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The Truth behind Trans Fat
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The nutrition world is consistently changing; one year margarine is better than butter and the next year it’s reverse. Yesterday we’re told to avoid eggs, yet tomorrow we should. With all these confusing messages, it is not surprising that many people are confused. Consumers consistently ask us what is the best diet plan? Let’s delve into the details of how to make smart decisions when fueling your body for optimal performance. First up, trans fats.

Scientists have really caught on to the dangers of regular consumption of trans fat. As a result, it is mandatory for companies to list trans fat as of January 2006.

Primer on Fats

All fats have the same basic structure; they are a chain of carbon atoms with varying amounts of hydrogen atoms attached to each carbon. This is important to understand the next piece to this article. Let’s delve into some simplified chemistry:

Think of the structure of fats as a school bus; the bus itself is the carbon atom chain discussed above and all the seats are the hydrogen atoms.

• Saturated Fat: all the carbon atoms are full of hydrogen atoms, the “seats on the bus” are full. No other atoms can fit onto the structure because there are no “empty seats.” Saturated fats are easy to identify because they are solid at room temperature (butter, shortening, animal fats, etc).

• Monounsaturated fat: (mono, meaning one) fats: there is one “empty seat” on the bus and the rest are full. There is room to fit more hydrogen because of the one “empty seat.” Monounsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature (vegetable oils, like olive oil, canola oil, etc).

• Polyunsaturated (poly, meaning many) fat: several of the “seats” are empty. Polyunsaturated fats are also liquid at room temperature (flax oil, fish oil, etc).

Where do trans fats fit?

Trans fats are basically vegetable fats that have been changed chemically by a process known as hydrogenation. Remember the monounsaturated fats from above had one empty “seat” without a hydrogen atom. The process of hydrogenation or partial hydrogenation is when food manufacturers artificially add hydrogen to unsaturated fats to provide greater stability and, ultimately, longer shelf life in addition to a more desirable texture; hydrogenation makes liquid fats solid at room temperature. For these reasons, it has been used in food manufacturing for quite some time.

Downside to trans fats

The problem is the body treats the hydrogenated fat like it's a saturated fat. Trans fats have adverse actions on lipid profiles since they raise LDL, the “bad” cholesterol that contributes to plaque formation, and decrease HDL, the “good” cholesterol, which offers defense against artery clogging fats. Trans fats also negatively affect plasma markers of inflammation and reduce endothelial function, which are all subsequently associated with an increased cardiovascular disease risk. Similar results have been realized not only for those with preexisting heart disease but they also occur in healthy individuals.

Table 1: Select foods that commonly
(not always) contain trans fats

There is no suggested intake for trans fats. However, it is suggested that intakes are lowered as much as possible since there is no requirement for trans fats in the diet.

How can someone tell if a product contains trans fats?

The simplest way is to read the ingredient panel; if hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils are listed, it contains some trans fats. In 2006 it will be mandatory for all food manufacturers to list trans fat on their product’s nutrition facts panel. This will be listed on a separate line, under saturated fat.

How can the ingredient list say hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated, but list 0 grams of trans fat?

Some products may contain low amounts of trans fats, but still list zero trans fats on the food label. Remember, if the ingredient list says hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils, the food contains trans fats. Food manufacturers are allowed to list the amount of trans fats as zero, if, and only if, each serving contains less than 0.5 grams of trans fat. Keep in mind that this is per serving, so if it’s normal to sit down with a container of non-natural peanut butter on your lap and eat it by the spoonful, the normally low amount of trans fats in each serving will quickly add up. Of course the calories will too, so this practice is not recommended at all.

Take home message

When searching through the endless amounts of hype to find out what is the best diet plan, it’s important to look at the amount of packaged foods included, since they often contain trans fat (and a whole slew of other unhealthy ingredients) and pick the diet plan that uses the most fresh and least processed foods available.

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