A thick, moist slice of cake slathered with creamy frosting can be a decadent treat. However, this dessert typically contains high levels of calories, fat and other unhealthy nutrients. Commercial baked goods often contain high levels of trans fats, which negatively impact your cardiovascular health. Check nutrition labels carefully and talk to a doctor about the nutritional value of cake and frosting.
Trans Fat Features
Trans fats form when manufacturers add hydrogen to regular vegetable oil, resulting in hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils. Although this chemical process keeps oil fresh for a longer period of time, the resulting trans fats boost your cholesterol levels. Some natural foods, such as dairy products or meats, contain small levels of trans fats. According to the Mayo Clinic, hydrogenated oils might be more difficult for your body to digest, making trans fats unhealthy for you to eat.
Cake
Cakes depend on vegetable oil, butter, margarine or another source of fat for their moist texture. Although home cooks often use butter or regular vegetable oil, commercial cake manufacturers use partially hydrogenated oils to increase the shelf life of their products. Some cake mixes contain trans fats, although some companies have removed this type of fat from their baking mix products. Store-bought cakes often contain hydrogenated oils, increasing their trans fat content.
Frosting
Frosting is another common source of trans fats. For example, Betty Crocker Rich and Creamy Chocolate frosting contains 2 g of trans fats per 2 tbsp. serving, while Betty Crocker Whipped Butter Cream frosting contains 1.5 g of trans fats per serving. Depending on the ingredients used, homemade frosting might contain similar amounts of trans fats. Eating large servings of frosting increases your intake of these unhealthy fats and might increase your cardiovascular risk.
Considerations
Homemade cakes sometimes contain fewer trans fats than commercial products because you control the ingredients that go into your dessert. Butter contains small amounts of trans fats, but 1 tbsp. of regular stick margarine contains 2 g of trans fats. Tub margarine often contains less trans fat than stick margarine, and some manufacturers make trans-fat-free margarine products. When making homemade cake and frosting, carefully read the ingredients and nutrition labels to minimize your trans fat intake.
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