Trimming Trans Fats from Your Diet, Continued
The skinny on trans fats – what they are and how you can avoid them while still enjoying your favorite foods
By Janet Sprouse, executive director of menu development, Donatos Pizza

1. Be conscious of your food choices and limit your intake of fried foods, since the oil used to fry these foods can be rich in trans fats.

2. Ask questions about food preparations the next time you are at your favorite restaurant, and look up the nutrition facts online. Many fast food and chain restaurants are now posting their food stats online, making it easier to make healthier choices.

3. Be sure to follow the guidelines set by the FDA: don’t consume more than 2 grams of trans fats per serving to maintain a healthy intake.

Reducing or eliminating trans fats can be challenging for some restaurants and fast food companies if most of their foods are deep fried. To become trans fat-free, they must switch to non-hydrogenated oils, but the switch can be difficult and costly because trans fat makes oils last longer. Trans fat-free oils don’t have as long of a shelf life, meaning restaurants have to purchase oils more often.

Living Sans the Trans
So what can you do to limit your intake of these harmful trans fats?

Janet Sprouse is the executive director of menu development at Donatos Pizza. With more than 20 years experience, Sprouse leads Donatos’ product development team to create new menu items that meet consumers’ ever-changing tastes.