In November 2013 after years of debate and struggle, the FDA finally put a ban on trans fats. Inspired by activists and doctor’s warnings, along with scientific support, the FDA drew the line at trans fats. They are not gone completely but why do you need to worry about trans fats? Why do you worry about such a seemingly dry subject? If you care about what you put in your body and how it affects your health, if you care about what your kids eat and how it affects their health – these are the simplest reasons why. I reached out to the medical community to get some of my questions explained, and I hope this helps you understand why trans fats should be gone forever.
The biggest problem with trans fats
There is a correlation between the steady increase in heart disease and high cholesterol and the amount of trans fats that exist in our diet. “Trans fats raise bad cholesterol levels, while lowering good cholesterol levels”, explains Rene Ficek, Registered Dietitian and Lead Nutrition Expert at Seattle Sutton’s Healthy Eating.
“Research has shown that trans fats raise one’s risk of developing heart disease and suffering a stroke. Furthermore it is associated with developing type 2 diabetes. Unfortunately, trans fat is often hidden within processed, shelf stable products.”
This fat is manufactured via partial hydrogenation. “Hydrogenation is the chemical process by which hydrogen is added to liquid vegetable oil, turning it into solid fat”, further clarifies Beth Shaw, the Founder and President of YogaFit Training Systems, Inc, “and the byproduct is partially hydrogenated oils. Partially hydrogenated oils, which contain trans fatty acids, are then used by manufacturers to improve the texture, shelf life, and “flavor” of food.”
Foods that contain the most trans fats (i.e. “watch out!”)
There isn’t really one food group that contains the most trans fats but all the experts pointed out the following food categories that tend to contain the most trans fats:
– baked goods – think doughnuts, pastries, confectionary fats, cookies, cakes, pies, even bread
– deep-fried foods – fried chicken, French fries, chips
– imitation cheese
– snack foods – crackers, chips
So I suggest you stay away from these foods, because if you keep consuming them your LDL (bad cholesterol) will get higher, among other things. According to Beth Shaw,
“An elevated LDL blood cholesterol level increases your risk of developing heart disease – the leading killer of both men and women in the US. So if you consistently consume a lot of food containing trans fats that you substantially increase the risk of an untimely death. There are also other risks. Consuming lots of trans fats increase the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity, liver dysfunction, infertility (in women), and major depressive disorder.”
Trans fats compared to other fats
There are 4 types of fats – 2 of them bad (trans fats and saturated fats) and 2 of them healthy (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated). Why the difference? “These fats affect the body differently because of their chemical structure”, explains Renee Ficek of Seattle Sutton’s Healthy Eating. “Trans fat is the unhealthiest fat, therefore should be substituted with a heart healthy fat, or even saturated fat since it a less harmful choice than trans fat.” One example where you can make a better choice according to Beth Shaw of YogaFit Training Systems is “when choosing oils, pick ones that are high in polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats (like canola oil and olive oil), as opposed to oils that are high in saturated fats (like coconut, palm and palm kernel oils).” There are many other healthy and delicious alternatives to trans fats – walnuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, olives, or avocados, with healthy types of fat.
Why are there so many trans fats in American diet?
Hydrogenation process was developed back in the 19th century and made popular by Crisco – the first hydrogenated shortening in 1911. Trans fats grew in popularity in the US in the 1950s, and though scientists noticed early on that trans fats were causing a rise in heart disease, nothing was done until recently. Why? I think we’ll have to look at the economics for the manufacturers – trans fats mean longer shelf life, cheaper, tastier food. “American food companies started using trans fat because it acted as a preservative, giving foods a longer shelf life. It also gave foods a more tempting taste and texture,” says Beth Shaw of YogaFit Training Systems. “It would be a lie to say that the US is the only country that uses trans fats, but those from the US tend to just consume a lot more food than those from other countries. An American diet includes a lot more calories than, for example, a Japanese diet. The Japanese tend to eat a lot of fats, but usually the good fats and not trans fats. Plus the Japanese have traditionally served smaller portions than Americans.” Many countries since developed better labeling and reduced trans fats, with Denmark leading the way.
Have food manufacturers and restaurants done enough to reduce or remove trans fats?
