What should you do when you're scanning the list of ingredients on a box of low-fat cookies, you see partially hydrogenated vegetable oil near the top?

Put them back.

They are probably bad for your heart-anything made with partially hydrogenated vegetable oil contains a dietary villain known as trans fat. This type of fat, which lurks in stick margarine, fried foods, and many snack foods, threatens the heart in two ways. Not only does it increase your artery-clogging ldl cholesterol, it also lowers your hdl (good) cholesterol. a recent harvard study of more than 80,000 women suggested that replacing just 2 percent of trans fat calories with calories from healthier fats reduced the risk of heart disease by more than 50 percent. You can help lower your trans fat intake by avoiding potato chips and other foods that crinkle, getting margarine in a tub rather than a stick, and buying crackers made with olive oil. one exception is peanut butter although partially hydrogenated vegetable oil is usually on the label, its still considered good for you.