Trans fats are perhaps the worst fats you can eat if you’re following the South Beach Diet. While public awareness of the health dangers of these fats has grown in recent years, we still get questions. Here are the answers to the five we’re most commonly asked about these really bad fats:

What Are Trans Fats?
Trans fats are created when manufacturers turn liquid oils into solid fats through a process called hydrogenation — originally developed to replace harmful saturated fats and increase the shelf life of baked foods. Unfortunately, hydrogenation alters many of the oils’ unsaturated fatty acids, making them more saturated. Since 2006, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has required food manufacturers to display the amount of trans fats on all of their product labels.

What Kinds of Foods Contain Trans Fats?
Many snack foods, such as chips and crackers, certain brands of popcorn, and commercially baked products such as cookies, pies, and cakes contain trans fats. Try to avoid these foods and focus instead on those that contain healthy fats, such as extra-virgin olive and canola oils.

Where Can I Find the Trans-Fat Number on Nutrition Panels?
The trans-fat number is listed on the Nutrition Facts panel after Total Fat and Saturated Fat, but only if the product contains 0.5 grams or more per serving. In other words, the product can claim it has 0% trans fats if it contains less than 0.5 grams per serving, so be sure to check for hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils in the ingredients list if you’re trying to steer clear of trans fats altogether.

How Do Trans Fats Affect My Health?
Like saturated fats, trans fats can raise your LDL ("bad") cholesterol. However, unlike saturated fats, these fats can also lower your HDL ("good") cholesterol — so they probably pose an even greater risk than saturated fats, contributing to heart disease, metabolic problems, obesity, infertility, and many other health conditions.

How Do I Avoid These Health Risks?
Your best bet: Choose your foods carefully. Skip the chips and baked goods and include more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, lean protein, and reduced-fat dairy in your daily diet.

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