Suzanne Havala Hobbs - Get the Trans Fat Out: 601 Simple Ways to Cut the Trans Fat Out of Any Diet

This book will give you the basic information about trans fat: what it is, how it affects your health, and how to cut it out of your diet by choosing the right foods and planning healthy meals. When you have finished reading this book, you should be armed with knowledge and practical advice that you can put to use right away.

What information do you need to understand how to eat a diet free of trans fat? How do you prefer to learn it? Your answers to these questions will determine how you should use this book. Do what works for you. Here are some options for how to use it.

Read it from cover to cover. Reading it all will give you a comprehensive understanding of the issues. Understanding the backgroundwhat trans fat is and how it affects your healthwill help put into perspective the advice on planning meals that exclude it. A solid overview of the topic will equip you to make good decisions when youre faced with food choices.

Go surfing. Some people cant sit still long enough to read a self-help book from cover to cover (I count myself among them). Wed rather jump around, read a little here and there, and pick up ideas and inspiration along the way. Thats fine, but at the very least I recommend that you read the first section of that discuss how to read nutrition facts labels on foods and how to make sense of ingredient labels. Youll then have the fundamentals, and you can flip through the tips in the rest of the book to gain ideas and inspiration where you need them.

Troubleshoot with it. If you dont have the time to read the book now, keep it handy and use it as a reference. As you read food labels and run into snags, return to the book for a primer on label reading. If a question about the function of trans fat in foods pops into your head, go to the book for the answer. You can also use the food counter in to find out quickly if your favorite foods are sources of trans fat and then identify substitutes if you need them.

The book is meant to be a practical tool to help you learn the basics and make the best decisions about what to feed yourself and your family. The focus is trans fat, but the advice given also steers you toward choices that support overall health.

The book is divided into three parts.

Part I: A Trans Fat Primer offers basic scientific and health information.

fat is, how it came to be, why food companies like to use it, and where it is found.

: Trans Fat and Your Health examines the health effects of trans fatwhy it is worse for you than lardas well as how trans fat compares with other types of fats. This chapter covers dietary recommendations for trans fat, including an important report issued by the Institute of Medicine and a discussion of setting personal goals for intakes of trans fat.

: Regulations and Label Logic explains the new regulations for listing the trans fat content of foods on product labels. Sample food labels are included along with instructions for reading and interpreting the nutrition facts information and ingredient lists. Youll also learn what to do when foods dont come with a label.

: Putting It All Together puts information about trans fat into perspective and discusses the issue in the context of your total diet. Included is advice on crafting an approach to dealing with trans fat that works with your lifestyle, where to get additional help if you need it, and tips on how to get started on eliminating trans fat from your diet.