Trans
Fats busted
In
my research on the new trans fats labeling laws, I found,
in my
opinion, a very serious infraction being perpetrated on
American
consumers by the food companies.....
If
you have been out label shopping lately, you have probably
come
across labels reading "0 Grams Trans Fat", in
foods such as
margarine, bean dips, chips, and many other foods that typically
contain the notoriously dangerous trans fats, known as "partially
hydrogenated oil, hydrogenated oil, and vegetable shortening".
If
you look at the "Ingredients:" portion of the
label, you will still
see these hydrogenated oils listed in the content of the
foods,
sometimes listed as a third ingredient, as in the Frito
Lay Bean
Dip, indicating a higher weight than ingredients listed
toward the
end.
I called
Frito Lay and asked why they were advertising "0 Grams
Trans Fat" on the front and on the Nutrition Facts
sections of the
label, when they were still listing hydrogenated oil as
an
ingredient. They explained that they are allowed by the
FDA to have
less than half a gram, .50 gram trans fat "per serving",
and call
it "0 Grams Trans Fat".
As
an example, the Frito Lay Bean Dip lists two (2) tablespoons
per
serving. The problem is that most people do not pay attention
to how
many servings they are eating, and are usually surprised
when they
realize they have eaten 3 or 4 servings. Assuming you enjoy
2 to 4
servings (4-8 tablespoons), of the bean dip, you have now
just
ingested between 1 and 2 grams of trans fat, thinking you
had 0
grams trans fat!
I also
checked the FDA website on labeling, and sure enough, they
can legally get away with this deception. Here's what they
say at:
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/qatrans2.html#s3q3
Q:
Is it possible for a food product to list the amount of
trans fat
as 0 g on the Nutrition Facts panel if the ingredient list
indicates that it contains "partially hydrogenated
vegetable oil?"
A:
Yes. Food manufacturers are allowed to list amounts of trans
fat
with less than 0.5 gram (1/2 g) as 0 (zero) on the Nutrition
Facts
panel. As a result, consumers may see a few products that
list 0
gram trans fat on the label, while the ingredient list will
have "shortening," "partially hydrogenated
vegetable oil,"
or "hydrogenated vegetable oil" on it. This means
the food contains
very small amounts (less than 0.5 g) of trans fat per serving.
Let's
take a look at the biological harm caused by any level of
trans fat in the body:
-Trans
fats inhibits enzyme function. Enzymes are responsible for
the
building and break down of all cells and nutrients. Without
enzymes,
metabolism or digestion would not occur at or near the optimal
level,
and eventually our body would stop functioning.
-Trans
fats jam the receptor sites of healthy fatty acids so they
are unable to transport into the cell and do their jobs
on a
cellular level. Healthy fatty acids are food for the heart,
as well
as many other essential functions.
-Trans
fats are associated with hardening of the arteries. Recent
research indicates trans fats play a big role in heart disease,
as
do saturated fats.
-Trans
fats cause excessive inflammation and free radical damage
known as oxidation, causing certain types of cancer, arthritis,
eczema, irritable bowel syndrome, and more. In fact, inflammation
has been found in all degenerative diseased states.
-Trans
fats effect the body's electrical circuitry and energy
exchanges by blocking the receptor sites from the good fatty
(cis)
acids. Electrical currents are responsible for all body
functions
including neurological transmissions, heart beat regulation,
cell
division, muscle coordination, hormonal balance, and energy
levels.
-Trans
fats are stickier than healthy fatty acids and clot smaller
blood vessels, causing stroke, heart attack, and circulatory
occlusions in other organs, such as the lungs, extremities,
and
sense organs.
-Trans
fats are less easily broken down by enzymes and have slower
metabolism as an energy source. This could have serious
consequences in a high-stress situation.
-Trans
fats greatly interfere with liver detoxification pathways,
ultimately crippling the cleansing and detoxification of
metabolic
wastes, as well as environmental and food toxins.
-Trans
fats replace the phospholipids that create a healthy cell
membrane and loose their flexibility. Cells made from trans
fats
become rigid at body temperature.
-Trans
fats change the permeability of the cells allowing toxins
and
other undesirable substances into the cell, disrupting the
DNA and
the normal metabolic activity of the cell.
-Trans
fats are not found in nature, they are made-man, therefore,
a
foreign substance the body can not use. The average American
consumes 6-8% of their daily calories as trans fats, which,
unfortunately has replaced our consumption of the healthy
fats.
WHAT
YOU CAN DO:
1.
Please read the labels and avoid ANYTHING hydrogenated or
partially hydrogenated on the INGREDIENTS section of the
label.
Don't fall for the "0 Grams Trans Fats". Only
consider products
labeled, "No Trans Fat", and even then, double
check the ingredients
list.
2.
Avoid fast food and fried foods when dining out - they all
use
trans fats to cook the French fries, fried chicken patties
and
nuggets, and is used as a preservative in the buns. The
most health
crippling meal you can give your child is fried chicken
nuggets,
French fries, and a soda.
3.
Don't forget to eat your fruits and vegetables! In fact,
you
should double up on the days you eat trans fats during social
occasions, holidays, etc. Anti-oxidant loading is highly
recommended
when your food choices are not where you'd like them to
be,
depending on your daily circumstances.
4.
Be an activist! Take 2 minutes and call companies like Frito
Lay
and tell them it's just not worth buying their products
until they
get serious about REALLY removing the trans fats.
Without
consumer opinion, companies will continue putting harmful
ingredients into our food supply. For more information on
the
science behind the debilitating affects of trans fats, please
read "Fats That Heal, Fats That Kill", by Dr.
Udo Erasmus, Ph.D.
Blessings of Health and Longevity,
Cydney
Riggio, NT
Tox-Exempt, Lifestyle Enhancements for a Toxic World
Cancer Prevention Coalition Local Office Director
720-289-2749
Tox-Exempt@att.net
