Trans fats, sometimes referred to as hydrogenated fats, should be kept to bare minimum in your daily calorie intake. According to Harvard Medical School, trans fat does a number on your blood cholesterol, reducing your high-density lipoprotein, or "good," cholesterol and raising the "bad," low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Trans fats, like other types of fats, are packed with calories, at some 9 per gram --- compared to just 4 calories per gram for proteins and carbohydrates.
History
Trace amounts of trans fat exist naturally in meat and dairy products. However, trans fat entered the American diet in greater quantities in the early 20th century, Harvard Medical School reports, when scientists developed hydrogenation to convert butter into a cheaper variant: margarine. Converting healthier types of fat into hydrogenated fat increased the shelf life of products and reduced the need for refrigeration. The American Heart Association notes that it was only in the 1990s that research determined that trans fat has ill effects on your health.
Calories
The AHA recommends limiting total fats to between 25 and 35 percent of your daily calorie intake. Saturated fat --- found in meat and dairy products and some plant oils, such as coconut oil --- is another culprit that contributes to high cholesterol and should be limited to less than 7 percent of your total daily calories. Trans fat, meanwhile, should account for less than 1 percent of your calories. For example, if you eat an 1,800-calorie-per-day diet, keep the number of calories you get from trans fat under 18.
In Your Food
Identifying trans fats in your food doesn't have to be a challenge if you know what to look for in the ingredients list. The AHA and Harvard instruct you to look for "partially hydrogenated oil" or "hydrogenated oil" on product labels. You can also look on the Nutrition Facts Panel under "Total Fats" to see how many calories you get from trans fats. Trans fats tend to show up in specific types of food --- fried fast foods, such as French fries and doughnuts, are laden with trans fat, for example. So are baked pastries, biscuits, pizza dough and pie crusts, cookies, crackers, shortening and many brands of margarine.
Fat and Calories
Avoiding trans fat and limiting saturated fat is a heart-healthy move --- and eschewing these undesirable nutrients also helps when you want to lose weight. Many people find eating a low-fat diet helpful for this; however, when you go low- or no-fat, remember not to go overboard with foods and beverages with a lot of added sugars. The AHA points out that monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats should comprise most of the fat in your diet --- and most of your total fat calories. These healthy fats are found in fish, nuts, seeds and vegetable oils, such as olive and canola oil. Consult your doctor before making any dramatic changes to your diet, and discuss your fat intake.
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