What’s All the Hoopla About Trans Fats?
We all know that eating too much junk food can lead to love handles. But,
did you know these snacks also can contribute to a heart attack or stroke?Trans fatty acids, or trans fats, are
found primarily in stick margarine
and commercially prepared
baked goods. They increase the
levels of cholesterol in your blood. In fact,
one major study found that trans fats doubled
the risk of heart disease in women.
Clogging the Pipes
Trans fat is formed when liquid vegetable
oils go through a chemical process called
hydrogenation. This helps prolong a
food's shelf life and gives it a desirable
taste, shape and texture. Trans fat oils can
be used many times in restaurant fryers.
Mark Gelernt, M.D., a cardiologist on staff at Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center, said trans fats can "clog the pipes" that feed the heart and brain, increasing the risk of a heart attack or stroke.
"Trans fats raise LDL or ‘bad' cholesterol
levels, lower production of ‘good'
HDL cholesterol and increase triglyceride
levels," Dr. Gelernt said. Trans fats can
make arteries more vulnerable to plaque
formation, and make blood clots more
likely to develop, he said.
Limiting Trans Fats
While artificial trans fats have been around for decades, research into their health effects only began in the 1990s. In 2006, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration started requiring manufacturers to list trans fat content on package labels. Since then, New York City and Philadelphia have adopted ordinances banning the use of trans fats in restaurants. Organizations like the Lourdes Health System have greatly reduced or eliminated trans fats in the foods they serve (see story below).
At home, Dr. Gelernt recommends reducing the use of all types of oils. When needed, olive and canola oils, which lower LDL cholesterol while raising HDL cholesterol, are preferred. He advises consumers to seek out foods that are low in trans fats, but noted the FDA allows manufacturers to call a product trans fat-free when it has up to 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving.
The Fat on Fats
Trans:
- Raises "bad" cholesterol and lowers "good" cholesterol;
- Created by adding hydrogen to liquid vegetable oils to make them more solid.
- Raises cholesterol levels;
- Found in beef, lamb and pork; whole milk, cheese and butter; coconut and palm oils.
Monounsaturated:
- Can lower bad cholesterol;
- Found in olive, peanut and canola oils; avocados; many nuts.
Polyunsaturated:
- Can lower bad cholesterol;
- Found in soybean, corn and sunflower oils, and fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel and trout.
