I wanted to put my $.02 in here. I used to post regularly on a SBD site, and the partially hydrogenated/hydrogenated oil topic came up often. Someone on that site did alot of research (and she really seemed to know her stuff on other things, so I trusted her on this). It seems that it's ONLY the PARTIALLY hydrogenated oils that contain the dreaded trans-fats. Oils that have been completely hydrogenated do NOT contain trans fat, and so are OK for Atkins (and other low carb diets). That's what was accepted on that site, and from what little I've read on other sites, it's true.

On this topic, too -- do you find it easier to just try to stick to "natural" foods and stay low carb, or is it easier to buy the "specialty" stuff, even if grossly overpriced? I'm just wondering. I know the food industries are only lookng to make a buck, and aren't all that concerned about the health benefits of their products (a blanket generalization, I know, but still mostly true). The few low carb products I've tried in the past were AWFUL, and now I'm afraid to spend my tightly budgeted $$ on them!

Thanks to all of you who critiqued those products, though! Now I know if I DO decide to try something, I can come here and see if someone else loved it or hated it!

Sue