It’s a big fat secret!
Dozens of products thought to be healthy — including granola bars, cereals and Fig Newtons — are made with trans fat, the artery-clogging substance the FDA may soon ban.
Thought-to-be-healthy products include Quaker Oats Fiber & Omega-3 bars, Special K Blueberry Cereal Bars and classic Fig Newtons — all of which get away with listing “zero” trans fats because they contain less than .5 grams per serving.
In reality, any product containing partially hydrogenated oil is made with trans fat — a labeling loophole some health buffs say is an unfair misrepresentation of nutrition facts.
“It could be considered misleading,” says nutrition expert Dr. Joe Schwarcz.
“If you want to stay from trans fat, simply stay away from processed food — anything that comes in a bag or a box,” he said.
Dr. Alan Kadish, another expert, added, “The issue is truth and labeling — and whether small amounts are really dangerous. And the answer is we don’t know,” he said.
Food containing below the .5 gram per serving would not likely be banned under proposal, an FDA official said.
In New York, even health-conscious food shops such as Trader Joe’s sell frozen food that contains trans fat.
A spokeswoman for the company claimed trans fat in Trader Joe’s products occur naturally.
Trader Joe’s Mexican Quiche and Tomato & Pesto Flatbread list milk and cheese among their primary ingredients.
Naturally occurring trans fat, in products such as meat and dairy, would not be banned under the FDA proposal. T
he proposal would phase out many products, including microwave popcorn, Bisquick pancake mix and Pillsbury ready-bake cookies.
Microwave popcorn, cake frosting and frozen pizzas generally have high levels of trans fats.