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Trans Fats? Why do companies insist in saying that their products do not contain trans fats when in truth, anything that contains hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated ingredients actually do contain trans fats. It may be a very small amount but why are they allowed to mislead the general public in this way? Some people need to avoid these dangerous kinds of fats due to medical conditions etc. | You're right.
I don't know that I've seen evidence this misleading labeling is at the companies' insistence, though; just thanks to the Food and Drug Administration's labeling decision (which allows for any amount under 0.5 grams per serving to be rounded down to 0).
I was irritated and puzzled by this, at first, myself. I remember reading with pleasure that trans fat would now be a mandatory part of the labeling. Yet I was seeing hydrogenated oils in the list of ingredients, along with a 0% trans fat listing -- that didn't jibe. (I had done my research and learned the connection.)
While I'd like to think the FDA has determined, through research and not arbitrary selection, that the amounts they allow to pass with a 0% label are reasonably safe, it makes you wonder. Still, it's a big step up from where we were a couple years ago, before the labels (and therefore some companies' motivation to improve their product) were in effect.
There really is a need to round numbers of all kinds at some point. Food packages and labels are just too small -- and many consumers' interest likewise -- for the FDA to specify 0.417% trans fat. But I, for one, would like to see a *little* more precision -- maybe one decimal place.
And in truth, a food doesn't have to be absolutely free of most things -- insect parts, bacteria, or even toxins -- to be safe for most people. We could take measuring to extremes (to where the balance tilts and worry becomes more dangerous than the ingredient we're worrying about). But we've all heard stories of how ingredients and amounts (of anything) once thought safe are now considered risky, so I hope the FDA errs on the side of caution and health.
Until labels *are* more precise, someone with health problems (or just a good preventative attitude) can still read the ingredients list to look for partially hydrogenated oils. I know it's fine print, but even without my glasses I can usually spot that mouthful of a phrase. They can also check the numbers for saturated fat and cholesterol, which wasn't always true. And at least the new labels help to quickly rule *out* some foods (e.g. those that list trans fat at 20%).
An educated consumer such as yourself is probably the best protection, though we do need the cooperation of manufacturers and regulatory agencies. When it comes to my body, I take the ultimate responsibility. | Trans fats? How can i avoid trans fats, what do i need to look for on food labelling? | | trans fats are in pretty much all cookies, chips, and packaged foods. They are chemically created to make the shelf life of a food longer. If a food product says "No Trans Fats" it does not mean that there aren't any trans fats. Look for terms such as "Hydroginated" on the ingredients list. If something is hydroginated then it means there are trans fats. It wont be labled on the nutrition list if it is under a certain percent. | Trans-Fats? What do Trans fats do to your body.
Kinda like a list of organs affected by trans fats, and diseases it causes.
Need this info for a project. | Here's a good article from the FDA. Should help in your project!
www.fda.gov/fdac/features/2003/50… | Trans fats? How are trans fats broken down in the body?
I read that people lack enzymes to break them down.
If that is true how do they eventually get broken down? | | Trans fats are 1 molecule away from having the exact same molecular make-up of plastic. So... it tends to not break down. | Trans-fats? Colleague of mine told me these were carcinogenic. Is that why they're TRANS-fats? Are they basically bits of plutonium that dress up as butter on the weekend? | Great!, a question where I can use my biochemistry based 1st degree :-))
Trans fat is basically the name for a specific isomer of unsaturated fat, and refers to the configuration of atoms around carbon-carbon double bonds in the fatty acid portion of the fat (or lipid) molecule. The alternative configuration is cis.
In the trans configuration the main molecular chain is connected on opposite sides of the double bond, and the fatty acid chains can be packed more closely together than in the cis configuration, where the main molecular chain is connected on the same side of the double bond.
I haven't heard of trans fats being specifically carcinogenic, but they are a significant component of "partially dehydrogenated vegetable fats" which are known to contribute significantly to coronary heart disease.
See wikipedia link for further info and illustrations of the molecular configurations described above.
Edit - that's pretty much it yes. Richard Hammond from "Top Gear" did a very interesting report on "partially dehydrogenated vegetable fats" a couple of years ago on BBC1. They are not at all healthy, but have a very tempting smell. Basically the standard smell of chip shops that render you totally unable to resist a bag of chips. | What is the difference between trans fats and unsaturated fats in idiot-proof language? I understand that trans fats are a form of unsaturated fats but a bad one? Leading to heart disease? While most unsaturated fats are good for the hearth (see fat fish eaters etc.)? | Fats are part of a larger group of macromolecules (macromolecule: made up of lots of smaller subunits called monomers) called lipids. Have you ever heard of the term lipid bilayer? That's what your cell's membranes are made out of.
