Nutrient glossary
What is trans fat?
Trans fat is the partially hydrogenated fat with no safe benefit, now largely removed from UK food but worth watching in imports.
Reviewed 20 July 2026. General information, not medical advice.
The short version
Industrial trans fat raises LDL cholesterol and lowers HDL at the same time, the worst combination for heart health of any fat. UK manufacturers have largely removed it, so intakes here are low, but it can still appear in some imported baked goods and fried food as "partially hydrogenated" oils.
Tiny amounts also occur naturally in meat and dairy. The evidence concern is the industrial kind, not those traces.
Daily reference (context, not a goal)
5 g a day
The reference keeps trans fat under 5 g a day; most UK adults are well under.
This is the fixed adult reference used across these pages. In the app, your amount adjusts to your body and way of eating.
Where trans fat concentrates
| Food | Per serving | Per 100g |
|---|---|---|
| Ribeye Steak | 0.9 g | 0.6 g |
| Beef (Mince / Steak) | 0.8 g | 0.7 g |
| Butter | 0.5 g | 3.3 g |
| Double Cream | 0.4 g | 1.2 g |
| Cream Cheese | 0.4 g | 1.2 g |
| Cheddar Cheese | 0.3 g | 1.2 g |
| Sour Cream | 0.2 g | 0.8 g |
| Parmesan | 0.1 g | 0.9 g |
Shown for awareness: the reference for trans fat is a stay-under or context amount, so this table is about knowing where it lives, not chasing more of it.
Common questions
- How do I spot trans fat on a label?
- Look for "partially hydrogenated" oil or fat in the ingredients list. UK labels do not have to declare trans fat as a line of its own.
- Is the trans fat in dairy the same as industrial trans fat?
- Chemically similar but present in tiny amounts, and the evidence linking harm is about industrial trans fat at higher intakes.