Trans Fats are type of unsaturated fat artificially
hydrogenated into saturated fat, conveniently
extending its shelf-life and preventing a musty odor.
Trans Fats are widely used in the food and bakery
industries because of the longer shelf-life as well as
lower prices.
Contrary to the common assumption that
saturated fats are the most dangerous, Trans Fats
actually pose a greater health risk while offering
no nutritional valued. Furthermore, Trans Fats have
been scientifically proven to raise levels of "bad"
LDL cholesterol while reducing level of "good" HDL
cholesterol. Continuous intake of Trans Fats has been
found the possibility of coronary heart disease as
well as contributing to obesity and diabetes.
Trans Fats are naturally occurring in the milk and meat of goats and sheep, but only in small amounts, while artificial Trans Fats are most commonly found in processed foods such as snack items, fried foods and bakery ingredients like artificial cream, margarine and shortening used in cakes, crackers and bread.
It should be mentioned that Trans Fats are not bad in moderation. Eliminating Trans Fats completely would require such extraordinary dietary changes that inadequate nutrition could become a problem and create additional health risks. Health experts recommend merely that you keep your intake of Trans Fats as low as possible within reason.
At Au Bon Pain, every item in our bread and bakery
menu is made with the highest-quality ingredients.
Because we insist on our food being both delicious
and healthy, our products do not contain margarine
or shortening. An internationally standardized lab
test certifies that Au Bon Pain's bread and bakery
menu is 
meaning all bakery
items have a Trans Fat content of less than 0.5 gram
per serving, or are "not a significant source of trans
fat". Au Bon Pain serves only freshly-baked goods
everyday, so our customers can be sure that their
food is both appetizing and free of the dangers of
Trans Fats.