Article: Eating Right - Trans Fats?

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Article: Eating Right - Trans Fats?
I subscribe to "Real Age". I get little tidbits everyday. Today's is about transfatty acids called hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils.

I have challenged myself to eliminate all foods with these in them if they are listed within the first 5 ingredients. Anyone want to join me? You will be amazed at how many processed foods these fats are in!

A recent study revealed that eating too many trans fats may significantly increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. To reduce your intake of trans fats, avoid processed foods that list hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils at the top of their ingredients lists.

Fitbug

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I'm in

Count me in, fit bug, I have been watching this for some time. My doc says they are worse than just eating butter (margarine is a big offender....)

Mary

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Yes, they are implicated in a higher incidence of breast cancer, they interfere with the conversion of linoleic acid to gamma linoleic acid, they are worse than saturated fats for heart disease.

I'm definitely with you on this one, jody. But yeah, you have to go to healthy cooking because anything off the shelf has them in it.

Trish

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Hi,

Please tell me, where can I find accurate information about these transfatty acids? I hear bit and pieces in the media, but nothing substantial.

Thanks,
PennyB

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http://www.enig.com/trans.html
Check out this site and if you still need more information you can type transfatty acid into your browsers address line and it will searchthe web for you.

Fitbug

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I hope you find the following sources to be substantial, Penny:

If you look at Dr. Weil's 8 weeks to optimal health it's the first step he has you take--throw out all the hydrogenated whatsis in your house.

By definition, they seem like a bad idea--hydrogenation adds to the molecules so that they don't become rancid on the shelf--which means that they don't break down. So what are they doing in the body? Not functioning correctly.

The case against them comes from several directions that I know of. A review of the evidence across 25 metabolic and epidemiological studies conducted by Harvard researchers and published in teh New England Journal of Medicine (vol. 340, june 24, 1999) concluded that the relationship between eating transfatty acids and coronary heart disease is confirmed. Because of it and several other studies (less conclusive but pointing to a serious concern), the FDA is considering specific food labeling rules so they are easier to spot.

In particular, transfats raise the bad cholesterol and lower the good--confirmed once more in Am J Cardiol 2000 Dec 21; 86(12A):41L-45, "Nonpharmacologic management of low levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol." by Ginsberg HN. And in Lancet 2001 Mar 10;357(9258):746-51 "Association between trans fatty acid intake and 10-year risk of coronary heart disease in the Zutphen Elderly Study: a prospective population-based study." by Oomen CM, Ocke MC, Feskens EJ, van Erp-Baart MA, Kok FJ, Kromhout D., which concluded that "A high intake of trans fatty acids (all types of isomers) contributes to the risk of coronary heart disease."

So this link is rock solid. It's not worse than butter in these cases, however. Just AS bad as butter.

When I was researching evening primrose oil (which is a way to repair a faulty chain of events leading from food to prostaglandins) one of the known causes for making the chain faulty was the consumption of transfats. The enzyme shows up, uses itself up trying to convert something that by definition won't convert (that's what the transfat is--a fat altered so it won't metabolize correctly--or go rancid). Some of the effects they are pursuing now may be the result of this interference with fat metabolism. So they also may interfere with the conversion of beta carotene to vitamin A--and vitamin A problems might be related to fibroids etc. GLA deficiency causes me to have hair loss and get excema, so I know I should avoid them.

I think the scariest research direction (not yet proved) comes from a preliminary study of postmenopausal women in Europe that showed a 40% increase in the risk of breast cancer in those eating diets high in transfats. This article is Lenore Kohlmeier and others, "Adipose Tissue TRANS Fatty Acids and Breast Cancer in the European Community Multicenter Study on Antioxidants, Myocardial Infarction, and Breast Cancer," CANCER EPIDEMIOLOGY, BIOMARKERS & PREVENTION Vol. 6 (September 1997), pgs. 705-710.

