hydrogenated fats are bad for many of the hormones discussed on the Perfect 10
Diet, including insulin, leptin, and sex hormones. Most low-fat and many
lowcarb processed products contain these deadly fats.
Don’t Trust the FDA Food Labels on Trans Fats
Don’t trust labels that say “0g trans fats.” I’m not kidding. Just about every
single boxed or bagged food you find on a supermarket shelf contains some
amount of hydrogenated or trans fats, but it can still bear a label that states it’s
transfat free. Trans fats are found in many brands of chocolate, salad dressings,
some flat breads, granola bars, cakes, cookies, crackers, potato chips, some
brands of ice cream, packaged meals, low-fat products, lowcarb products, frozen
dinners and entrées...and even your beloved pet’s food. I’m an animal lover, so
please be vigilant about excluding trans fats from your pet’s diet, too. Trans fats
are everywhere— fast-food restaurants, popular coffee chains, doughnut shops,
and even your own kitchen.
How did this happen? We can thank the food industry lobbyists for this
modern-day tragedy. Processed foods use hydrogenated fats extensively to
prolong their shelf life. You simply cannot make snacks like cookies or
doughnuts that can sit on shelves for months, or even years, using butter. The
food industry would lose money. Butter melts at room temperature, which means
that the end product will be greasy and will have a short shelf life. Partially
hydrogenated fats fit the bill for food manufacturers— they’re cheap and can be
added to products without any greasy taste or texture.
Partially hydrogenated fat remains solid at high temperatures, and foods made
with them can sit in boxes without melting for a long time. It’s pure poison, but
70 percent of all processed foods in supermarkets contain partially hydrogenated
fat. When you eat trans fats in any amount, they incorporate in your cells and
interfere with cellular communications. The good news is that you can purge
your cells of trans fats and replace them with natural fats. With time, your cells
will respond to insulin and other hormones.
But in order to be a savvy consumer and exclude these types of dangerous
fats, you have to be a clever detective. That means reading the fine print for all
ingredients in any processed food rather than just reading the food industry
claims printed on the box. Don’t be fooled by the “0g trans fats” on the label. As
a matter of fact, that should be a red flag.
Let me explain. Let’s say you want to cheat on the Perfect 10 Diet one day
and buy a box of cookies from your local supermarket. The label clearly states,
“This product contains 0 trans fats,” but a closer look reveals the cookies are