For the past few years, saturated fats have been deemed the bad guys in terms of increasing heart disease. Most recently, trans-fatty acids have joined saturated fat on the heart-healthy “do not eat” list. Trans fats are formed when liquid oils (like soybean or safflower oil) are partially hydrogenated to make them more solid at room temperature. Starting in January 2006, trans-fatty acids began to be listed on all food labels. To simplify label reading and finding heart-friendly foods, add up the grams of trans fat and saturated fat combined -- the bad fats -- and choose foods with the lowest value.

If you find foods that don’t list trans-fatty acids, choose those with the lowest amount of saturated fat <em>and</em> in which partially hydrogenated oil is not the first ingredient.

Test your knowledge about trans and saturated fats!

1. Which has less trans fat?

a. A McDonald’s hamburger

b. Three-piece Chicken Select from McDonald’s

Correct answer: a. A McDonald’s hamburger

Red meat wins in this case: A hamburger has 0.5 g trans fat compared to 2.5 g in the Chicken Select. If you add up the total bad fat, the burger has less: 4 g versus 7 g. White meat isn’t always the healthiest choice -- especially when it’s fried.