12 delicious foods that have trans fat

It’s not that difficult to follow a healthy diet: in addition to fruits and vegetables, which are naturally delicious, there are currently a number of products on the market that are important for our diet.

However, it is true that we also find a large number of tasty products, which are far from being healthy and can be harmful to our health. A clear example of this is industrialized foods that have trans fats.

Pâmela Miguel, nutritionist at the Functional Nutrition Clinic in São Paulo, explains that trans fat – widely found in processed foods – emerged in the industry as a way to replace saturated fat (considered harmful to health).

“They can be found in two ways: naturally in some foods, however, their amount is minimal, reaching a maximum of 5% of total fat. And in an industrial way: process where vegetable oils undergo heating and are transformed into fats in solid form. These are the well-known hydrogenated fats (a specific type of trans fat)”, he says.

The nutritionist adds that many studies associate the consumption of this type of fat with diseases and harm to health. “Another important factor is that this type of fat is not well recognized or easily digested by our body, generating its accumulation. That is, we should not consume this type of fat, as our body does not accept it well,” she explains.

But, according to the professional, it is the trans fat that guarantees the “crunchiness” of processed foods and increases their durability. Therefore, it is commonly used.

health hazards

Among the health hazards caused by the consumption of trans fat, the nutritionist cites:

• Change in blood fat profile. “It raises LDL (known as bad cholesterol) and lowers HDL (known as good cholesterol),” he says.
• Increased accumulation of fat in the abdomen region.
• Increased risk of fatty plaque formation in the arteries of the heart and brain and, consequently, their clogging.
• It is considered a pro-inflammatory substance in the body, “that is, it stimulates the processes of inflammation, contributing to the onset of various diseases, in addition to hindering weight loss”, says the professional.

“All these harms contribute to the emergence of diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular and circulatory system diseases (stroke, heart attack, thrombosis), obesity and others considered inflammatory, such as arthritis, osteoarthritis and osteoporosis”, he adds.

Foods that have trans fats and how to replace them

1. Ice cream (dough)

There’s no denying that pasta ice cream is a delicious option, even more so on hot days. However, they have a large amount of trans fat and can offer our health all the harm mentioned above.

According to Pâmela Miguel, a good option to replace dough ice cream is to make ice cream based on frozen bananas. “You use pure fruit as a base, eliminating trans fat and excess sugar from ready-to-eat products and creating your own flavors,” he says.

Frozen banana ice cream recipe

Ingredients

• 3 to 4 frozen and chopped ripe bananas (base);
• 1 cup raspberry, strawberry, cocoa drops, that is, the flavor you want;
• Vanilla extract (optional);
• Cinnamon and cocoa powder or coconut flour (1 tbsp) are great options to add more flavor.

Preparation mode

Beat the bananas in a blender or food processor until a homogeneous cream is formed. If necessary, add a little water. Add the other ingredients one by one and beat well until the mixture is homogeneous and creamy. Take it to the freezer.

2. Frozen potato

Avoid buying frozen potatoes to fry at home. The nutritionist highlights that the ideal is to make your baked potato. “Cut the potato in natura and bake. If you prefer a more rustic option, bake the potato with the skin, in the form of a toothpick or slices. In case you want to make a crunchier crust, sprinkle some coconut oil on the potato and cover it with a mixture of flaxseed flour and oat bran and bake,” she explains.

3. Snacks (chips)

This is another type of product that we should avoid. Pâmela Miguel explains that even the baked options on the market and those that have zero trans fat contain a large amount of saturated fat which, in excess, is also harmful to health.

“A good tip to replace them is to cut slivers of vegetables (potatoes, yams, carrots, manioc) and bake them at home. That way you will have a healthy snack free of trans fat”, explains the nutritionist.

4. Donuts

Pâmela points out that the dough for the Donut, in addition to containing a large amount of butter, is fried, which increases the amount of fat even more.

“The tip is to change the Donut for options of simple cakes, without filling and topping (for example, orange, cornmeal, lemon)”, says the nutritionist.

5. Solid or creamy margarines and vegetable creams

According to the nutritionist, a good way to replace these products is to use the fat from seeds and oilseeds (sunflower seeds, chestnuts, almonds) and make vegetable creams with these foods.

She also cites two recipes:

Sunflower Seed Butter

Ingredients

• 2 cups of raw sunflower seeds;
• 2 tablespoons of coconut or flaxseed oil.

Preparation mode

Beat the sunflower seeds in a food processor and add the coconut or linseed oil little by little, until you form a homogeneous cream. Store in a dark, tightly capped container in the refrigerator.

Herb Butter

Ingredients

• Extra virgin olive oil (choose dark pot);
• Herbs to taste (basil, rosemary, parsley, oregano, thyme, etc.).

Preparation mode

In a dark pot, mix the oil and herbs. Place in the fridge or freezer until the consistency of butter.

