The Dish

the dish

Hello and welcome to The Dish! Let me first introduce myself. I am past president of the American Heart Association, a Charles A. Boettcher Endowed Chair in Atherosclerosis and Professor of Medicine, Physiology and Biophysics at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center at Denver. My research focuses on the impact of nutrition/hormones on lipid and carbohydrate metabolism.

I wanted to carve out a small section of the Web site to give you the inside scoop on the Face the Fats campaign, and share some of the latest information on the world of dietary fats. I will post here periodically and will also have some of my friends and colleagues contribute as well.

Try to Go From Bad to Better
Lately, it seems like trans fat is in the news every day, along with confusing messages about fat in general. You may be wondering: Which fats are bad? Which ones are better? How much should we consume? What foods are they in?

Get the Big Fat Picture
The goal of our Face the Fats campaign is to help consumers like you know the different types of fats in the foods you eat, learn which fats are bad and which are better, and make heart-healthier food choices. This video makes it a little easier to understand the “big fat picture.”

Thoughts on Phasing Out Trans Fat in New York City
On July 1, New York City becomes the first major American city to phase out industrially produced trans fat in all restaurants and other food service establishments. The American Heart Association supports this kind of regulatory effort as long as healthy alternatives are readily available.

“Trans Fat-Free” Doesn’t Mean Healthy!
An American Heart Association volunteer recently heard a story on the radio about a state fair requiring its vendors to use “trans fat-free” cooking oils to make their deep-fried treats. Many mistakenly believed that because the funnel cakes and corn dogs contained zero grams of trans fat, they could now be enjoyed without guilt. This concerned the volunteer, and it concerns me too.

Dig In for Better Dining Out
Great news! A recent survey shows that consumer awareness of the “bad” fats – trans and saturated fats – is at an all-time high. In the last year alone, Americans’ awareness of trans fat has risen from 84 percent to 92 percent, making it almost as well-known as saturated fat at 93 percent. But our work isn’t over.

Heart-Healthy Holiday Shopping
The holiday season is here, and with it come all the usual temptations – rich desserts, creamy casseroles and buttery rolls. Sweet and savory treats are everywhere, making it hard not to indulge. Our goal at the American Heart Association is to help you choose more heart-healthy indulgences.

Making the Change to a Heart-Healthy Life
This issue of The Dish features guest columnist David Hagedorn, a chef and food columnist for The Washington Post. David shares how a heart attack changed his life, especially his diet.

Personal Daily Calorie and Fat Limits
Do you know how many calories you should get every day? The number recommended for you is based on your age, gender, height, weight and physical activity level, and whether you’re trying to lose, gain or maintain your weight. Interestingly, even overindulging in “healthy” foods can add pounds and undermine your weight-loss efforts.

Artificial or Natural? Taking in Trans Fats
It has been hard to miss all the recent talk about trans fats. You might want to know: How do I distinguish industrially produced trans fats from natural trans fats? And how do these two types of trans fats affect my risk of heart disease differently?

Live Fat-Sensibly This Summer
Summer means traveling, swimming and enjoying delicious summer foods with family and friends. The American Heart Association can help you stay heart healthy and eat “fat-sensibly” with these helpful tips.

Last update July 2008