For the past few years, nutrition experts have warned consumers about the dangers of trans-fatty acids or partially hydrogenated fats. That's why certain foods are noticeably missing from my pantry: crackers, chips and even some seemingly healthy cereals. In a home with two teenage boys, this has gone over about as well as my decision that they do their own laundry and clean their own bathroom.
So when my youngest son tried to sneak a box of "The Snack That Smiles Back" in the grocery cart at the commissary, I wasn't smiling. He could see what was coming, as he held up the box of smiling fish and said, "Wait, no trans fats!" My motherly pride that he knew the word trans-fats only slightly exceeded my distrust so, as any mother would, I checked the label. He was right.
Hidden Dangers of Trans Fats
Recognizing trans fats, trans-fatty acids or partially hydrogenated fats on food labels and avoiding them can be one of the most important decisions you make to reduce your family's chance of developing heart disease. In 1994, the Harvard School of Public Health estimated that at least 30,000 people died each year of premature coronary heart disease as a result of eating hydrogenated fats. The study also determined that for each two percent increase in calories from trans-fats, a woman's coronary risk escalated by 93 percent.
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), hydrogenated fats are in nearly half of all cereals, 70 percent of cake mixes, 70 percent of chips and crackers, 80 percent of frozen breakfast baked goods and 90 percent of all cookies. Your first encounter with the fat most likely is Crisco shortening, but partially hydrogenated fats have been around since the early 1900s as an alternative to butter, vegetable oils and animal fats such as lard. Scientists discovered that by saturating vegetable oil with hydrogen, they could create an inexpensive solid fat that extended product shelf life and made pastries, cakes and cookies light and flaky. It even contained less saturated fat than butter, so products often were labeled as "cholesterol free" or "lower in fat."
While manufacturers reveled, physicians cringed. Researchers discovered that although most animal fats contain some naturally occurring trans fats, they don't do the same type of damage as man-made trans fats. Both raise bad cholesterol levels (LDL), which can lead to hardening of the arteries, stroke and heart attack. However, trans fats cause this harm faster than animal fats. In addition, trans fats aren't picky; they also remove good fats (HDL) that spend their time scooping up the LDL and tossing it out. The other problem is that our bodies don't recognize manufactured trans fats as they do natural fats and therefore can't break them down. Instead, they are stored inside fatty abdominal tissue, which can lead to a pre-diabetes condition called Syndrome X, believed to affect as many as 47 million Americans, according to the Centers For Disease Control.
It's likely that, during the next two years, you will begin to see some manufacturers removing trans fats from many brands sold in the commissary. The change is due to labeling laws that take effect in 2006, requiring food manufacturers to label trans-fatty acid content. The FDA estimates that the changes in regulations will save between $900 million and $1.8 billion in medical costs each year. Some manufacturers see trans fats as the next tobacco, taking a cue from the medical and legal community and getting rid of the fats before litigation begins.
Healthy Choices
Until the deadline, it is difficult to understand exactly how much trans fat is in your food. Even foods labeled as trans-fat free, which are approved by the FDA, can contain up to 0.5 grams of hydrogenated fats per serving. Peanut butter is one product that falls under this rule; small amounts of hydrogenated fats are added to improve the texture (natural brands contain no trans fats). U.S. Department of Agriculture tests show that among the most popular brands, there are no more than 0.0032 grams of trans fats per two-tablespoon serving, citing that the benefits of the nut butter's healthy fats far exceed the worry over the miniscule number of trans fats. But the Institute of Medicine (the group that determines Recommended Dietary Allowances) faults the 0.5-gram rule, stating that any level of trans fats is dangerous.
When reading labels, first look for words like "partially hydrogenated vegetable oil," "vegetable shortening" or some variation. The higher they rank on the ingredient list, the more the product contains. Second, get to know the four types of fats: saturated, monounsaturated, polyunsaturated and trans fats. For better health, try to eat mostly monounsaturated fats, found in extra-virgin olive oil. Third, read the fine print. When scanning the label, add up all the fat grams - poly, mono and saturated. If the sum doesn't match the total fat, the difference may be unlabeled trans fats.
There are alternatives, if you look hard enough. You may see tropical oils, such as coconut and palm, in place of partially hydrogenated fats. These tropical oils contain lauric acid, a saturated fat that actually helps the heart. A number of health food companies make trans fat-free foods that taste just as good as the mega-brands, such as Barbara's Bakery, Earth Balance, Hain, Newman's and Spectrum (ask your commissary manager to consider carrying these brands).
For conventional foods, not all brands in all product lines have gotten rid of trans fats, but here are a few trying to beat the 2006 deadline: Frito-Lay (Doritos, Tostitos, Cheetos, Lay's, Ruffles), Kellogg's (Keebler cookies), Kraft (Triscuits, Wheat Thins, reduced-fat Oreos), Campbell's Pepperidge Farm (Goldfish) and Crisco (New Crisco, trans fat free).
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Kimberly Lord Stewart is a Colorado-based freelance health and food writer and wife of a retired naval officer.
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A Suggested Menu
So you want to avoid or limit your intake of foods with trans-fatty acids, but aren't sure where to begin. University of Maryland Medical Center registered dietitian Cynthia Payne has created a suggested daily menu by meal to help you get started on the road to reducing the trans fats in your diet.
Breakfast: Fresh fruit, Cheerios, Shredded Wheat, flake cereals, skim or one percent milk, yogurt, soymilk, oatmeal, multi-grain or whole wheat bread, almond or peanut butter, nuts such as walnuts and almonds in cereal or on yogurt.
Snack or Lunch: Strawberries, kiwi, oranges, bananas, celery with peanut butter, baby carrots with hummus or low fat dip, soy chips, raisins, nuts, walnuts, Spanish peanuts, Starkist Tuna Lunch to Go, pineapple, tropical fruit, peaches, or applesauce, rice cakes with natural peanut butter or almond butter, 50 percent light Cabot cheddar with melba rounds.
Quick Dinners:
- Rotisserie chicken, instant couscous, microwave or steamed green beans and watermelon for dessert.
- Oven warmed flour tortillas with low fat refried beans, part skim mozzarella cheese, and salsa. Serve with a salad or corn, broccoli and red peppers.
- Frozen stir-fry with chicken, beef or shrimp, quick cooking rice, frozen fruit pops.
- Spinach steamed and sautéed with garlic, plus one can of garbanzo beans and feta cheese with Pamela's ginger cookies for dessert.
- Salmon or chicken on the grill with oven-blasted veggies.