Although society is generally coming around to the fact that some types of fat can be good, Trans fats unequivocally do not fall in that category.
In the U.S the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) is moving forward with the plan to clean up supermarket shelves by officially banning Trans fats. But, what exactly are Trans fats and how bad are they really?

This man-made fat was developed by manufacturers to protect us against butter. Turns out, it acts like butter inside our bodies! Trans fats are created through a process called hydrogenation (a process by which vegetable oils are converted to solid fats simply by adding hydrogen atoms). Why? Hydrogenation increases the shelf-life and flavour stability of foods.

Trans fatty acids are found naturally in small quantities in some foods including beef, pork, lamb butter and milk, but most Trans fatty acids come from hydrogenated foods. Today Trans fats are found in 40% of the products on our supermarket shelves!

Why are Trans fats harmful?

Like saturated or animal fats, Trans fats contribute to clogged arteries. Here’s how it works: Trans fats – also called trans fatty acids – both raises your LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and lowers your HDL (“good”) cholesterol. A high LDL level in combination with a low HDL cholesterol level increases your risk of heart disease, the leading killer in both men and women. Apart from heart disease, Trans fats have also been linked to diabetes, certain types of cancer as well as obesity.

Who should be concerned about Trans fats?

With the global increase of lifestyle diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease and obesity, consumers have a greater responsibility to make informed decisions regarding their nutrition. Everyone should limit their consumption of saturated fats and Trans fats. However, individuals who have elevated LDL cholesterol should be most concerned. In a healthy diet, 25 to 35% of your total daily calories can come from fat – but saturated fat should account for less than 10% of your total daily calories.

Food manufacturers have begun substituting other ingredients for Trans fats. Some of these ingredients such as tropical oils – coconut, palm kernel and palm oils – contain a lot of saturated fat which will raise your LDL cholesterol. Not good! Monounsaturated fat – found in olive, peanut and canola oils – is a healthier option. Nuts, fish and seeds containing unsaturated omega-3 fatty acids are good choices.

Tips to reduce the Trans fats in your diet

• Avoid hydrogen. If you see “hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated” on the ingredient label, it means the food includes Trans fats. Remember that Trans fatty acids have hydrogen added, so they are hydrogenated.
• Limit the saturated fat in your diet. If you don’t eat a lot of saturated fats, you won’t be consuming a lot of Trans fats. Replace saturated fats and Trans fats with small amounts of healthy mono- and polyunsaturated fats.
• Choose lean meat and vegetables.
• Limit processed meats as they are high in saturated fats.
• Choose oils and margarines with the Heart Mark.
• Consider avoiding fried foods. Fried foods do not always contain Trans fats, but if they are cooked with hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils, they do. If you don’t know how the food has been cooked, avoid it altogether. Order something that has been steamed or grilled instead.
• Limit snacks such as potato chips, popcorn or crackers, they are usually riddled with partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
• Take special care to read nutritional labels when buying cake mixes, noodles or baked goods. These foods are notorious for including Trans fatty acids.

Bottom line: Eat as little Trans fats as possible. Fortunately South Africans’ health is set to improve with new legislation limiting artery clogging artificial Trans fats to no more than 2% in all food products. So, make sure that you read the nutritional labels on all food products to replace the sneaky sources of the bad-for-you fats with some better-for-you options.

Source: www.webmd.com, www.mayoclini.org, healthyeating.sfgate.com, www.heartfoundation.co.za, www.nestlenutrition-institute.org, www.health24.com, www.livescience.com, www.health.com

DISCLAIMER: The information on this website is for educational purposes only, and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you are experiencing symptoms or need health advice, please consult a healthcare professional.