged foods.  This 2005 regulation has helped consumers identify foods containing higher levels of this harmful fat.  And there’s more good news!  Some food manufacturers have already reduced the level of trans fat in processed foods.  For example, almost all bread products and salad dressings are now free of trans fat.  Although these are positive changes, there are still many other food products that contain high amounts of trans fat.

            Be aware of the harmful health effects of consuming too much trans fat.  Eat balanced meals that include fresh food from all four food groups of Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating.  Be sure to include vegetable and fruit choices with each meal; they’re trans fat-free naturally.  Most importantly, use the Nutrition Facts table on food labels to compare and choose products with less trans fat.      

Written by Kristine Nohavicka RD, as published in the Windsor Star, July 2006.