Return to Main Menu

Trans fat levels must be labeled For information on trans fat, visit the Wellness Wednesday booth from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nov. 14 in the Children’s Hospital lobby. Also, stop by the Wellness Wednesday table in the Children’s Hospital Lobby to get a flu shot. It’s free for MUSC employees. Think about those flaky pastries and huge hamburgers out on the market. In past decades, fat was thought of as providing the flavoring and texture in our food. Mothers and grandmothers kept cans of lard and oil on the stovetop to prepare family dinners. Butter was found in every home. However, things are not so simple anymore. Not all fats are created equal. There are three main types of fatty acids: Monounsaturated—avocados, canola oil, flaxseed oil, safflower oil, whole grain wheat Polyunsaturated—salmon, herring, halibut, soybeans, olive oil Saturated—beef, chicken, pork, cheese, and other meat products. What is a trans fat? Trans fats are created by adding a hydrogen molecule (through a process called hydrogenation) to a polyunsaturated fatty acid. This hydrogen saturates the fatty acid and makes it stronger. Saturated fatty acids are solid at room temperature and provide pre-prepared foods with a longer shelf life. Foods that commonly contain trans fat include crackers, margarine, shortening, and baked convenience items.   In the past few years, Americans have come to realize that trans fat are lurking in many of the foods that are loved.   During the past, trans fats could be identified on the ingredient label by the words “partially hydrogenated oil” or “vegetable shortening.” As of January 2006, the Food and Drug Administration required that trans fat be listed in the nutrition facts of the food label. For a food to be considered trans fat free it must contain less than half a gram of trans fat per serving. The trans fat affect   All these fat facts still may be very confusing. Does trans fat free mean the product is OK to eat? What foods really have no trans fat? How much trans fat can one have in a day? What does trans fat do to one's body?   Come to Wellness Wednesday for the answer to these questions and more from some of MUSC’s dietetic interns. Editor's note: The preceding column was brought to you on behalf of Health 1st. Striving to bring various topics and representing numerous employee wellness organizations and committees on campus, this weekly column seeks to provide MUSC, MUHA and UMA employees with current and helpful information concerning all aspects of health.     Friday, Nov. 9, 2007 Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Island Publications at 849-1778, ext. 201.