Private MD News

Brands replace trans fat with healthier alternatives

Category: Heart Health and Cholesterol

Many Americans have had cholesterol tests that indicate they need to lower their cholesterol. This can be difficult, as many restaurants and brand-name foods use ingredients that are high in trans fats and saturated fats which can contribute to high cholesterol.

However, a new study from the Harvard School of Public Health shows that many food providers are removing trans fat and replacing it with healthier substitutes.

"We found that in over 80 brand name, major national products, the great majority took out the trans fat and did not just replace it with saturated fat, suggesting they are using healthier fats to replace the trans fat," Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, lead researcher, told HealthDay news.

Some worried that, as brands moved away from using trans fat, they would simply replace it with other fats that are bad for cholesterol levels. This has not been the case so far, the new source reports.

Many brands are removing trans fat from their products as several cities and states across the country have banned the use of the cholesterol-raising substance.

The most significant ban came when California moved to block bars and restaurants from cooking food that added trans fat in 2008, according to the New York Times.