Trans fats, known as (‘Trans Fatty Acids’) made through the chemical process of hydrogenation of oils, is bad for us. Hydrogenation as it’s known, solidifies liquid oils, increases the flavour stability of oils and foods that contain them and also increases the shelf life of foods. Always try to avoid foods containing trans-fats.
Foods that contain Trans Fatty Acids
In recent years, we have all heard a lot about trans fats, a type of fat that has been shown to lower levels of HDL, or good cholesterol, and raise levels of LDL, or bad cholesterol.
The American Heart Association, or AHA, advises that we should reduce our intake of these fats to lower our risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. Trans fats result when hydrogen is added to vegetable oil.
This creates a more stable fat that keeps foods fresher longer and extends the shelf life of packaged goods. These fats also occur naturally in small amounts in some foods. The AHA suggests we limit intake to less than 1% of total caloric intake daily.
Commercially Prepared Foods
Many commercially prepared foods like cookies, cakes, frozen dinners, chips and crackers contain trans fats, as do shortening and many types of margarine. If the list of ingredients names any sort of partially hydrogenated oil, margarine or shortening, that food contains this potentially dangerous fat.
Look for healthier brands that include more natural ingredients and avoid trans fats altogether. If we want to make a serious effort to avoid these fats, we must increase our intake of fresh, whole foods rather than getting a majority of nutrition from processed and prepared foods.
Fast Food
Fast food is among the highest sources of trans fat. A large order of French-fries can contain as much as 5 grams of trans fat, according to the Mayo Clinic. While it is recommended that we consume only 2 grams per day on a 2000 calorie/day diet.
Cookies, cake and other packaged baked goods can contain 2 or 3 grams of trans fat per serving. Crackers, potato chips, cream cheese and microwaveable popcorn can also contain high levels of trans fat.
Animal Products
Trans fats occur naturally in the digestive system of many animals, including cows. This means that dairy products like butterfat and many types of meat will contain these fats, though in much smaller amounts than foods prepared with the industrially produced versions. The American Heart Association notes these naturally occurring trans fats do not appear to exhibit the same health risks as their manufactured counterparts.
Always read food labels and nutrition information to learn what foods contain trans-fat. Check the ingredient list for partially hydrogenated oil, which is a clue that the food contains trans-fat, even if it's not listed on the nutrition label.
Manufacturers can claim that a food is trans-fat free if it contains 0.5 grams or less per serving. We should cook at home whenever we can because it is not always possible to determine if a restaurant meal contains trans-fat.
Prepare food with olive oil or canola oil, in place of margarine, which can contain large amounts of trans fat per serving.
It is hard to believe that while we all know how bad certain foods are for us, and yet manufacturers still use some of those foods for their own selfish benefit, such as shelf life or cost.
And while we have choices, cost and convenience are important. It's not surprising there are cholesterol, heart disease and obesity problems in the west. The best thing we can do is to stop buying foods that contain these dangerous ingredients and then maybe manufacturers will be forced to listen to consumers and change.
It is important that blogs like this keep reminding us of these issues.
Thank you. Yes, I totally agree with you. I am more than happy to blog about the things that matter, because these blogs help me too.
I remember once having a conversation with someone who sold over the counter beauty creams and asked why they continued to put artificial chemicals into their products; and her answer was that until the UK Government initiate change, there was no need at that time to make their own changes.
Not only would it cost more to use alternative ingredients, but the shelf life would decrease slightly too, but I still believe it's irresponsible. If you can make changes for the greater good, even if they're slightly more expensive, why would you use things that you know can be or are harmful?
You're absolutely right about high Cholesterol and Heart Disease though. Trans-fats are known to blog arteries. Why would anyone want to be responsible for producing foods that have the potential to cause significant harm?