Trans fats were never good for you, but it took the 2003 lawsuit against Kraft Foods to make partially hydrogenated fats headline news.

Bantransfats.com, the organization that sued Kraft, wanted trans fats removed from Oreos, the classic cookie loved by generations of children. They dropped the suit when Kraft changed the Oreo recipe.

Trans fats are the result of a process that makes oils more solid, prolongs the fry-life of cooking oils, increases the shelf life of baked goods, and offers an appealing texture or "mouthfeel."

However, trans fats lower HDL (good) cholesterol, increase LDL (bad) cholesterol, raise the risk of coronary heart disease, and may contribute to type 2 diabetes.

Since the Kraft case, other food manufacturers and restaurants have reduced or removed the trans fat from their products. New York City banned the use of trans fats by restaurants in December 2006, and Philadelphia did the same in February 2007.

"However, trans fats are still in many of the foods we eat," warns Lorraine Gray, R.D., HMF’s staff dietitian. "To protect yourself and your family, look for words like ‘shortening’ or ‘partially hydrogenated’ on product labels."

If the label boasts "zero trans fat," but lists "shortening" or "partially hydrogenated" in the ingredients, it does contain trans fat. FDA regulations allow manufacturers to round down (to zero) when the amount is .49 or less of a gram per serving. Sneaky, no?

At restaurants and bakeries, ask if partially hydrogenated oil is used for frying or baking, or in salad dressings. If the employee doesn’t know the answer, ask the manager!

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Foggy on fats?

There are four kinds of fat:

• Monounsaturated fat (in avocados, nuts, and olive, peanut, and canola oils)

• Polyunsaturated fat (in vegetable oils, corn, sunflower, and soy)

• Saturated fat (in lard, butter, whole milk, cream, eggs, red meat, chocolate, and solid shortenings)

• Trans fat (in fried foods and packaged baked goods)

Monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat are considered "good" fats. Saturated fat should be eaten only sparingly, especially by adults. Trans fat should be avoided.