Okay, here's the deal. Total cholesterol (which supposedly should be 200 or less) is really only part of the equation. The real deal is knowing the levels of LDL (which I remember is the bad cholesterol because it should be LOW), and the levels of HDL (the good kind that should be HIGH). When my total cholesterol came in at 235, my doctor was not concerned because my LDL was so low relative to the HDL. (That was good news!)
Trans fats are found in any food items that list partially hydrogenated oil (of any kind) as an ingredient. The manufacturers add hydrogen atoms to oil so it is less volatile - fats do become rancid as they come into contact with oxygen. The process also makes the otherwise liquid oil become a solid at room temperature (think margarine and shortening). Therefore, foods made with partially hydrogenated oils have a longer shelf life.
Think about it though. Food is not supposed to last "forever," it is supposed to mold, or get stale, or otherwise decompose after a relatively short period of time - depending on its composition of course. And I will not deny that having bread and other food that doesn't mold is quite convenient. I do recall as a kid that our homemade bread could become moldy in our humid Iowa summers in just a couple of days if left at room temperature. *Maybe that's what freezers are for!* And, perhaps if there were no negative impact to that convenience, it would be worth taking advantage of. But honestly, look around. Obesity and chronic health problems are at an all time high. Artificial sweeteners are not solving, but rather, are helping to contribute to the problem. National health care would not be half the problem it is, if only we the people were taking responsibility for lifestyle choices including what we put in our mouths.
So how do we avoid trans fats when it seems to be in everything? I first began paying attention to this about three years ago when I first began seeing Dr. Heather who is an integrative physician, and she directed us to the book, The Fat Resistance Diet by Leo Galland, M.D. It is very clear about the need to avoid all trans fats. Alrighty then. Doctor's orders.There were two things I did to start. Since we were inclined to eat at fast food restaurants fairly regularly at that time (mostly for lunches), I went online to find and print out the nutritional information at each place we were likely to eat. I three-hole punched and placed the pages into a report cover thing with the clear front like you use in school to turn in a report. I went through the pages with a highlighter, and noted the most acceptable choice(s) at each restaurant, and if there were no acceptable choices, we quit eating there. It was simple to go down the column showing grams of trans fats and looking at the ones with zeros, and checking the rest of the data to make a decision. I kept this notebook in the car, and referred to it often, until it was no longer necessary. After a while, it became easier to remember what was a problem, and what was okay to order. Also, it was about this time that I began packing my lunch more often. A hearty salad with a drizzle of olive oil and lemon juice and a sprinkle of salt and pepper became preferable because I knew what was in it. I could add leftovers from the night before and a piece of fruit and feel good about what I was using to nourish myself.
The second thing I did was begin to read all nutrition labels. I really can't recall throwing food out of my pantry, mostly because that would conflict with my "thrifty" gene, but I may have donated some to the food bank. I do know I paid a great deal of attention at the grocery store. I also have a really clear memory of being in our lunchroom at work, picking up the container of non-dairy creamer which I had been using daily, and reading the label. Sure enough, partially hydrogenated oil. Even though the number of grams per serving read 0. Turns out the food companies are required by the FDA to round to the closest half gram when it's less than 5 grams per serving (and to the closest one gram when it's more than 5) but also are mandated to round down to zero when it's less than .5 grams per serving. 
I suppose this follows the same guidelines they have for showing levels of vitamins and other positive components, but still, this is misleading for the general public. And also speaks to the importance of reading ingredients, not just the numbers.But wow. This was overwhelming! What was I going to eat?? At first I made the choice to only pay attention to the numbers. This meant I was still using the creamer in my morning half a cup of coffee, but forgoing the doughnut that had numbers showing for trans fat. After a couple of weeks, I had adapted and was ready for the next step, which was to read the ingredients and avoid using the product if it listed partially hydrogenated oils. By this time, I discovered that Silk makes a wonderful soy creamer and it comes in fun flavors like vanilla and hazelnut. Okay, now how cool is that, to be able to find a really yummy alternative that fits in with the health criteria we decide on - I love that!
And on it went. No pre-made pies. But I could make a pie and choose my own ingredients. No crackers with trans fats, but when I found a brand without, I bought them. Same with cookies. Either make them yourself or find a brand that has acceptable ingredients.
When that became second nature, I targeted high fructose corn syrup. The cheaper whole grain bread I had been accustomed to buying (Country Oven brand) did not contain trans fats ingredients, but did contain HFCS. I had a decision to make... get the bread with "crap" ingredients, or get the higher priced quality one?? At the time, I chose to split the difference and got one of each. And guess what? Food manuafacturers are paying attention to consumer demands. Within a couple of months, Country Oven stopped using HFCS in their breads! So it just goes to show you, just because they contain an ingredient at one point, they can change.
It was a challenge, but I was able to find barbeque sauce and ketchup without HFCS as well.
Remember, WE VOTE WITH OUR MONEY!! At the conclusion of the movie, Food, Inc., a farmer was shown stating something like: Hey, if the public demands organic food, we'll grow organic food. But right now it appears all they want is cheap food that doesn't have the quality, so that's what we're producing.How profound.
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