Trans fat lurks in a multitude of foods. It’s not labelled. And it’s bad for your heart. Here’s how to avoid it.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Cutting back on saturated fat is still very important. That’s fairly straightforward:

• Pick lean meats and eat small portions.
• Choose low- or no-fat milk and cheese.
• Read labels to help you choose other foods low in saturated fat.

The following strategies can help you with the more difficult task of targeting trans fat in fast or processed foods:

Know "suspect" types of foods. Trans fat turns up in many margarines and shortenings; deep-fried fast foods and some deep-fried snack foods; many commercial baked goods such as pies, cookies, and crackers; and various other common packaged items. There are some notable exceptions, however. Potato chips, pretzels, and salad dressings generally are not made with partially hydrogenated oil. While many peanut butters contain small amounts of hydrogenated oil, they typically contain only traces of trans.

For complete story and recommendations:
http://www.consumerreports.org