Whoops, I see Jody posted a link since I started bopping around with this--and went back to my real work and now back again I'll have to check it out.

But anyway, the transfatty acid issue is something to take seriously and I had definitely let my attention from it slip--because it does take vigilance and moving away from processed food.

Thanks, Jody, for reminding me!

trish

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I'm so glad this thread is going on. I'm also staying away from processed foods and hopefully trans fatty acids. My question is on the food label, will it say "contains trans fatty acids"? Or is it hidden in another language? I have found a product called Smart Balance buttery spread that's very good and it claims to have no trans fatty acids and is non-hydrogenated.

But you never know! The top ingredients--natural oil blend (soy, palm, canola, olive), water, whey, vegetable monoglyerides and sorbitan ester of fatty acids, etc. What does this mean? Is this product okay, I hope?

Lauren

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Lauren,

Trans fatty acids are a result of the hydrogenation process, which takes innocent monounsaturated (olive or canola) oil or polyunsaturated (corn, soy, safflower etc.) oil and forces hydrogen in to make them more saturated. Hence they become more solid. They behave in the body like the saturated animal fats (butter, lard, meat fat, cream, etc.)

On labels, look for the word "hydrogenated" oils in things like crackers, salad dressings, etc. The problem is that hydrogenated oils are used in so many things without adequate labeling - deli food, bakery items, restaurants and fast food places use it all the time.

Also keep in mind, that the more solid a margarine or similar product is at room temperature, the more hydrogenated (hardened) it is. So, spray margarine would have less trans fats than liquid margarine which would have less trans fats than tub margarine, which would have less trans fats than stick margarine.

Another thing to watch for are the following vegetable oils that are very saturated (even though they come from vegetables): coconut oil, palm and palm kernel oil, and cottonseed oil. They are often used in crackers and grain products as well as non-dairy creamers and whipped toppings. They are not solid, they are vegetable oils, but they are the exception to the rule in that they are vegetable oils that have the majority of their fatty acids as the saturated kind.

Best bets - making your own foods when possible with olive, canola or corn oil, avoiding deep fried foods from restaurants and reading lables to try to avoid hydrogenated oils high in the list of ingredients.

There is talk that at the next revision of food labels to required not only grams of saturated fat, but also grams of trans fats. Makes sense, because they both behave the same way in the body!

Theresa

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Thanks so much Teresa for the information about TransFatty Acids or "Hydrogenated" or "Partially hydrogenated fats" ( as they would be listed on a label.

Fitbug

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Thanks Theresa

Great information! So it kind of sounds like "Smart Balance" buttery spread is a fluke as usual. Figures. It looks and spreads like tub margarine so it's probably those bad vegetable oils. What do you think? It does say on the label it's non-hydrogenated.
Lauren

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I'm not familiar with the label on Smart Balance, but I'll check next time I'm at the store.

If it says it isn't hydrogenated, then under penalty of law for false advertising, it shouldn't be. If it says it's not hydrogenated, then it's probably ok.

Just another thing to think about. EVERYTHING IN MODERATION. If the only trans or hydrogentated fat in your diet is from margarine, and you use it in small amounts, then it's not a concern. However, if your diet is high in fat (more than 20-30% of your total calories, doesn't matter what kind of fat) and if most of that fat is trans/hydrogenated or saturated fat, then you have cause for concern for heart disease, obesity, various cancers, etc.

Theresa

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Butter = Good (Organic, cultured, that is)

Fitbug,
I appreciate this post, and the reminder about trans and hydrogenated fats. Listed on the site you posted is information about the cookbook Nourishing Traditions, which is an excellent and revolutionary book.

