The Food and Drug Administration plans to officially ban trans fats. Research has long shown that these fatty acids, despite being cheap to produce and beneficial to food manufacturers who want their products to stay on shelves longer, are bad news for our hearts. Trans fats raise LDL or “bad” cholesterol and lower HDL or “good” cholesterol.
Thankfully, many manufacturers have moved away from trans fats in recent years as the health risks became impossible to ignore. But with the final word expected to come soon from the FDA, the foods with traces of trans fats still lingering will have to rethink a few things. Here are a few of those culprits.
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Some MargarineCertain margarine products still contain trans fat, and, in some cases, high amounts. Land O Lakes sticks, for example, contain 3 grams of trans fat in just one tablespoon. The American Heart Association recommends keeping your trans fat intake under 2 grams — a day. Soft margarine packaged in tubs is less likely to have trans fat, according to WebMD.
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Instant SoupCertain brands of instant noodles and soup cups contain trans fats. Nissin Cup Noodles Beef Flavor, for example, lists partially hydrogenated cottonseed and soybean oil on the nutrition label. The sneakiest part? The nutrition facts clearly state 0 grams trans fat. That’s because up to 0.5 grams of the stuff can be rounded down to zero, making it easy to reach 2 grams a day without even knowing it.
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Fast FoodFast food joints like trans fats because they can be re-used for frying, which saved money. Watch out for anything deep-fried, like chicken tenders and French fries, according to WebMD. But even burgers aren’t safe: Burger King’s Whopper, for example, contains 1.5 grams of the stuff.
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Microwave PopcornSome brands have cut trans fats out of your movie night, but others, like Pop Secret, still contain as many as 5 grams of trans fats per serving.
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Ready-Made FrostingHopefully, you’re not eating much of this treat anyway. Just two tablespoons of this Pillsbury frosting contains 1.5 grams of trans fats. And one Betty Crocker variety has 2 grams.