Why trans fats are used

Currently, the World Health Organization and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations suggest that diets should provide a very low intake of trans fats. For example, an individual with a daily energy intake of kcal should limit the intake of trans fats to less than 2.

Is it better to eat butter instead of margarine to lower intake of trans fats? No, because butter is high in both saturated fats and cholesterol which are not good for heart health. On the contrary, most margarines are made from vegetable oils which contain no cholesterol and are generally lower in saturated fats.

Soft margarines generally have lower trans fat content than their harder counterparts, and there are choices of newly formulated margarines that are very low in trans fats nowadays. Maintaining a balanced diet in particular one that is low in total fat and high in fruits and vegetables is always important. You may choose food that is prepared with cooking methods such as steaming, grilling that use minimum amounts of added fat.

If there are multiple servings in a package, then the whole package may contain several grams of trans fat. When tracking trans fat, make sure you count the number of servings you eat in 1 sitting.

Many fast food restaurants use solid oils with trans fat for frying. Often they provide nutrition information on their menus. If you do not see it posted, ask your server. You also may be able to find it on the restaurant's website. Making Healthy Food Choices. Note that these foods are often low in nutrients and have extra calories from sugar: Cookies, pies, cakes, biscuits, sweet rolls, and donuts Breads and crackers Frozen foods, such as frozen dinners, pizza, ice cream, frozen yogurt, milk shakes, and pudding Snack foods Fast food Solid fats, such as shortening and margarine Nondairy creamer Not all packaged foods have trans fats.

Here is how to get started: Use safflower or olive oil instead of butter, shortening, and other solid fats. Switch from solid margarine to soft margarine.

Ask what type of fats foods are cooked in when you eat out at restaurants. Avoid fried, packaged, and processed foods. Replace meats with skinless chicken or fish a few days a week. Replace whole-fat diary with low-fat or nonfat milk, yogurt, and cheese. Alternative Names. Trans fatty acids. Related MedlinePlus Health Topics. There have not been sufficient studies to determine whether these naturally occurring trans fats have the same bad effects on cholesterol levels as trans fats that have been industrially manufactured.

The American Heart Association recommends cutting back on foods containing partially hydrogenated vegetable oils to reduce trans fat in your diet and preparing lean meats and poultry without added saturated and trans fat. Read the Nutrition Facts panel on foods you buy at the store and, when eating out, ask what kind of oil foods are cooked in. Replace the trans fats in your diet with monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats. Written by American Heart Association editorial staff and reviewed by science and medicine advisers.

See our editorial policies and staff. Eat Smart. American Heart Association Cookbooks. Nutrition Basics. Healthy For Good: Spanish Infographics. What are trans fats? Why do some companies use trans fats? How do trans fats affect my health? Trans fat is double trouble for your heart health Trans fat increases your "bad" cholesterol and lowers your "good" cholesterol.

By Mayo Clinic Staff. Thank you for Subscribing Our Housecall e-newsletter will keep you up-to-date on the latest health information. Please try again. Something went wrong on our side, please try again. Show references Trans fat. Food and Drug Administration. Accessed Dec. Trans fats. American Heart Association. Replace trans fat. World Health Organization. Mozaffarian D. Dietary fat. Zhu Y, et al. Dietary total fat, fatty acids intake, and risk of cardiovascular disease: A dose-response meta-analysis of cohort studies.

Lipids in Health and Disease. Shah B, et al. Trans fatty acids linked to myocardial infarction and stroke: What is the evidence? Trends in Cardiovascular Medicine. Bonow RO, et al. Nutrition and cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. Saunders Elsevier; Accessed Jan. Heart-healthy lifestyle changes. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.