Welcome to the Simple Steps to Improved Health Challenge Day 9 Avoid Trans-Fats
Reminder to choose 1 of the first two actions to work on this week starting today or whatever day you want the week to start on for you. See Day 1 for more information about the challenge.
How Does Avoiding Trans-Fats Improve Health
Artificial Trans-fats increase “bad” LDL cholesterol and decrease “helpful” HDL cholesterol. Trans-fats increase your risk of heart and blood vessel diseases. Some studies indicate they may impact insulin sensitivity, type 2 diabetes risk, and increase inflammation.
They are so bad for you that the FDA prohibited manufacturers from adding certain artificial trans-fat to foods and beverages around 2013. When you look at a label, it may say zero trans fat but have 0.5g of trans fat or less that gets rounded down to zero.
You can verify if there is trans-fat in your food by looking at the ingredients list for “partially hydrogenated oil.”
Manufacturers like to use artificial trans-fat because it extends a processed product’s shelf life. Trans-fats also take longer to spoil. It is also used as an oil in deep fryers in restaurants because the oil doesn’t have to be changed as often.
Trans-fats are found in baked goods, fried foods, margarine, frozen pizza, microwave popcorn, refrigerated dough such as biscuits or dough for rolls, non-dairy coffee creamer, and shortening. These are items you will want to check out the ingredients list before purchasing even if it says no trans-fat on the package.
There are also naturally occurring trans-fats in dairy and meat products. Studies are inconclusive as to the harm or good from these products. The important thing with dairy and meat is that you are getting it from a good source of grass-fed and preferable grass-finished cows so that you are likely to get the beneficial fats.
How to Take Action to Avoid Trans-Fat
The most important action to take is to read the labels on the processed foods you are purchasing. Look at the ingredient list to check for “partially hydrogenated oils” to verify if a product indicates it has zero trans-fat.
Next, make your own baked good with fats that are better for your health monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Such as olive oil, peanut oil, other nut oils, some canola oils (verify ingredients), sunflower oils, avocado oils. Saturated fats that may also be used are coconut oil and grass-fed butter.
Go Do it
Remember this is just for this week, check the products you typically get from the store while you are there. If something contains partially hydrogenated oil then look for an alternative close by in the aisle. You can also consider if this is s product you can make yourself.
I want this to be easy for you so don’t fret over everything in your cart. If you know there is no way you will choose an alternative right now that is ok. Still, look at ingredients to get awareness if it contains trans-fats and decide to get it or not. You could also decide to only get it every other week so you decrease using it. Definitely check the ones you think you could do without or could find an alternative for or could make yourself.
Again your health journey is about progress, not perfection. You can always revisit this challenge in a couple of months to make additional health improvements.
