The New York City Board of Health recently passed a law banning the use of trans fats in restaurant cooking, drastically changing how food is prepared. New York the first city to require that all artificial trans fats be eliminated from foods by July 2008. Although the ban doesn’t apply to corporations like Sodexho, Binghamton’s on-campus dining services provider, the company has already been making the conversion to zero trans fat products.

Trans fats are unsaturated fatty acids created during the hydrogenation process in vegetable oils, and occur naturally, in small quantities, in animal fats. Also known as hydrogenated fats, they are used to extend the shelf life of foods, and are most commonly found in processed and fried foods; baked goods such as cakes, cookies, crackers and doughnuts; and butter and margarine. Trans fats have been shown to increase obesity rates and the risk of heart disease, while also raising bad LDL cholesterol and decreasing good HDL cholesterol levels. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, about 80 percent of trans fat in American’s diets is from the unhealthy synthetic sources found in partially hydrogenated vegetable oil.

Alexa Schmidt, Sodexho’s registered dietitian at BU, says there are many ways to limit these bad fats.

“In the dining halls we suggest that you choose healthier options like skim milk, low fat or fat free cheese, grilled chicken and egg whites,” she said. “Healthy fats are an important part of your diet and should make up 20-35 percent of total caloric intake. We encourage students to choose almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, olive oil olives, and flaxseed, among other options.”

When you’re in a rush, the salad bar is a much better choice than the quick cheese burger and fries combo. Avoid heavier dressings like blue cheese and ranch, which have higher levels of saturated and trans fats, and choose the light dressings or vinegar for increased health benefits.

“These man-made fats are much worse for you than any other natural fat, even the saturated fats found in butter and beef,” said Mary Beth Sodus, a registered dietitian at the University of Maryland.

Fortunately for BU students, Sodexho now uses zero trans fat fryer shortening, and olive, canola and garlic oil in the dining halls and Food Court. These oils are considered healthy monounsaturated fats that have been shown to lower the bad LDL and increase the good HDL cholesterol.

For those of us who don’t rely on Sodexho for breakfast, lunch or dinner, trans fat intake can also easily be monitored off-campus. In January 2006, The U.S. Food and Drug Administration began requiring all food labels to list trans fats. When grocery shopping be sure to look at the fat content listed on the Nutrition Facts panel to see how many grams of trans fats are in your favorite foods. Stick to the perimeter of the store, as processed fatty foods are usually found in the inner isles, and never shop on an empty stomach, as you’re more likely to make poor food choices and purchase unhealthy impulse foods.

Remember that trans fats aren’t the only harmful ones out there. It’s also important to focus on your levels of total fat and saturated fat, as these are consumed in higher amounts than trans fats, and can therefore cause more overall dietary damage.

Saturated fats should provide less than 10 percent of total calories, so for the average 2,000 calorie diet, keep these fat calories under 200. Butter lovers should be especially wary, as two thick pads have around 200 saturated fat-laden calories. Generally found in products like whole milk, cheese, ice cream, red meat, poultry skin, egg yolks, chocolate and coconut, saturated fats taste good, but can seriously clog arteries. If you think a beer gut is bad, try a triple heart bypass.

For more information on healthy choices and caloric content in the dining halls and Food Court, go to www.balancemindbodysoul.com and click on nutrition calculator.