Your cell's membranes have to be very fluid in order to function. This is a problem, because the fats have very long chains of carbons on them that tend to stick to one another (something called van-der-waals forces). What your body does to increase fluidity of its membranes is include non-saturated fats. The good fats are called "cis" unsaturated fats. What this means, is that the carbons don't go in a straight line. Halfway down the carbon chain, it changes direction and pokes out to the side. This causes the fatty acids to not pack together so tightly.
cis fats are common in nature, especially in fats derived from plant products. Trans-fats, on the other hand, are NOT found in nature. They are created by something called "partial hydrogenation" which is typically done to make something melt at a higher temperature. Margarine, for instance, is a plant derived alternative to butter. If they had taken the plant fat straight from the plant and tried to make a stick out of it, it would melt far too quickly because the fats don't stick to each other well enough. So, they partially hydrogenate it to give it a higher melting point.
Your body has no natural mechanism to break down trans fats. We have enzymes capable of breaking down saturated fats, and cis unsaturated fats, but since trans fats didn't exist long ago, we haven't evolved a way to get rid of them.
Trans fats don't look like cis fats, in that they don't increase the fluidity of the membrane of your cells. In fact, they act just like saturated fats and make your cells function less efficiently. | What ingredients are considered trans fats? I know if it says anything about hydrogenated, it is bad. I also know that in the Trans Fats section of the label it can say zero when it's not really. But, I swear I once saw 1 g of trans fats listed, but no hydrogenated ingredients. Is there other terminology used for trans fats? | Data based on FDA’s economic analysis for the final trans fatty acid labeling rule, "Trans Fatty Acids in Nutrition Labeling, Nutrient Content Claims, and Health Claims" (July 11, 2003)
Basically, trans fat is made when manufacturers add hydrogen to vegetable oil--a process called hydrogenation. Hydrogenation increases the shelf life and flavor stability of foods containing these fats.
Trans fat can be found in vegetable shortenings, some margarines, crackers, cookies, snack foods, and other foods made with or fried in partially hydrogenated oils. Unlike other fats, the majority of trans fat is formed when food manufacturers turn liquid oils into solid fats like shortening and hard margarine. A small amount of trans fat is found naturally, primarily in some animal-based foods.
Trans fat, like saturated fat and dietary cholesterol, raises the LDL cholesterol that increases your risk for CHD. Americans consume on average 4 to 5 times as much saturated fat as trans fat in their diets.
Although saturated fat is the main dietary culprit that raises LDL, trans fat and dietary cholesterol also contribute significantly.
Major Food Sources of Trans Fat for American Adults
(Average Daily Trans Fat Intake is 5.8 Grams or 2.6 Percent of Calories)
40%
cakes, cookies, crackers, pies, bread, etc.
21%
animal products
17%
margarine
8%
fried potatoes
5%
potato chips, corn chips, popcorn
4%
household shortening
3%
salad dressing
1%
breakfast cereal
1%
candy
| --------…
Data based on FDA’s economic analysis for the final trans fatty acid labeling rule, "Trans Fatty Acids in Nutrition Labeling, Nutrient Content Claims, and Health Claims" (July 11, 2003)
Scientific evidence shows that consumption of saturated fat, trans fat, and dietary cholesterol raises low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or "bad cholesterol," levels, which increases the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health, more than 12.5 million Americans have CHD, and more than 500,000 die each year. That makes CHD one of the leading causes of death in the United States.
The Food and Drug Administration has required that saturated fat and dietary cholesterol be listed on food labels since 1993. Starting Jan.1, 2006, listing of trans fat will be required as well. With trans fat added to the Nutrition Facts panel, required by Jan. 1, 2006, you will know for the first time how much of all three--saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol--are in the foods you choose. Identifying saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol on the food label gives you information you need to make food choices that help reduce the risk of CHD. This revised label will be of particular interest to people concerned about high blood cholesterol and heart disease.
However, everyone should be aware of the risk posed by consuming too much saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol. But what is trans fat, and how can you limit the amount of this fat in your diet? | What is the difference between trans fats and partially hydrogenated oils? I see products that now say "No Trans Fats", but they have partially hydrogenated oils in them....I thought these were the same thing. Examples include Post cereals and various tortillas and tortilla chips. | I've been wondering the same thing.
"items that list partially hydrogenated oils in the ingredients but contain less than 0.5g of trans fats are considered by the government to be trans-fat free. " | Can trans fats affect the body throught breathing? So i was baking a cake and i think there may have been some partially hydrogenated ingrediants in the cake mix.
Is it possible that my heart/arteries or lungs would be damaged by trans fats somehow floating in the air? | | If you're serious in what you're asking, the answer is "NO". If you persistenly eat trans-fats high foods, then this will cause your arteries lots of bad problems. | Can trans fats come from sources other than hydrogenated oils? Does anything other than partially or fully-hydrogenated oils provide trans fats? | | A small amount of trans fat is found naturally, primarily in some animal-based foods. |
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