For people who mourn the lack of butter in their diets due to the bad rap it has been given (I wonder why, with all the competing fake butters and spreads on the market??? -Please check out the following information:

"The media's constant attack on saturated fats is extremely suspect. Claims that butter causes chronic high cholesterol values have not been substantiated by research- although some studies show that butter comsumption causes a small, temporary rise- while other studies have shown that stearic acid, the main component of beef fat, actually lowers cholesterol. Margarine, on the other hand, provokes chronic high levels of protective cholesterol and has been linked to both heart disease and cancer. Butter has received so much adverse propoganda that we have lost sight of the fact that it has long been a valuable component of many traditional diets, containing the following nutrients:

-Fat Soluable Vitamins- A, D & E
-The Wulzen Factor- called the "anti-stiffness" factor, helps prevent calcification of the joints, degenerative arthritis
-The X Factor- a catalyst that helps the body absorb and utilize minerals
-Arachidonic Acid- a precursor to important prostaglanins
-Short and Medium Chain Fatty Acids-these have anti-microbial, anti-tumor and immune system supporting properties
-Omega-6 and omega-3 polyunsaturates
-Conjugated Linoleic Acid (strong anti-cancer properties)
-Lecithin- assists in the proper assimilation and metabolization of cholesterol and other fats
-Cholesterol- essential for growth, development, and produces a variety of steroids that protect against cancer, heart
disease and mental illness
-Glycosphingolipids- special category of fat which protects agains gastrointestinal infections
-Trace Minerals- manganese, zinc, chromium, iodine, and butter is extremely rich in selenium

Organic butter which has been cultured (buttermilk is used in the making with natural digestive enzymes intact) contains no added sodium and is sweet and delicious."

I actually don't use a lot of butter because I tend to use some flaxseed oil on toast, a touch of tamari soy sauce on vegetables sometimes, but when I want butter, this is excellent, and the flavor is incredible.

I added this post because I hate to see butter lovers (who became margarine users)believing it's "bad" and that they can't use it.

The information I quoted, by the way, is from the book Nourishing Traditions, not the website. I happen to have the book, and looked up the information to share.

Barbara (Now for some butter on that toast)
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Butter

Three years ago with a cholesterol of 23O the docs wanted me to take the new drugs on the market. I resisted. Even before my surgery my new number was 179. I started by eleminating margarine and trans fat (watch out for micro wave low fat popcorn) and started using olive oil and a little bit of butter instead. I eat NATURAL peanut butter in small amounts.

I have a very low fat diet, but when I eat fat, or sugar it is the real thing and I really enjoy it. No NUTRA SWEET, no saccarine, no fake food at all. If I'm going to have a cookie, I'll have homemade chocolate chip made with butter and sugar with real chocolate. It is rare but boy do I enjoy it. I have lost 25 pounds since my surgery. My blood pressure is 136/80 down from about 160/86.

I eat whole grains, fruit, vegetables, lean meat, legumes, and non-fat milk products most of the time. I also do tai chi and use a rowing machine.

I think giving up margarine and trans fats was the best thing I ever did for myself besides my surgery

K

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Down with the tranies

I am encouraged too. While I would encourage people to listen to their doctors I would also tell them to use common sense and know their own bodies. I do eat a healthy diet after all. A cookie is a once in a blue moon birthday present kind of thing. Having said that, I resisted taking one of the new statins for my cholesterol even though it was perscribed.

I did always take and still take my blood pressure pills religiously. I always ask for medications that have been on the market long enough for there to be a generic out and that have the least amount of side effects associated with them. I also ask for the lowest effective dose at first. We can always raise a dose later if it is not effective. This way I am not a drug company experiment and my persciptions are cheaper.

I asked my former doctor two years ago if diet and exercise would lower my cholesterol and he told me that it would not help me at all. That diet and exercise were only minimally effective. I think if you are not really committed that may be true. Or maybe I'm just a fluke, but I like to think I proved him wrong, wrong, wrong.

I would encourage anyone struggling with weight/blood lipids, on meds or not to consult with a nutritionist, or there are some very good inexpensive books on low fat diets out there. Your library is another good source on medications, books and articles on diets and other info.
ksessions