Trans Fats and Partially Hydrogenated poison
November 10, 2009
NaturalNews
by: Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Of all the poisons in the food supply, trans fats are perhaps the most frequently overlooked. They’re hidden in all sorts of foods, from crackers and baked goods to breakfast cereals. And thanks to intentionally deceptive FDA-approved labeling laws, food products that contain sizable amounts of trans fatty acids can still declare “trans fats free” right on their labels (this clever trick involves reducing serving sizes until the trans fat level drops to 0.5 grams per serving, at which point the FDA says companies can just “round down” to zero).
But just how damaging are trans fats, really? Here, we’ve gathered an important collection of information that helps answer that question. Read this before you take another bite of a cookie, cracker or other baked food item. Keep trans fats out of your body and you’ll be far healthier and more mentally alert!
The true dangers of trans fats
Shortening consists of almost one-fifth trans fats, and some brands of margarine contain almost one-fourth trans fats. The oils used to cook French fries and fried chicken in the United States consist of about 40 percent trans fats, and the amount increases when the cooking oil is heated. Trans fats now account for about 7.5 percent of the fat calories consumed in the United States, and the average American eats nearly five pounds of trans fats each year.
- Stop Prediabetes Now: The Ultimate Plan to Lose Weight and Prevent Diabetes by Jack Challem
The downside for consumers is the dangerous trans fats that are formed with hydrogenation. The ingestion of partially hydrogenated vegetable oils and the trans fats that are formed with this process has been linked to increases in cancer, heart disease, and many other chronic degenerative disorders. What is wrong with trans fats? Trans fats, formed during hydrogenation, are actually toxic substances for our cell membranes. When our cells contain an overabundance of trans fats, the cells become leaky and distorted. This can promote vitamin and mineral deficiencies.
- The Guide to Healthy Eating by M.D. David Brownstein
The amount of trans fats consumed daily in the United States varies tremendously from person to person. Trans fats are so common in processed foods that the average consumer does not know how much he or she is consuming. Trans fats have no cholesterol. Trans fats have no trace compounds that may be beneficial to health. Trans fats are very useful to the food industry and, if replaced, a proper substitute must be found. Suggestions have been made for partial replacements to keep their level low. Palm oil could be a good choice.
- The Trans Fats Dilemma and Natural Palm Oil by Gene A. Spiller
It is not always easy to make sense of the research on trans fats but here’s the short answer: if you can avoid trans fats, you should. These fatty acids may be only a small part of your total dietary fat, but small changes in your diet can add up to significant health benefits, and this is one change that is well worth making.
- What to Eat by Marion Nestle
Although the amount of trans fatty acids appearing in margarine and shortening has been reduced in the United States, these damaging fats are still found in many other foods such as bakery items and fast food products. Trans fats become a major part of American diets when the 30 pounds of French fries consumed per capita are factored into dietary analysis. Trans fats often hide on dietary labels as partially hydrogenated fats. Learn to read labels and avoid trans fats. Growing public awareness regarding the dangers imposed by trans fats has prompted a reduction in their consumption.
- Disease Prevention and Treatment by The Life Extension Editorial Staff
Given the overwhelming evidence of the link between trans fats and diseases like cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes – all of which will be discussed in more detail – you might wonder what sort of bizarre justification the FDA could come up with for protecting the food industry by not requiring the listing of trans fats on these nutrition facts labels years ago. Hold on to your seat, because here it is: The FDA has decided that since trans fats should be entirely avoided in the diets of all human beings, there is consequently no recommended daily allowance of trans fats.
- Grocery Warning: How to recognize and avoid the groceries that cause cancer, diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and other common diseases by Mike Adams
Finally, in the United States, the FDA has ruled that, by 2006, all trans fats must be listed on food labels, thus allowing shoppers to make informed decisions about what they put in their bodies. Trans fats are often found in processed and convenience foods. Read labels carefully to avoid products containing them. If the ingredient list contains partially hydrogenated vegetable (or corn, soybean, or canola) oil or vegetable shortening, the product contains trans fats. Here are a few common culprits – they may surprise you.
