stupid fat question...

[Bulldog_10]

You know when you look at a food label and the amount of total fat doesn't equal the amount of sat. fat + monounsaturated fat + polyunsaturated fat? Where does the rest of the fat come from?

For example:

Original wheat thins:

total fat: 6g
saturated fat: 1g
polyunsaturated fat: 0g
monounsaturated fat: 2g

Where the hell does the other 3g come from?

 

[thx9000]

Trans Fat?

 

[Bulldog_10]

Trans Fat?

Is that what it is? or are you asking? Cuz that would explain a hell of alot.

 

[thx9000]

A Trans fatty acid is what you get when you hydrogenate an unsaturated fat to make it a solid fat. It's a way to getting an unsaturated fat to act like a saturated fat w/o making a product greasy. It allows a company to claim its product contains "low saturated fat." It's the magic behind LOTS of packaged products (twinkies, ho-ho's, etc).

 

[thx9000]

Here you go:

http://www.cptips.com/fattype.htm

Google, the answer to all of life's questions...

 

[Bulldog_10]

I know the whole deal about trans fatty acids, I learned about that back in nutrition class...but are you saying that that's where the extra fat comes from on the label? Or is it just guess?

 

[thx9000]

I know the whole deal about trans fatty acids, I learned about that back in nutrition class...but are you saying that that's where the extra fat comes from on the label? Or is it just guess?

A guess, I thought it was a good guess, but now I am thinking about cholesterol. That is a lipid too, and I dont know if it gets included in the "fat" content of food. I know that the total fat content does include the mono, un, saturated, AND trans fatty acids, I'm just not sure if it includes other fats (like cholesterol) as well.

 

[thx9000]

Also this:

Trans fats are not currently broken out on the label...

"Are Trans Fats Listed on the Nutrition Facts Label?
There is currently no provision for the listing of trans fats on the nutrition facts label. However, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is considering a proposed rule for including trans fat on the nutrition label."

 

[Bulldog_10]

Hmmm...i'm still confused about this...thanks for the input though THX. It was definately a good guess. I doubt it's cholesterol because cholesterol is also on some food labels. And on top of that...cholesterol is usually measured in mgs not grams if i'm not mistaken...so it would take a hell of alot of cholesterol to make up that extra 3g I gave as an example.

 

[thx9000]

It is tras fat...Wheat thins in a Wash Post article...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPlate/2000-01/11/032l-011100-idx.html

"...But knowing how much is difficult--unless the label happens to list mono-unsaturated and polyunsaturated fat grams, which are not required but are sometimes included on the label. Even then, consumers need to calculate the amount of trans fat by adding grams of polyunsaturated, mono-unsaturated and saturated fat and subtracting that sum from the total fat listed on the label. The difference is a ballpark estimate of trans fat. For example, Oreos have seven grams of total fat in a serving. The saturated fat, polyunsaturated and mono-unsaturated fat add up to five grams. The difference is two grams, and most of that is trans fat. Wheat Thins have six grams of total fat and only three grams are accounted for in the saturated, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat counts. That leaves three grams of fat and most of that is trans fat...."