Trans fats are also known as hydrogenated oils, and include most stick margarines, shortening, and the oils that are in everything from fast food to snack crackers. Manufacturers love it because it is cheap, and it also helps preserve foods, so shelf life is extended. At this time, trans fats don't appear on nutrition labels of most products. A new law will be effective in January of 2006 that will require trans fat listings on labels.

We've long known the dangers of saturated fats, and we try to avoid them. Trans fats are dangerous because they act as saturated fats in the body. They can be more dangerous than saturated fats because while both will raise the LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol), saturated fats also raise levels of HDL or "good" cholesterol, and trans fatty acids don't. Instead of reaching for the margarine, butter may be a better choice! Trans fats have also been shown to increase the chances of diabetes, stroke, and possibly cancer.

The Trans Fat Solution contains 3 sections: The Lowdown on the Deadliest Fat in Your Diet, Cooking and Shopping to Avoid Trans Fat, and Trans Fat-Free Recipes for Your Favorite Foods. The first two sections are only 24 pages combined, and is very quick to read. I finished in less than 20 minutes, and that included the time it took to run to the refrigerator and utilize my new knowledge by scrutinizing food labels.

The recipe section is the bulk of the book, containing recipes for every meal from breakfast to dessert. Selections include Maple Crunch Granola, Roasted Red Pepper and Cheddar Corn Muffins, Homemade Peanut Butter, and trans fat-free pie crusts. Be warned, these are not diet recipes! Most of the recipes use heavy creams, and saturated fats such as butter and coconut oil. The sweets are high in sugar. The main purpose of the recipes is to show how to replace the trans fats in foods, so you can apply the concepts to your favorite lower fat recipes.