Knowing the fat content of cooking oils is an important step toward preventing heart disease. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, as of January 1, 2006, the administration requires all oils to list trans fat along with the other fats on the Nutritional Facts panel. The FDA advises to limit the amount of trans fat in your diet and choose more heart healthy alternatives. Read the total fat content on the cooking oil labels before you purchase them. The total fat content on the labels should include saturated fat in grams, trans fat in grams, polyunsaturated fat in grams and monounsaturated fat in grams. Some labels may only list the total, saturated and trans fat.
Step 1
Turn the cooking oil bottle around and look at the "Nutrition Facts" section. Look on the middle section of the bottle, often; it is under the company logo and a company message. Look to the far left hand side if it is not in the middle.
Step 2
Check for the serving size, which for cooking oils, is usually 1 tbsp. Understand that for each tablespoon, you will get that amount of fat, which the label lists in "Total Fat" section. Measure the use of cooking oils carefully, to make sure you are not consuming too much fat in your daily diet.
Step 3
Look for the "Total Fat" written in grams, which is the total saturated, unsaturated and trans fat. Take note of the percent daily value in the right had column next to the number of total fat. Understand that this number is the total of all the fats in 1 serving of this oil. This is also the percent of fat that counts towards your daily-allotted calorie and fat intake and the number you should factor when trying to figure out how much fat from oils you will consume on any given day. Make sure your daily percentage of fat intake is between 25 to 35 percent of your total daily calorie requirement, says MayoClinic.com.
Step 4
Look down, right underneath the total fat. See the amount of "Saturated Fat" written in grams. Make sure this number is less than 7 percent of your total daily value says MayoClinic.com. Watch the amount of saturated fat intake, says the Food and Drug Administration, as it can raise LDL-bad cholesterol levels as easily as trans fats.
Step 5
Look underneath the total saturated fat for the "Trans Fat" written in grams. Ensure this number is less than one percent of your total daily value, advises MayoClinic.com, Trans fats can raise your LDL-bad cholesterol and lower your HDL-good cholesterol.
Step 6
Look under the total trans fat for the unsaturated fats,"Polyunsaturated Fat" and "Monounsaturated Fat" in grams. Choose liquid vegetable oils that are high in unsaturated fats, says The American Medical Association, which includes olive, peanut, corn, sesame, canola and sunflower oils.
References
- Food and Drug Administration: Trans Fat Now Listed with Saturated Fat and Cholesterol on the Nutrition Facts Label
- Food and Drug Administration: How to Understand and Use the Nutrition Facts Label
- MayoClinic.com: Heart-Healthy Diet: 8 Steps To Prevent Heart Disease
- MayoClinic.com: Trans Fat is Double Trouble For Your Heart Health
- "American Medical Association Guide to Preventing and Treating Heart Disease"; American Medical Association, Martin S. Lipsky MD, Marla Mendelson, and Stephen Havas MD MPH; 2008
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