17 June 2015

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FDA Bans Trans Fat in Food Facts about Trans Fats Trans Fatty Acids

FDA Bans Trans Fat in Food Important Facts Know about Trans Fats Trans Fatty Acids Avoid Trans Fats


Trans fat is made by adding hydrogen to vegetable oil.

the U.S. Food and Drug Administration today finalized its determination that partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs), the primary dietary source of artificial trans fat in processed foods, are not “generally recognized as safe” or GRAS for use in human food.

Food manufacturers will have three years to remove PHOs from products.

1-
What are fatty acids?

Fatty acids are the chemical compounds that make up fats. Fatty acids are chains of carbon atoms with hydrogen atoms attached to the carbon atoms. A "saturated" fatty acid has the maximum possible number of hydrogen atoms attached to every carbon atom. It is therefore said to be "saturated" with hydrogen atoms.

Sometimes a pair of hydrogen atoms in the middle of a chain is missing, creating a gap that leaves two carbon atoms connected by a double bond, rather than a single bond. The missing hydrogen atoms cause the chain to be "unsaturated." A fatty acid that has one double bond is said to be "monounsaturated." Fatty acids having more than one double bond are called "polyunsaturated." Usually, the hydrogen atoms at a double bond are positioned on the same side of the carbon chain. In fact, all fatty acids listed as "monounsaturated" and "polyunsaturated" in nutrition labeling are of this type (i.e., in the "cis" configuration).

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What are Trans fatty acids?

Trans fatty acids, also known as trans fats, are made during partial hydrogenation of vegetable oils. Hydrogenation is the process by which hydrogen atoms are added to unsaturated sites on fatty acids, thereby, eliminating double bonds. Partial hydrogenation relocates some double bonds and hydrogen atoms end up on different sides of the chain. This type of configuration is called "trans" (means "across" in Latin).


There are two sources of trans fat, also known as trans fatty acids:

A-
Trans fat formed naturally – this type of trans fat is produced in the gut of some grazing animals.  That’s why small quantities of trans fat can be found in animal products like meat, milk, and milk products.

B-
Trans fat formed during food processing – this type of trans fat is created when hydrogen is added to vegetable oil (a process called hydrogenation) to make it more solid.  Partially hydrogenated oils are used by food manufacturers to improve the texture, shelf life, and flavor stability of foods. About half of the trans fat Americans consume is formed during food processing, and partially hydrogenated oils are the main source of this type of trans fat in the Unites States (U.S.).

Eating trans fat raises the level of low-density lipoprotein (LDL or "bad") cholesterol in the blood.  An elevated LDL blood cholesterol level can increase your risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in both men and women in the U.S. Therefore, you should keep your intake of trans fat as low as possible.
Fats in Your Diet

Limiting trans fats is one component of a healthful diet that also includes limiting saturated fat and dietary cholesterol.

Dietary fats are found in both plant and animal foods. Fat is a major source of energy for the body and aids in the absorption of vitamins A, D, E, and K. Fat is also important for proper growth, development, and maintenance of good health.

The Dietary Guidelines recommends that adults consume no more than approximately one third of their calories from fat to reduce their risk of developing chronic diseases (such as cardiovascular disease), while providing for adequate intake of essential nutrients.

Infants and toddlers up to two years of age have the highest energy needs per unit of body weight of any age group. Fats are an important source of calories and nutrients for these youngsters.

3-
As a food ingredient, fat provides flavor, consistency, and stability – and helps you feel full.
Where’s the Trans Fat?
Where’s the Trans Fat?

4-
Trans fat can be found in many of the same foods as saturated fat.
These can include:
Coffee creamer
Crackers, cookies, cakes, frozen pies, and other baked goods
Fast food
Frozen pizza
Ready-to-use frostings
Refrigerated dough products (such as biscuits and cinnamon rolls)
Snack foods (such as microwave popcorn)
Vegetable shortenings and stick margarines

5-
Choose Your Fats Wisely

Use the Nutrition Facts Label as your tool for reducing trans fat in your diet which may help decrease your risk of developing cardiovascular disease!

Keep trans fat consumption as low as possible by limiting foods that contain trans fats formed during food processing. Trans fat has no percent Daily Value (%DV), so use the amount of grams (g) as your guide.

Look for partially hydrogenated oils, a source of trans fat, on the ingredient list on a food package.
Note: The Nutrition Facts label can state 0 grams of trans fat if the food product contains less than 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving. Thus, if a product contains partially hydrogenated oils, then it might contain small amounts of trans fat even if the label says 0 grams of trans fat.

Choose lean cuts of meat and skinless poultry.

Switch from stick margarine to soft margarine (liquid, tub, or spray).

Limit packaged snack foods and commercially prepared (ready-made) baked goods.

Substitute fat-free (skim) or low-fat (1%) milk and milk products (such as yogurt and cheese) or fortified soy beverages for full-fat (whole) milk and milk products.

Get plenty of foods that are naturally low in fat and high in dietary fiber, such as whole grains, beans, peas, fruits, and vegetables.

Cook and bake with liquid oils (like canola or olive oil) instead of solid fats (like shortening, butter, or lard).

Try baking, steaming, grilling, or broiling.  These cooking methods do not add extra fat.

 Avoid products that list partially hydrogenated fat or oil on the label

 Include lots of fruit and vegetables in your diet

Use fat-free or low-fat dairy products

Try to eat fewer biscuits, cakes and pastries

Use liquid vegetable oil for frying at home

When eating out, try to eat fewer fried foods

How Trans fat harms our body?

Trans fat = unhealthy effect on cholesterol levels

Trans Fat increases LDL and decreases HDL cholesterol.

There are two main types of cholesterol:

A –
Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) -
LDL, or "bad," cholesterol can build up in the walls of our arteries, making them hard and narrow.

B-
High-density lipoprotein (HDL) -
HDL, or "good," cholesterol picks up excess cholesterol and takes it back to our liver.

If the fatty deposits within our arteries tear or rupture, a blood clot may form and block blood flow to a part of your heart, causing a heart attack, or to a part of your brain, causing a stroke.
 
Avoiding Trans Fat containing food does not mean now you are safe
Must keep watch on Saturated fat, it raises your LDL cholesterol.
Tropical oils like coconut, palm kernel and palm oils contain a lot of saturated fat.

Good diet –
25 to 35 percent of total daily calories can come from fat but saturated fat should account for less than 10 percent of total daily calories.

Monounsaturated fat found in olive, peanut and canola oils is a healthier option than is saturated fat.

Nuts, fish and other foods containing unsaturated omega-3 fatty acids are other good choices of foods with monounsaturated fats.


When eating out, remember to ask which fats are being used to make the food you're ordering. You can also ask to see nutrition information, which is available in many fast food and chain restaurants, and choose a lower fat option.

Suggested Reading –

US FDA orders food industry not to use remove Artificial Trans Fats from food


Source – FDA

Reality views by sm –

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Tags – FDA Trans Fat Banned


4 comments:

Kirtivasan Ganesan June 17, 2015  

There were many articles on these lines you had written.
When the stomach is hungry, the hand reaches for food. But one must be careful with hand when cooking.

Destination Infinity June 17, 2015  

Any processed food maybe bad. I suggest sticking to natural food. But even in natural foods there is pesticide infused food, and now GM-s have started entering.

Destination Infinity