What Is Trans Fat? Plus How to Remove It from Your Diet for Good

AHA Publisher — Fri, 25 Jun 2021 07:00:32 +0000

Christine Ruggeri, CHHC via Dr. Axe – We know the body needs healthy fats to run at an optimal level. The problem is the standard American diet contains far too many trans fat foods and artificial ingredients. Americans consume far more trans fats than what’s recommended or considered healthy, with about 19 percent of their calorie consumption coming from saturated and trans fats. The recommended intake is less than 10 percent of total calories for saturated fats and as little as possible from trans fats. Now, the truth about saturated fat is that it can be healthy when eaten in moderation and when consuming the proper types of saturated fat, such as MCT oil. Trans fats, however, are downright dangerous. What Is Trans Fat? Trans fats, or trans fatty acids, are naturally present in meat and dairy products of ruminant animals. Some animals naturally produce trans fats in their guts, and food from these animals can contain small quantities of these fats. There are also industrial or artificial trans fats that make up most of this fatty acid’s consumption. These are created by adding hydrogen to liquid vegetable oils to make them more solid. They are known as the unhealthiest fats you can eat, but manufacturers often use them in fried and processed foods. These cooking oils are often genetically modified and downright unhealthy, linked to the development of cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome. They can even become rancid, causing more health concerns. Dangers of Trans Fats Trans fats are consumed at way too high of quantities in the U.S., and the health effects are staggering. Here’s a breakdown of the key dangers of eating foods containing trans fat. 1. Impact Cholesterol Levels Trans fats raise bad (LDL) cholesterol levels and lower good (HDL) cholesterol levels. Research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition indicates that there’s unequivocal evidence that trans fatty acids increase plasma concentrations of LDL cholesterol and reduce concentrations of HDL cholesterol. Researchers estimate that, conservatively, 30,000 premature deaths in the United States are attributable to consumption of trans fatty acids. 2. Increase Risk of Heart Disease Consuming too many trans fats foods may increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. Research from Harvard Medical School that included controlled trials and observational studies found that trans fatty acid consumption from partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs) “adversely affects multiple cardiovascular risk factors and contributes significantly to increased risk of coronary heart disease events.” Those findings are corroborated in research published in the Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences, which suggests that high consumption of trans fats in Pakistan may be one of the factors for the increased burden of cardiovascular disease. Researchers suggest that consumption of dietary fats low in trans fatty acids would be helpful in reducing the risk of heart disease in South Asia. Another study published in Molecular Nutrition & Food Research indicates that trans fat intake is associated with a variety of cardiovascular complications, including atherosclerosis and other deleterious cardiovascular effects. 3. Increase Risk of Diabetes Trans fats have also been proven to contribute to obesity and diabetes. One study published in the New England Journal of Medicine includes over 84,000 women who were free of heart disease, diabetes and cancer when the study began. During 16 years of follow-up, researchers documented 3,300 new cases of type 2 diabetes, with overweight and obesity the most important predictors. They highlighted that those who consumed the most trans fatty acids had a 40 percent higher risk of having diabetes compared to those with lower risk diets and lifestyle patterns. Research from the Wake Forest University School of Medicine found that a trans fats diet induces abdominal obesity and changes in insulin sensitivity in monkeys, and it’s believed to do the same in humans. Trans Fat Foods It’s no wonder the U.S. has a health crisis on its hands, particularly in regard to obesity and heart disease, given how many trans fats we consume. Trans fatty acids are present naturally in some meat and dairy products, but research suggests that overconsumption of industrial trans fat foods is the most dangerous to your health. Trans fats are present in PHOs that are commonly used in fried foods. You’ll find trans fats in these foods: Frozen pizza Mozzarella sticks Packaged baked goods Packaged chips and snacks Packaged and refrigerated dough Fried meats and fast foods Margarine Vegetable shortening Nondairy coffee creamers How to Avoid Them The best way to avoid eating trans fats is by eating a diet rich in fresh, whole foods that includes vegetables, fruits, organic meats and legumes. Stick to healthy fats, like those found in olive oil, avocado, nuts and wild-caught salmon. If you eat a packaged food product, read the label carefully, and avoid foods that contain partially hydrogenated oils or other items. Even some “trans fat free” foods can contain 0.5 grams per serving, so read the ingredient list to be sure the food is actually free of these damaging fats. It’s possible for trans fats to be present in processed foods but not listed on the ingredient label, even as PHO. That’s why reducing your consumption of processed foods as much as possible is so important for your health. Removing Them from Products The good news is the American public is becoming more and more aware about the dangers of trans fats, and increasingly, Americans are concerned about and aware of what they’re putting in their bodies. In 2015, the Food and Drug Administration ruled that artificial trans fats were unsafe to eat, and it gave food makers three years to eliminate them from their food supplies. The official ban began in 2018, and it applies to foods that contain industrially produced PHOs. Manufacturers are now tasked with replacing unhealthy fats with healthier options. Small amounts of trans fats are still present naturally in dairy and meat products, and these products are still permitted. In 2018, the World Health Organization announced a plan to urge governments around the globe to eliminate the use of trans fats in food products. WHO put out a set of guidelines that eradicates trans fats from global food supplies by 2023. Conclusion Trans fats are a form of unsaturated fats that occur naturally in dairy and meat products but are also made industrially to be used in processed, packaged foods. There are many health dangers related to these fats, including increased LDL cholesterol levels, reduced HDL cholesterol, greater risk of heart disease, greater risk of obesity and increased risk of diabetes. In 2015, the FDA announced that industrial trans fats will be banned from food products beginning in 2018. WHO set guidelines for eliminating them globally by 2023 in an effort to save millions of lives. To read the original article click here. For more articles from Dr. Axe click here.

