FDA Moves to Ban Trans Fats — Meet the Worst Offenders

You’ll never guess how many trans fats are in the very popular brand of microwave popcorn that’s probably sitting in your office kitchen. (Photo: Shutterstock)

Any day now, the Food and Drug Administration is expected to take action to finally phase out trans fats from the American food supply — they’re found in everything from frozen pizza to potato chips to french fries to Reese’s Pieces. This move should make your cardiologist’s job a lot easier.

The artificial fat — invented over 60 years ago to make deep-frying more convenient and baked goods more shelf-stable — has been linked repeatedly to heart disease. Its artery-clogging effects extend beyond your heart, however; reduced blood flow can impact everything from brain function to sexual function.

Municipalities like New York City and even retailers like Wal-Mart have taken action in an attempt to eliminate trans fats, but the artery-clogging ingredient — also called “partially hydrogenated oils” — still lurks in many popular foods. 

While the American Heart Association long ago urged people to get no more than 2 grams of trans fat a day, many supermarket and restaurant foods still feature up to four times as much.

Here are some of the worst offenders:

8 grams: Carrabba’s Calamari with Spicy Italian Peppers and Lemon Butter (regular size)

8 grams: Steak N Shake Sausage Gravy and Biscuits

7 grams: A&W Large Breaded Onion Rings

5 grams: Pop Secret Buttered Popcorn

4.5 grams: Chillis Classic Ribeye

3 grams: Marie Callendar’s Lattice Apple Pie

2.5 grams: Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuit

2 grams: Olive Garden Sicilian Cheesecake

Once the ban takes effect, food companies and restaurants will have a set amount of time to remove trans fats from their offerings — and these transition periods often last for a year or two. 

In the meantime, make sure you check your food labels for trans fats, and avoid any of the foods above.