The Nutrition Facts panel can help you choose foods lower in saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol. Compare similar foods and choose the food with the lower combined saturated and trans fats and the lower amount of cholesterol. Health experts recommend that you keep your intake of saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol as low as possible while consuming a nutritionally adequate diet.

With the addition of trans fat to the Nutrition Facts panel, you can review your food choices and see how they stack up. The following table illustrates total fat, saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol content per serving for selected food products.

Don't assume similar products are the same. Be sure to check the Nutrition Facts panel because even similar foods can vary in calories, ingredients, nutrients, and the size and number of servings in a package.

Would it surprise you to know that some dietary supplements contain trans fat from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, as well as saturated fat or cholesterol? It's true. As a result of the FDA's new label requirement, if a dietary supplement contains a reportable amount of trans or saturated fat, which is 0.5 gram or more, dietary supplement manufacturers must list the amounts on the Supplement Facts panel. Some dietary supplements that may contain saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol include energy and nutrition bars.

Follow these practical tips every day to keep your consumption of saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol low while consuming a nutritionally adequate diet.

• Look at the Nutrition Facts panel when comparing products. Choose foods low in the combined amount of saturated fat and trans fat and low in cholesterol as part of a nutritionally adequate diet.
  
  
• Choose vegetable oils (except coconut and palm kernel oils) and soft margarines (liquid, tub, or spray) instead of solid shortenings, hard margarines, and animal fats, including butter.
  
  
• Choose fish. Most fish are lower in saturated fat than meat. Some fish, such as mackerel, sardines, and salmon, contain omega-3 fatty acids which may offer protection against heart disease.
  
  
• Ask about which fats are being used in the preparation of your food when eating or ordering out.
  
  
• Watch calories. Don't be fooled! Fats are high in calories. All sources of fat contain 9 calories per gram, making fat the most concentrated source of calories. By comparison, carbohydrates and protein have only 4 calories per gram.