The post What Is Trans Fat? Plus How to Remove It from Your Diet for Good appeared first on Amazing Health Advances.

Trans Fats and the Food Industry’s “Model of Systemic Dishonesty”

AHA Publisher — Fri, 23 Oct 2020 07:00:03 +0000

Michael Greger M.D. FACLM via Nutrition Facts – In 1993, the Harvard Nurses’ Health Study found that a high intake of trans fat may increase the risk of heart disease by 50 percent. That’s where the trans fat story started in Denmark, ending a decade later with a ban on added trans fats in 2003. It took another ten years before the United States even started considering a ban. All the while, trans fats were killing tens of thousands of Americans every year. With so many people dying, why did it take so long for the United States to even suggest taking action? I explore this in my video Controversy Over the Trans Fat Ban. One can look at the fight over New York City’s trans fat ban for a microcosm of the national debate. Not surprisingly, opposition came from the food industry, complaining about “government intrusion” and “liken[ing] the city to a ‘nanny state.’” “Are trans fat bans…the road to food fascism?” A ban on added trans fats might save 50,000 American lives every year, which could save the country tens of billions of dollars in healthcare costs, but not so fast! If people eating trans fat die early, think about how much we could save on Medicare and Social Security. Indeed, “smokers actually cost society less than nonsmokers, because smokers die earlier.” So, “we should be careful about making claims about the potential cost-savings of trans fat bans….more research is needed on the effects of these policies, including effects on the food industry.” Yes, we might save 50,000 lives a year, but we can’t forget to think about the “effects on the food industry”! How about “education and product labeling” rather than “the extreme measure of banning trans fats”? As leading Danish cardiologist “puts it bluntly, ‘Instead of warning consumers about trans fats and telling them what they are, we’ve [the Danes] simply removed them.’” But we’re Americans! “As they say in North America: ‘You can put poison in food if you label it properly.’” People who are informed and know the risks should be able to eat whatever they want, but that assumes they’re given all the facts, which doesn’t always happen “due to deception and manipulation by food producers and retailers.” And, not surprisingly, it’s the unhealthiest of foods that are most commonly promoted using deceptive marketing. It’s not that junk food companies are evil or want to make us sick. “The reason is one of simple economics”—processed foods simply “offer higher profit margins and are shelf-stable, unlike fresh foods such as fruit and vegetables.” The food industry’s “model of systemic dishonesty,” some argue, “justifies some minimal level of governmental intervention.” But is there a slippery slope? “Today, trans fats; tomorrow, hot dogs.” Or, what about the reverse? What if the government makes us eat broccoli? This argument actually came up in the Supreme Court case over Obamacare. As Chief Justice Roberts said, Congress could start ordering everyone to buy vegetables, a concern Justice Ginsburg labeled “the broccoli horrible.” Hypothetically, Congress could compel the American public to go plant-based, however, no one can offer the “hypothetical and unreal possibility…of a vegetarian state” as a credible argument. “Judges and lawyers live on the slippery slope of analogies; they are not supposed to ski it to the bottom,” said one legal scholar. If anything, what about the slippery slope of inaction? “Government initially defaulted to business interests in the case of tobacco and pursued weak and ineffective attempts at education” to try to counter all the tobacco industry lies. Remember what happened? “The unnecessary deaths could be counted in the millions. The U.S. can ill afford to repeat this mistake with diet.” Once added trans fats are banned, the only major source in the American diet will be the naturaltrans fats found in animal fat. For more on this, see Banning Trans Fat in Processed Foods but Not Animal Fat and Trans Fat in Meat and Dairy. Ideally how much trans fat should we eat a day? Zero, and the same goes for saturated fat and cholesterol. See Trans Fat, Saturated Fat, and Cholesterol: Tolerable Upper Intake of Zero, Good, Great, Bad, and Killer Fats, and Lipotoxicity: How Saturated Fat Raises Blood Sugar. To read the original article click here. For more articles from Dr. Greger click here.

The post Trans Fats and the Food Industry’s “Model of Systemic Dishonesty” appeared first on Amazing Health Advances.

trans fats Archives - Amazing Health Advances

What Is Trans Fat? Plus How to Remove It from Your Diet for Good

Trans Fats and the Food Industry’s “Model of Systemic Dishonesty”