You may not have noticed but many products already have fewer trans fats, as the companies are testing alternatives. Melissa Joy Dobbins MS, RDN, CDE, National spokesperson for Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and founder of Sound Bites, Inc. says trans fats “provide a certain texture or mouthfeel that we like in snack foods (flaky, crispy, creamy) so removing them means trying to find a substitute that will taste the same – often times that is saturated fat”. While manufacturers are trying, many restaurants have not done so much, she says.
Renee Ficek says
“The labeling laws state that if a serving of food has lower than 0.5g of trans fat, they can put 0 g trans fat on the nutrition label and market it as such. Many companies adjusted ingredients and portion size to be able to still include trans fat, but show that the food contains 0 g trans fat. But if there is partially hydrogenated oil listed with the ingredients, there is a small amount of trans fat in that serving size. Selecting foods with even small amounts of trans fat can add up to a significant intake and negatively impact one’s health. In more recent years, consumer demand has forced food manufacturers and restaurants to replace trans fat in their foods. For example, many fast food restaurants, such as McDonald’s, have replaced their trans fat and claim to provide only trans fat free foods.”
“Manufacturers will always try to find ways to cut costs”, says Beth Shaw, but “The FDA and general public found out that saturated fats were just as bad as trans fats, and forced many companies to instead start using replacements like soybean oil and sunflower oil. As long as there are still passionate Americans who want to keep everyone healthy, I am not too worried.”
What does the recent FDA ban on trans fats mean?
Did you know that up until 2003 we didn’t even know trans fats were present in the packaged food you bought? Instead, they were listed under the respective chemical names – so an average consumer would not know that meant trans fats. In 2003 FDA issued a regulation requiring manufacturers to list trans fat on the nutritional panel, though foods containing 0.5 grams of trans fats can list it as 0, and if you consumer multiple servings it will add up. So following a lot of consumer pressure and research showing rise in heart disease associated with trans fats, in November 2013 FDA issued a ruling stating trans fats are not a safe food but rather an additive, so it can’t be used in food without a special approval. “The trans fat ban is a huge move in the right direction”, says Rene Ficek, “but it also reminds us how slow the food industry responds to health concerns when profits from the food industry are involved.” “A lot of times, people don’t know the difference between good and bad fats”, adds Beth Shaw,
“It is hard to educate people, especially if the cheaper, more affordable food happens to be the worst for you. The FDA needs to step in so that there can be affordable, healthy alternatives, so that the consumer isn’t left with a hefty price tag.”
The good thing is consumers are more health-conscious now and are already more aware of trans fats. It’s taken a century to recognize the dangers – “Trans fats literally kill hundreds of thousands of Americans every year. It is about time someone did something to stop this “murder”, says Beth Shaw.
Which other dangerous foods should be eliminated next?
Renee Ficek thinks GRAS designation should be tackled with next. “I think the FDA needs to re-examine how they determine the GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) designation, which is what trans fat currently is considered but will no longer be considered after the ban is in place. Many food additives that once were on the GRAS list have been shown harmful to our health. More years of research needs to be done on products that make this list. Many ingredients show no harm short-term, but it is only in long-term studies that this can be determined.” She adds the GMO labeling should also be reviewed next.
Beth Shaw thinks saturated fats should be next: “There have already been thousands of studies that show the negative effects of saturated fats. It is only a matter of time before the FDA clamps down on how much saturated fats are put into our food.”
The foundation of a healthy diet
Now that you know what you should not eat, what can you eat? What are the mainstays of a healthy diet? All the experts weighed in on this:
Melissa Joy Dobbins: “balance, variety and moderation – nothing too extreme and getting nutrient rich foods so we get the most nutritional bang for our calorie/buck. It might sound boring but it’s easier to follow and provides more ROI than the extreme diets and fads.”
Beth Shaw: “The obvious must-nots are processed foods, gluten, white flour, and sugar. An important mainstay of a healthy diet is eating clean. Try to stick to organic fruits and vegetables, fish caught in the wild, whole grains, natural oils, natural sweeteners, legumes, and nuts & seeds.”
Renee Ficek:
“The main stays of a healthy diet have ALWAYS been, and will ALWAYS be fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, legumes, nuts and seeds. A diet that focuses on these foods, rather than processed products with many man-made additives, will undoubtedly be healthier than the alternative.”
