FOOD TIP: Trans Fats

Fat has long been regarded as the foe of nutrition and it constantly makes headlines in the paper. The latest fat to come to our attention has been Trans fat. Before we get into trans fat, it's important to know a bit about fat. Our bodies do in fact need fat to function - it is vital for like as it makes up the membranes in our cells and also helps us to absorb the fat soluble vitamins such as vitamin A, D, E and K.

There are different types of fat in the food we eat. Saturated fats are the 'bad' fats that increase our risk of heart disease and have also been linked to a number of cancers and diabetes. Unsaturated fats, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats are the 'good' fats as they have been associated with a reduced risk of inflammation and heart disease. So where do these trans fats fit in?

Saturated fats are solid are room temperature, where as unsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature. When the bad press started about saturated fat, a solution needed to be made into how we could replace the solid saturated fats with healthier choices. So, food manufacturers took unsaturated fat and pumped it with hydrogen to alter its chemical structure from a cis formation, to a trans formation and hence produced trans fat. Unfortunately, the industrial trans fats act like saturated fat in the body and increase our risk of heart disease and cancer, by raising cholesterol levels in the blood.

Trans fats are also found naturally in animal products such as beef, lamb and products made from them like butter, milk and cream. These trans fat are made created by bacteria that live in the forestomach of cattle, sheep and goats. But, this naturally occurring trans fat is only in small amounts and there is no evidence that the natural form is dangerous. It's the industrialised trans fats that are the problem.

So, where are trans fats found? The foods to watch out for include:

• Deep-fried food such as French fries and wedges
• Fried salty snacks such as corn chips and potato chips
• Baked goods like meat pies and sausage rolls
• Packet cake mixes
• Microwave popcorn
• Solid cooking margarine
• Manufactured cakes and biscuits

And here's some tips on how to avoid them:

• Avoid fast food that is deep-fried unless you are sure the place you have brought it from has used low fat trans oil.
• Use filo pastry instead of puff and shortcrust pastry.
• Bake your own biscuits and cakes instead of buying commercial ones.

Finally, the good news is, Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (food regulatory board for Australia and New Zealand) has found that trans fat intake within Australia is less than what is recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and this is because we have the National Heart Foundation who have been pushing food manufacturers to get rid of the amount of trans fat in their food. However, you shouldn't choose food based on their trans fat total alone, but instead you should choose products based on the lowest combination of saturated and trans fat content.