Ban the Trans Fats from Your Diet

So many people focus on cutting back on carbs but not as many focus on cutting back on fat in their diets.  Some fats are truly the bad fats, the worst kinds of fat for your health.  These are trans fats.  Trans fats are so bad for your health that during 2007-2011, eleven counties in New York actually banned trans fats.  Restaurants, bakeries and concessions like park concessions could no longer sell foods containing trans fats.  This became a perfect experiment on trans fats and health as some counties in New York allowed trans fat in food sold in public places and other counties did not.  Granted, in every county in New York you could still go to the grocery store and buy foods containing trans fats, but not in restaurants and other public establishments that sold food.  So, what did the researchers find? 

Heart disease – in counties that banned trans fats, heart disease declined even more than in counties that did not ban the trans fats. Additionally, less people were admitted to hospitals for heart attacks and strokes as reported in JAMA Cardiology.     

Why are trans fats so bad for your health?                                                                                                                              
The Mayo Clinic states, “Trans fat is considered by many doctors to be the worst type of fat you can eat.”  This is because it raises your bad cholesterol (LDL cholesterol)  and lowers your good cholesterol (HDL cholesterol).   This raises your risk of heart disease. 

What are trans fats?
Manufacturers add hydrogen to liquid vegetable oils to create partially hydrogenated oil.  This hydrogenated oil is solid at room temperature.  Restaurants prefer this hydrogenated oil for deep fat frying as it lasts longer and they don’t have to change the oil in the fryer as often.  Good for them but bad for us the consumer.  Food manufacturers like to use partially hydrogenated oils as it has a longer shelf life so food products can be on the store shelves longer without spoiling.  Good for the food manufacturers but not our health.  

What foods have trans fats and how can you avoid them?
Mayo Clinic lists a number of foods that may contain trans fats.  Even if the label says 0 grams of trans fat, FDA allows manufacturers to include up to 0.5 grams of trans fat, but label it 0 grams of trans fat.
Baked goods – yes, all those good-tasting goodies, the store-bought cookies, donuts, cakes, pie crusts and even crackers and frosting. 
Snacks – some snacks do and some don’t.  Chips may have trans fats.  Look at the label and choose chips made with corn oil, sunflower or canola oil.  Lays chips are healthier as they are made with liquid oils and not partially hydrogenated oils.  Sun Chips are a good choice as they are whole grain and made with a healthier oil like corn oil.
Fried food – not only is fried food high in fat, but it may also contain trans fat.
Stick margarine – avoid stick margarine and choose tub margarine, softer margarines like Smart Balance are a better choice than stick margarines.

Why doesn’t FDA ban trans fats if they are so bad for our health?
Actually, FDA is banning trans fats but not until 2018.  Since 2006, FDA required food manufacturers to list trans fat on the Nutrition Facts label because trans fat has been linked to heart disease by contributing to plaque buildup in arteries.  In 2015, FDA ruled that partially hydrogenated oils were no longer “generally recognized as safe”.  In June, 2018 food manufacturers will have to ensure that their products no longer contain partially hydrogenated oils unless FDA authorizes that use. 

To cut back on the trans fats in your diet, look at the ingredients and look for “partially hydrogenated oil”.  Even if the trans fat is 0 grams, if the food contains partially hydrogenated oil, the food has some trans fat in it. 

Sources:   JAMA Cardiology, Mayo Clinic states, Mayo Clinic ,  Smart Balance, generally recognized as safe        Image Source:  FDA


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

How does coffee and tea affect blood sugar?

Image
Who doesn’t love some morning coffee?   Or, on cold days, a nice hot cup of tea.   Does drinking coffee or tea affect one’s blood glucose levels?    Should healthy adults be concerned about coffee or tea and blood glucose levels?   The Mayo Clinic says that for healthy adults, caffeine will probably have no noticeable effects on their blood sugar or blood glucose levels.   Studies have found that up to 400 milligrams of caffeine is safe for most of us.   A cup of coffee has about 120-180 milligrams of caffeine and most adults drink about 2 cups of coffee a day.   FDA says healthy adults can consume up to 400 mg of caffeine a day which equates to about 4-5 cups of coffee a day, or 10 cans of soda , or 2 “energy shot” drinks.   (See:   Caffeine – good or bad for your health? )     Can drinking coffee or tea reduce chances of getting type 2 diabetes? Some studies have found that coffee, tea, and other drinks with caffeine can lead to weight loss and a lower body mass index (BMI
Read more

Are there drinks that will help lower your blood pressure?

Image
According to the University of Southern California , almost half of Americans over the age of 20 have high blood pressure.   This means an astounding 122 million Americans.   Unfortunately, as you get older it is more likely to have blood pressure increase.   Many people don’t even know they have high blood pressure or hypertension.   The American Heart Association notes at first there are “no obvious symptoms to indicate something is wrong, but HBP can lead to heart attack, stroke, and kidney failure.”    A relative was asking what they could do diet wise to help lower their blood pressure.   We had already discussed the DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension).   (See:   Best Diets for Healthy Eating in 2024 .) and physical activity.    Diet wise, they were cutting back on sodium and increasing potassium foods but were wondering if there were anything else like any drinks that could help lower blood pressure?   The Cleveland Clinic talked to cardiologist , Luke Laffin,
Read more

How to eat for better sleep

Image
Having trouble sleeping?   Are there foods you can eat that would help you sleep?   My husband sent me an interesting article, 8 Eating Habits That Actually Improve Your Sleep . According to CDC , “about 1 in 3 adults in the United States reported not getting enough rest or sleep every day.”   A lot of Americans have problems sleeping, about 50-70 million Americans.   You probably heard that drinking warm milk before bed helps one sleep?   Is this true?   What eating habits really do help you get to sleep and stay asleep? Sleep and hunger Did you know that getting a good night’s sleep affects hunger hormones in your body?   A good night’s sleep can lead to less snacking the next day as it keeps hunger at bay.   A professor of nutrition at Columbia University, Marie-Pierre St-Onge, says, “If you eat better, you sleep better and be more refreshed.   And that helps you make better decision for your diet.”      Some tips to eating habits for better sleep:         Focus on tryptopha
Read more