This Summer, Change Your Oil

French fries and fried chicken may be finger-licking good, but a new Danish report finds that where you buy them makes a huge difference in how much unhealthy trans fat they contain.

Danish researchers tested fries and chicken from 43 McDonald's and Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) franchises in 20 countries from November 2004 to September 2005. They found that the amount of trans fatty acids ranged from less than one gram per serving of McDonald's fries and chicken nuggets in Denmark, where laws limit use of these unhealthy fats, to 24 grams per serving at KFC in Hungary. In New York, McDonald's chicken nuggets contained 10 grams of trans fat.

Half the 43 servings tested contained more than five grams of trans fat per serving, the "daily intake associated with a 25 percent increase in the risk of ischemic heart disease," the team observed in the New England Journal of Medicine.

The 2005 U.S. Dietary Guidelines urge keeping trans fat as low as possible. But they also recommend adding a little healthy fat -- fats that come from nuts, fish, avocados, soybeans and olives, among other foods.

With all that in mind, welcome to Week Three of the Lean Plate Club Fit for Fun Family Challenge, where we'll help you make some better choices about which (and how much) fat you eat.

The challenge isn't about dieting. It's designed to help you and your family move into summer with healthier eating habits and more physical activity. It's never too late to join. The challenge encourages small, sustainable changes, which research suggests can serve as a springboard to long-lasting healthy habits. Specific goals for eating and physical activity are available at our Web site.

The activity goals for this week: Take two 15-minute walks together and explore a nearby park or recreation area as a family. (Find more information about local parks at http://www.leanplateclub.com/ , including interactive photos narrated by five Lean Plate Club families. There's a place for you to post your comments about the parks and to check how your activity compares with that of other Lean Plate Club families.)

As part of the eating goal this week, cook and eat one meal as a family. This week in Alexandria, Jennifer and Jeffrey Schroeder and their sons -- James, 5, and Luke, 2 -- made cabbage soup together and snacked on oranges. "We're doing well on fruit," says Jennifer Schroeder. (Our Food section has developed five easy recipes anyone can make. If you try them, please e-mail me with your reviews at leanplateclub@washpost.com .)

The other eating goal for the week: Replace unhealthy trans fat and saturated fat with healthier varieties. Here's how to begin:

Skip deep-fried foods . At restaurants and fast-food establishments, where Americans now consume about a third of their meals, fried foods almost always come with trans fat and saturated fat. Even if they don't, they're likely to be high in calories. Choose broiled, sauteed or baked items whenever possible.

Go nutty. From almonds to walnuts, nuts are a good source of healthy fat because the omega-3 and omega-6 fats they contain are good for your heart. Since a handful -- about an ounce -- contains roughly 170 calories, slice and dice them to make them go farther. Add to salads, coat chicken breasts or sauté with vegetables to add flavor and healthy fat.

Reach for healthy oils. Olive, canola, soybean and safflower oils are smart choices because they contain no trans fat and are rich in either polyunsaturated or mono-unsaturated fats, which are both heart-healthy. Just use them sparingly, since they contain about 120 calories per teaspoon.

Add fish. It's another source of healthy fat and is a favorite of the Smith-Bess family of the District, whose members are also taking the challenge. They regularly make a salmon dinner with stir-fried vegetables together.

Switch to healthy margarine . Many brands now contain no trans fats, including Take Control, Smart Balance, Benecol and Promise. Some of these spreads also have plant substances to help lower blood cholesterol levels and omega-3 fatty acids. Butter doesn't have trans fat, but it comes with saturated fat, which can raise heart disease risk. So go easy on that, too. ·

Meet Sally Squires on Saturday, April 29, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at The Washington Post, 1150 15th Street NW, where she'll speak and sign copies of "Secrets of the Lean Plate Club." RSVP to 202-334-7969. Join the online chat today from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. at www.washingtonpost.com/leanplateclub.