Saturated and Trans Fats

Learn to make healthier food choices by using the Nutrition Facts table on prepackaged foods. Saturated and trans fats are found in the Nutrition Facts table.

What is saturated fat?

Saturated fat is a type of fat found in food. It has been shown to raise LDL or "bad" cholesterol levels. High LDL-cholesterol is a risk factor for heart disease.

What is trans fat?

Trans fat is made from a chemical process known as "partial hydrogenation." This is when liquid oil is made into a solid fat.

Like saturated fat, trans fat has been shown to raise LDL or "bad" cholesterol levels. High levels of LDL-cholesterol are a risk factor for heart disease.

Unlike saturated fat, trans fat also lowers HDL or "good" cholesterol. A low level of HDL-cholesterol is a risk factor for heart disease.

Most Canadians should lower their intake of saturated and trans fats to reduce their risk of heart disease.

Where can you find saturated fat?

Saturated fat is found in many foods:

• Animal foods such as beef, chicken, lamb, pork, veal
• Coconut, palm and palm kern oils
• Dairy products such as butter, cheese, whole milk and other dairy products
• Lard
• Shortening

Where can you find trans fat?

Until recently, most of the trans fat found in a typical Canadian diet came from margarines (especially hard margarines), commercially fried foods and bakery products that were made with shortening, margarine or oils containing partially hydrogenated oils and fats. These products included cakes, cookies, crackers, croissants, doughnuts, fried and breaded foods, muffins, pastries and other snack foods. The food supply is rapidly changing and the trans fat content of many of these products has now been reduced. However, it is still important to look at the Nutrition Facts table to ensure the food product you are buying has only a little or no trans fat.

Trans fat is also found naturally in low levels in some meat and dairy products. That's why you may see trans fat in the Nutrition Facts table for these products, even though hydrogenated oil and shortening are not in the ingredient list.

How can you make a healthier choice?

• For a healthy diet, reduce the amount of saturated and trans fats you eat.
• Use the % Daily Value (% DV) in the Nutrition Facts table.
• Remember: 5% DV or less is a little and 15% DV or more is a lot for all nutrients.
• Saturated and trans fats are nutrients you may want less of.

Helpful hints at the grocery store:

• Always look at the Nutrition Facts table to choose and compare foods.
• Look at the % Daily Value in the Nutrition Fact table. Choose products that have little saturated and trans fats.
• Buy vegetables, fruit and whole grain products with no added fat.
• Choose soft margarines that are low in saturated and trans fats.
• Choose foods made with vegetable oils such as canola, olive, safflower, sunflower and peanut more often.
• Buy lean meat most often.
• Buy skinless chicken and turkey or remove the skin before cooking.
• Choose low-fat dairy products.
• Limit baked goods and snacks that are high in saturated and trans fats.
• Avoid packaged foods made with hydrogenated oils.

How is the % DV for saturated and trans fats calculated?

Saturated fat and trans fats have one combined % Daily Value (% DV) in the Nutrition Facts table. Both have negative effects on blood cholesterol levels and health.

The combined Daily Value used in nutrition labelling is based on 20 g of saturated and trans fats for a reference diet. Read more +/-

Additional resources:

• Interactive tools
• Using the Nutrition Facts table: % Daily Value (Factsheet)
• Interactive Nutrition Label and Quiz
• Eating Well with Canada's Food Guide
• Shopping tips