Packaged snacks and baked goods
Aside from all the sugar, junky white flour, sodium, and preservatives they contain, packaged snacks and baked goods — like chips, pretzels, crackers, cookies, doughnuts, and snack cakes — often have trans fats. Trans fats increase your “bad” (LDL) cholesterol, lower your “good” (HDL) cholesterol, and raise your risk of heart disease.
They’re also even more dangerous than saturated fats, especially for people who have type 2 diabetes. In fact, no amount of trans fats is deemed safe for you to incorporate into your diet.
The good news is that trans fats are now listed right below the amount of saturated fats on food labels, making it easier to steer clear of them. Look for labels that list 0 grams (g) trans-fat, but keep in mind that according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), products with less than 0.5 g can claim 0 g, so they may not be trans-fat free.
Check the ingredients list as well to make sure the product doesn’t contain any partially hydrogenated oils, a major source of trans fats. Seek out healthy fats in salmon and other fatty fish, as well as in nuts, seeds, avocado, and olive and canola oils.
