083-134_AbsDiet_ch6-SR prep
134
THE
ABS
4/14/04
2:12 PM
Page 134
DIET
AT THE GROCERY STORE
AT HOME
AT A RESTAURANT
Decode the food label. Add all the fat grams together that are listed on the label, and then subtract that number from the total fat content. The number you’re left with is the estimate for the amount of trans fat in the food.
Snack on baked chips or chips fried in olive oil instead of ones with vegetable shortening (check the ingredients list).
Order foods that are baked, broiled, or grilled—not fried.
Buy margarine that is free of trans fat, like Smart Balance Light. Squeezable margarine also has less trans fat than the stick kind.
Flavor vegetables or baked potatoes with olive oil, sesame oil, or even butterflavored spray instead of margarine.
Avoid bread, which may be filled with trans fat. It’s better to pick a baked potato, soup, or salad.
Translate the labels. Cholesterol-free doesn’t mean it’s free of trans fat. Only fat-free means that.
Make a sandwich with a tortilla wrap or a pita instead of bread.
Blot oil from your fries as quickly as possible. A napkin can absorb excess grease.
Partially hydrogenated oils are in thousands of foods. You can’t eliminate them entirely, but the National Institute of Medicine recommends cutting as many grams of trans fat as you can from your diet. Here’s how some popular foods stack up. FOOD
TRANS FAT (g)
1 chicken pot pie
8
2 biscuits
8
1 large order of fries
7
1 order of nachos with cheese
5
1 tablespoon of stick margarine
5
6 Oreos
4
1 waffle
4
1 small movie theater popcorn
3.5
1 slice of apple pie
3