The Truth About Trans Fats: Why it's Essential to Avoid Them in a Healthy Eating Lifestyle
Fats in general have a negative connotation associated with them in today's society. Yet fat is an essential component of any diet, even a healthy eating diet. It can be a bit counter-intuitive when designing a healthy eating plan to include an adequate amount of fat, but all fats aren't created equal. Trans fat is a type of fat that has been increasingly pumped into our foods through industrial processes. It enhances the flavor and texture of many of the foods you love but is devoid of any nutritional value. On the contrary, it's consumption has acute and chronic negative effects on your health! Let's reveal the truth behind these trans fatty acids and discuss why they are in contrast to your new healthy eating lifestyle.
Not much of a reader? Skip to the end of this blog post for a quick video explaining all you need to know about trans fat!
What are trans fats?
Trans fats are a type of unsaturated fat. An unsaturated fatty acid has one or more double bonds in their carbon chain, but what makes them trans depends on the orientation of the carbons involved in the double bond(s). A trans fatty acid has carbons oriented on opposite sides of a double bond where your typical unsaturated fatty acid has carbons oriented on the same side of the double bond (cis orientation). Believe it or not, this orientation makes a world of difference in terms of your body's ability to process the fat molecule.
What are the dangers of trans fats?
Trans fat is detrimental to your health in any quantity. After decades of research exposing the health risks presented by trans fat, the FDA finally declared trans fat an unsafe fat substitute in 2016. This doesn't mean trans fat has been banned from use by food manufacturers, but it did pave the way for regulations and new food labeling guidelines. Here are some specific ways trans fat impacts your health:
Trans fat elevates your total blood lipid level as well as your LDL cholesterol level. In the bloodstream, these fats can accumulate on vessel walls, build up, and form plaques. Plaques impede the flow of blood within your body, leading to increased blood pressure and increased risk of cardiovascular disease (Lichtenstein et al., 2003)
Trans fat suppresses Transforming Growth Factor, a hormone that prevents atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is the medical term for a condition in where the arteries become "hardened". A diet high in trans fat reduces the elasticity of the body's arteries. The aorta, in particular, presents a danger with this reduced elasticity. It puts added strain on the heart, increasing the risk for cardiac infarction which can result in death (Chen et al., 2011)
In younger people, dietary trans fat intake has adverse cognitive effects. A 2015 study showed significant short term memory impairment in conjunction that increased linearly with trans fat consumption (Golomb & Bui, 2015). Moreover, trans fat intake was shown to correlate with decreased brain volume and development of dementia in older people (Bowman et al., 2011)
Chronic medical conditions associated with trans fat intake include the following: diabetes, dementia, stroke and cardiovascular disease (Shining the Spotlight on Trans Fats, 2017).
Where is trans fat found?
Trans fat is found in numerous processed foods available in any grocery store. In general, any packaged food that involves baking or frying or contains oil has the potential for containing trans fat. This includes cookies, chips, crackers, and some bread items. Because of trans fat's ability to enhance flavor, texture, and shelf life, it's a popular ingredient among many food manufacturers.
The good news is that, as of January 1st, 2006, the FDA requires trans fat to be listed under the nutrition facts of all food products sold in the US. Visit the link below for a more thorough explanation of FDA labeling regulations regarding trans fat.
Fast food and chain restaurants are another story though. Partially hydrogenated cooking oil containing trans fat remains a top choice among many fast food establishments. In recent years, the FDA finally required these companies to list calorie counts on their menus. Additonal nutrition information is only required to be offered by written request, however, so keep that in mind when eating out (Labeling and Nutrition - Trans Fat Now Listed with Saturated Fat and Cholesterol, n.d.). Many restaurants' Nutrition Facts can be found online. Checkout the link below to see the Nutrition Facts for McDonald's menu items. Notice how even menu items as innocuous as a hot chocolate still contain trans fat!
How can I avoid trans fat?
Read your Nutrition Facts! Aside from select items from your deli and bakery counter, every food item sold in your grocery store lists trans fat content in the Nutrition Facts label. Take caution, however. The FDA allows companies to list a trans fat content of 0g for any serving containing less than 0.5g of trans fat. Scan the ingredients list for partially hydrogenated oils and vegetable shortening before you make a purchase as these ingredients do contain trans fat and can still be present in items that declare 0g trans fat in the Nutrition Facts (Shining the Spotlight on Trans Fats, 2017).
The Healthy Eating Lifestyle approach to trans fat
Diet is a cornerstone to each of the seven dimensions of well being (social, emotional, spiritual, physical, environmental, occupational, and intellectual). Its influence goes beyond how you feel and look physically. This is precisely why healthy eating is so important! Eliminating trans fat from your diet is integral to healthy eating, and it's rather simple to do!
Become knowledgable about what you're eating. Make a habit of reading the Nutrition Facts when making trips to the grocery store. Use the information above to avoid any foods containing trans fat. When you go out to eat, ask for more detailed nutrition facts about menu items, or try and pull them up on a smartphone. If all else fails, avoid foods cooked in oils as they may be using partially hydrogenated oil.
The SuperTracker is a great tool provided by the USDA to help you do design your own personal diet. It uses the same Nutrition Facts you see at the grocery store to help you select your foods and devise a meal plan online while considering recommended dietary intakes. Trans fat is one of the metrics included, and you can plan your meals accordingly. Visit the link below to check it out and start planning your new Healthy Eating diet!
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