As I am sure you are all aware, there is a ton of controversy still lingering when it comes to fat in our diet, but one of the few things people actually agree on is that trans-fats are bad.
Fortunately, consumption of these unhealthy fats has dropped considerably in the last decade due to the awareness being circulated on their adverse effect on our health. Despite this, we are still consuming far too much of them, not so much by choice but more out of the fact that we just don’t realize it.
So what are Trans-fats?
First off, I need to clarify that there are actually two types of trans-fats, natural occurring trans-fats and artificial trans-fats. The primary natural occurring trans-fat in our diet is conjugated linoleic acid or (CLA) which is found in meat and dairy from ruminant animals (such as cattle, sheep and goats).
Natural occurring trans-fats have been a part of our diet since humans first began consuming meats and dairy and do not impose any harmful effects on our health. In fact, this type of fat may actually have anti-cancer properties and other major health benefits. The bottom line is we need not be concerned about natural occurring trans-fats PERIOD. (1, 2)
On the other hand, artificial trans-fats, otherwise known as hydrogenated fats, have been linked to a host of diseases. Artificial trans-fats are created by pumping hydrogen molecules into vegetable oils. This changes the chemical structure of the oil, turning it from a liquid into a solid. (3, 4)
Why would companies want to create trans-fats? Food manufacturers discovered that natural occurring fats generally aren’t solid at room temperature and go bad quickly. Fats that are hydrogenated on the other hand have a long self-life and improved texture for palatability. So, hydrogenation plays well for a company’s bottom line – but not so well for our health.
Trans-fats and Inflammation
We are now starting to better understand that excess inflammation is among one of the leading drivers behind chronic and metabolic issues in society today. Because of it, we continue to see rise in heart disease, metabolic syndrome, type II diabetes, arthritis and numerous others.
When looking at numerous clinical trials and observational studies the evidence clearly points out that artificial trans-fats are a key risk factor associated with inflammation, and increase nearly all inflammatory markers which can potentially lead to a host of health issues. (5, 6, 7, 8)
Trans-fats in the Modern Diet
Hydrogenated vegetable oils are the largest source of artificial trans-fats on the market today. Their obvious appeal to food manufacturers is they are very inexpensive and have a long shelf life. For this reason, they are found in all sorts of modern processed foods.
Fortunately, the good news is that the governments and health organizations around the world have been cracking down on trans-fats, and therefore, consumption has gone down in last decade. For instance, in 2003, the average US adult consumed 4.6 grams of artificial trans-fats per day. This has now been reduced to 1.3 grams per day. (9, 10)
Despite the overwhelming evidence of the harmful effect of trans-fats, the FDA only recently decided to remove the GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) status for trans-fats, even though the studies have been out for many years.
So, again, even though artificial trans-fat consumption is lower than it has been in recent years and we’re becoming more aware of its harmful effects, consumption is still way too high and should be reduced to zero.
How Can YOU Avoid Trans Fats
Although there has been some improvement made in recent years, trans-fats are still widely present in many processed foods. You see, in the US, food manufacturers (via a government loophole) can label their products trans-fat free as long as there is less than 0.5 grams of trans-fats per serving. Now knowing this, it’s easy to understand how a few “so called” trans-fat free crackers or cookies could easily add up to harmful amounts.
To make sure you’re avoiding artificial trans-fats one of the first steps is to know what to look for on a food label. Again, don’t be fooled by bold marketing statements on the front of packages claiming “trans-fat free” – remember the loophole- and don’t pick foods that have these key words on the ingredients list.
- Hydrogenated
- Fully Hydrogenated
- Partially Hydrogenated
- Shortening
Next, avoid industrial vegetable oils. These can contain artificial trans-fats without any indication on the label or ingredients list. A major US study that analyzed store bought soybean and canola oil found that up to 4.2 percent of the fats found in the oils were trans-fats – without any indication on the packaging. (11)
In order to avoid artificial trans-fats, the most obvious choice would be to eliminate as much processed foods from your diet as possible, and when using fats use real butter over margarine, and olive oil and coconut oil instead of harmful industrialized vegetable oils.
