Reading food labels

In the United States if a food has less than 0.5 grams of trans fat in a serving, the food label can read 0 grams trans fat.

Products made before the FDA ban of artificial trans fats may still be for sale, so check to see if a food's ingredient list says partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. If it does, that means the food contains some trans fat, even if the amount is below 0.5 grams.

This hidden trans fat can add up quickly, especially if you eat several servings of multiple foods containing less than 0.5 grams a serving.