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But hydrogenation has serious health consequences because it creates trans fats. Trans fats are polyunsaturated vegetable oils that have been processed to make them remain solid at room temperature. Trans fats also come from frying food in polyunsaturated vegetable oils, such as corn oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, and soy oil, all of which are not bad for you until they are heated. As you may know, trans fats increase the level of bad LDL cholesterol in your bloodstream and lower your level of good HDL cholesterol.
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It has been suspected for some years that trans fats may be no better for us than saturated fats, but more evidence is emerging and it now seems that perhaps trans fats can actually be more damaging, for instance in the case of heart disease. It now appears, according to a very large American trial, that trans fats not only raise levels of LDL blood cholesterol (the “baddie”) but also lower levels of the “good” cholesterol, HDL. Trans fats are the only types of fat to do this – natural saturated fats, such as butter or cheese, may raise LDL levels but also raise HDL levels.
- The Food Bible by Judith Wills
They occur naturally at low levels in meat and dairy products, but most of the trans fats in the American diet are formed during a hydrogenation process that renders vegetable oils solid. Trans fatty acids inflict damage akin to the effects of saturated fats, except trans fats hit you with a double whammy – in addition to raising LDL levels, trans fats decrease your HDL levels at the same time. This is one reason many researchers consider trans fats to be a bigger bad boy than saturated fats.
- Food Synergy: Unleash Hundreds of Powerful Healing Food Combinations to Fight Disease and Live Well by Elaine Magee
Trans fats make the coronary arteries more rigid and contribute to the formation of blood clots, which can lead to heart attack or stroke. Trans fats also reduce HDL (“good”) cholesterol levels and increase LDL (“bad”) cholesterol. According to a study by Dr. Walter Willett, chairman of the department of nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health, approximately 30,000 premature heart disease deaths each year can be attributed to the consumption of trans fats.
- Bottom Line’s Health Breakthroughs 2007 by Bottom Line Health
Consumers Duped by Trans Fat Labeling
August 28, 2009
Natural News
By David Gutierrez
FDA food labeling rules make it possible for consumers to exceed their maximum recommended daily intake of trans fats even if they eat only foods labeled “zero trans fats” per serving.
Trans fats, also known as hydrogenated oils, are synthetically produced by adding hydrogen atoms to unsaturated vegetable oils. Unlike natural unsaturated or saturated fats, trans fats have no nutritional value. They have been overwhelmingly shown to increase the risk of death from cardiovascular disease, such that several large cities and the state of California have banned their use in restaurants.
The fats are favored by food producers because they have a longer shelf life than natural fats. But growing consumer awareness over the dangers of trans fats has led more and more people to avoid them. According to a recent survey by Greenfield Online, 72 percent of U.S. residents read nutritional labels to make food purchasing decisions, and 61 percent believe that “zero trans fats” is the most important claim for a heart-healthy food.
Yet because the FDA allows nutrient content to be rounded to the nearest half gram, all food producers need to do to make a “zero trans fats” claim is set the serving size low enough that it contains no more than 0.49 grams of trans fats.
According to Steve Hughes, chief executive officer of Smart Balance, even consumers looking out for trans fats on nutritional labels “could exceed the daily limit before they even sit down to dinner.”
The FDA recommends a maximum daily trans fat intake of two grams.
Consumers can still avoid trans fats by reading ingredient labels. Any food that contains “hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated” oils actually contains trans fats, regardless of what it might say on the label or in the nutritional information box.
“The good news is Americans are making healthier food choices a priority and they clearly recognize the dangers of trans fat,” said dietitian Alyse Levine. “But unfortunately reading the fine print is necessary to ensure they’re not getting more trans fat and putting their health at greater risk than they bargained for.”
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