The Hidden Truth
By Lucy Romero, R.N., B.S.N.
“Zero grams of trans fats per serving.” This jingle may sound familiar, and if it does. then you are probably one of many Americans who may not fully understand the concept of what this entails. Trans fatty acids are a type of fat found in processed foods such as cake mixes, frostings, cookies, doughnuts and other high-fat pastries, crackers, stick margarines and shortenings. They are also found in fast foods and virtually anything you can fry. They are found in pancake mixes, pop tarts and even the breakfast cereals we give our children. Now, a sandwich made of peanuts and shortening may not sound appetizing, but unless you are buying all natural peanut butter, that’s basically what you are buying. And that great tasting popcorn you get at the movies, well that’s not butter you are putting on top. It is actually butter-flavored popping oil that is used to pop the popcorn. This is loaded with trans fats, just as the cheese in your nachos are. Trans fats are also found naturally in animal products — but in very small amounts. This includes meats, cheeses and dairy products.
You may be wondering how such a thing is made, so let’s first learn how these fats are formed. Trans fats are fats that are liquid to begin with. Take palm, palm kernel or coconut oils for example, which are some of the worst fats we can consume. They undergo a process called hydrogenation, in which hydrogen is added to the liquid. They are then transformed into a semi-solid form such as shortening. This is all done via an artificial/chemical process. Many manufacturers are using this process and are including trans fats in their products today. “Why?” you may ask. It’s simply because the trans fats add more flavor, texture and shelf-life to the product. This yields a better tasting product that can last on the shelf a longer time. This translates into less money spent by the manufacturers and a more affordable product for the consumer. Have you noticed how many trans-free products cost a bit more than their counterparts? It is more expensive to manufacture organic and non-processed food products. Just take a look at the grocery store next time and compare prices.
As of 2006, and manufacturers were required by the Food and Drug Administration to list trans fats on their labels of packaged foods. If the product has a nutrition label, it has to list trans fats. The tricky part is that the manufacturer only has to list it if the product contains 0.5mg or more. So if the product contains less than that, it doesn’t have to list it on the label. This is very misleading to the general public as they believe their product contains 0 grams of trans fats; when, in actuality, it might contain some. So remember, just because the label says “0 grams” doesn’t mean the product is trans free. And, currently there is no recommended daily allowance value for trans fats. However, just recently the American Heart Association set forth some dietary guidelines for trans fat consumption. It is recommended that the total amount of trans fats be limited to less than one percent of the total calories you consume.
So how do you become an expert at finding it on the label? Just look for the words, “partially hydrogenated oil or hydrogenated oil” in the list of ingredients. These are trans fats. If you see anything hydrogenated in the first four ingredients, this means that there are a great deal of trans fatty acids in the product. It would be best to put it back on the shelf. And remember, if it is in the ingredient list, but not listed on the label, there is less than 0.5 mg per serving. Now imagine if you have several servings! You will more than likely be well above the 0.5 mg minimum that is required on the label. Some manufactures have gotten much smarter and may have a breakdown of the product, such as listing what the filling consists of, then the topping. This way, the trans fats seems to be listed near the end. The product could still very well be loaded with it, but by reading the ingredient list, it seems harmless. It is important that consumers be expert label readers and look for these hidden clues prior to making food purchases.
“But my restaurant claims they use 100-percent vegetable oil in their menus,” you might say. “That’s a good thing, right?” Not necessarily. Your restaurant might claim to use 100-percent vegetable oil, but what they fail to tell you is that it may be 100-percent hydrogenated vegetable oil. This type of oil is cheaper, makes the food tasty and can last for days once it’s in the fryer. The restaurant industry can still get away with this claim due to the fact that it is still vegetable oil, just as many manufacturers do.
So why should we care about trans fats? Research has shown a direct correlation between consumption of trans fats, heart disease and obesity. Trans fats are known to raise total cholesterol, “bad” cholesterol (LDL) and lower our “good” cholesterol (HDL). This puts us at risk for heart disease and stroke. Trans fats, the more hydrogenated they are, the more artery-clogging damage they do. This is comparable to throwing some hot bacon grease down your kitchen sink. Eventually it will harden and food particles will start to stick to it causing plumbing problems and soon the water you pour in will not drain properly. It is the same concept with the trans fats. With time, trans fats will clog the pipes to the heart which will ultimately lead to heart attack and stroke.
It was first believed that saturated fats were far more damaging than trans fats, but studies show the opposite is actually true. However, a diet high in saturated fat can still lead to artery damage. Saturated fats are fats that also come from animal products, meats, cheeses and dairy products, much like cholesterol. Excessive consumption of saturated fats and cholesterol can still raise your “bad” cholesterol (LDL) and total cholesterol. This, along with a low level of “good” cholesterol (HDL) could put one at risk for heart disease and stroke.
Excessive consumption of foods high in trans fats is also associated with an increased risk of obesity. Obesity in turn is linked with an increased risk of certain cancers, high blood pressure, heart disease, and Type 2 diabetes. According to the American Diabetes Association, there are an estimated 202,250 Bexar county residents diagnosed with diabetes and another 67,416 that are undiagnosed. Texas is twice the national average with a whopping 14 percent of our population being diabetic. Finding all we can on good eating habits is crucial in the fight toward reducing the incidence of diabetes and its complications.
A simple blood test performed by your doctor can check to see if you are at risk for heart disease and stroke by checking your cholesterol levels. These include total cholesterol, “good” cholesterol (HDL), “bad” cholesterol (LDL), and triglycerides. Per the American Heart Association guidelines, normal blood fat levels are as follows for the average American:
Total cholesterol < 200 mg/dl
HDL > 60 mg/dl
LDL < 130 mg/dl
Triglycerides < 150 mg/dl
The general recommendation is to have your cholesterol levels checked every five years starting at age 35. If you are overweight, have a chronic condition such as high blood pressure or diabetes or have a family history of heart disease or high cholesterol, you should have the test much sooner. Talk to your doctor about it. The best way to lower your risk for heart disease and stroke is to lower your “bad” (LDL) cholesterol and raise your “good” (HDL) cholesterol. This can be done by maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, increasing fiber in the diet and developing good eating habits.
Good eating habits start with learning how to read and understand food labels. The more we know about saturated and trans fats, the more likely we are to make healthful food choices for ourselves and our families. The best cooking is home cooking, the way grandma used to make it. Don’t depend so much on those processed foods, the ones that usually call for milk, water, oil and butter. More than likely, they are loaded with trans fats. At least with home cooking, you know what is going into your food, onto your plate and into your loved ones.
Lucy Romero, R.N., B.S.N. is a diabetes educator and Senior Public Health Nurse for “Families Preventing Diabetes,” a program of the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District. This program empowers community members to serve as community health advocates helping to reinforce and model healthy behaviors through peer education. The goal of the “Families Preventing Diabetes” program is to prevent or delay the onset of Type 2 diabetes and lessen the risks and complications associated with the disease.