6. Industrialized doughs for cakes and pies

According to Pâmela Miguel, one of the best forms of substitution is to choose to prepare a homemade cake. To make your cake healthier, the nutritionist cites other changes that can be made:

• Swap refined wheat flour for coconut flour (gluten free and high in fiber) or whole wheat flour;
• Replace cow’s milk with a plant-based milk option (rice, almond, quinoa, or oat milk);
• Butter can be replaced by one of the options mentioned in the previous item;
• Refined sugar can be substituted for brown or demerara sugar;
• The oil can be substituted for coconut oil.

7. Cookies and stuffed and/or buttered cookies

They are, for the most part, delicious. But they are not good for your health.

“For those who are very addicted to these products, the first step is to change the stuffed biscuit for the simple one and, preferably, wholemeal. But the best option is to replace these foods with whole-grain cookies”, says Pâmela Miguel.

“It is still important to note whether whole foods are really whole foods. To be sure of this, always look at the ingredients list on the product label. In the whole product, it should not contain refined or enriched flour, only wholemeal flour, bran and flakes”, highlights the nutritionist.

Homemade cookies are great options, suggests Pâmela:

Almond, Quinoa and Carob Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup of chopped almonds;
• 2 tablespoons of brown sugar or demerara;
• 1 tablespoon of carob powder;
• 2 teaspoons of baking powder;
• 3 tablespoons of wheat germ;
• 1 tablespoon of wheat
• 2 tablespoons of coconut oil;
• 3 tablespoons of water.

Preparation mode

Mix all ingredients well in a bowl. Shape the cookies with your hands and bake in the oven at medium temperature for 30 minutes.

8. Microwave Popcorn

They are delicious and more practical than traditional popcorn, but microwave popcorn is not a healthy option.

“Make your popcorn at home, in a pan without oil, finish with a little salt and a little olive oil with herbs”, suggests nutritionist Pâmela.

9. Fast food sandwiches

Pâmela points out that fast food sandwiches have several disadvantages: breads with white flour and sugar; fatty and fried meats; excess of high-fat cheeses; high-fat sauces.

The ideal, according to the nutritionist, is to prepare a homemade snack. “Replace plain bread with wholemeal bread; prepare your hamburger with lean meats and bake it. The plant-based burgers (based on soy, tofu and vegetables) are still worth trying,” she says.

homemade hamburger recipe

Ingredients

• 400g of duckling, ground twice;
• 1 chopped onion;
• 1 tablespoon of minced garlic;
• 1 or 2 tablespoons of soy flour or eggplant flour;
• Salt, pepper, parsley and chives to taste.

Preparation mode

Mix everything or use the food processor. Divide into five hamburger-shaped portions. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the fridge or freezer.

“To complete the snack, choose cheeses with a lower fat content; make a sauce with fresh tomatoes, herbs and a little salt; always add a vegetable or vegetable (lettuce, tomato, carrot, arugula, etc.)”, adds the nutritionist.

10. Nuggets

They are tasty and practical, but they are also not good for your health. “One option to replace the nuggets is to prepare a homemade and baked option. Because, in addition to trans fat, the industrialized versions contain preservatives”, says Pâmela Miguel.

Homemade Nuggets Recipe

Ingredients

• 500 grams of organic chicken ground meat;
• 1 tablespoon herbs, fresh parsley, oregano, rosemary;
• 1 crushed garlic clove;
• 1 teaspoon of sea salt;
• 3 tablespoons of oat bran;
• 3 tablespoons of flaxseed meal.

Preparation mode

Mix the chicken with the garlic and herbs. Shape the nuggets and coat them in the oat bran and flaxseed meal mixture. Place in the oven for approximately 20 minutes.

11. Pizza

The professional explains that, when it is necessary to opt for a ready-made version, the ideal is to choose a pizza that does not contain or has a small amount of cheese. “Example: tuna with onion and tomato; arugula etc. Regarding pasta, look for wholegrain options and order thin pasta,” she says.

Also according to Pâmela, a nice option is the detox mass by blogger Cá Saudável:

Ingredients

• 3 heaping tablespoons of cooked chickpeas;
• 1 full tablespoon of crushed flaxseed;
• 1 clear;
• pinch of salt;
• Sesame (optional).

Preparation mode

Blend the ingredients in a food processor until a homogeneous mass is formed. In a greased shape with little oil, put the dough with the help of a spoon, forming a bratty pizza disk. Finish with sesame on the rim and bake in a preheated oven on high for approximately 10 minutes. Make light covers.

12. Sweet pies

The nutritionist highlights that the best tip is to choose pies with wholemeal dough and with fruit filling. “However, unfortunately, it is difficult to find these options”, she concludes.

You now have a list of products to avoid. And best of all, he has great ideas on how to replace them, without harming your diet and health.

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