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Work is over and you are tired and hungry. Maybe you’re rushing home or picking up your kids from daycare.
you know you should Cooking dinner from scratch for the healthiest option is not going to happen for a number of reasons. You just need something quick and easy.
then you remember those titles You’re starting to worry about the trans fats in some packaged convenience foods.
If this feels familiar, here’s what you need to know.
What exactly are trans fats?
Typically, we talk about two broad categories of dietary fat – unsaturated and saturated.
Unsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature. Saturated fat is solid at room temperature. Saturated fats are linked to health problems because they raise LDL (aka “bad”) cholesterol and exacerbate inflammation.
Trans fats are technically unsaturated fats. But their molecules are arranged slightly differently, which means they act more like saturated fats in food and in the body.
What foods contain trans fat?
Small amounts of trans fat occur naturally in some animal foods, such as red meat and dairy products. They are also produced when oil is heated to very high temperatures, such as in commercial frying.
But most trans fats in our diets are “industrial” trans fats. They are made by deliberately converting unsaturated fats into trans fats through a hydrogenation process. This makes them act more like saturated fats – extending shelf life, flavor and texture.
Industrial trans fats can be found as ingredients in prepackaged foods such as shelf-stable cakes, pastries, fried salty snacks and some frozen foods.
Why should we reduce trans fats?
Initially, industrial trans fats were considered an innovation because they allowed manufacturers to replace expensive, unhealthy saturated fats.
But we now know that trans fats are not just like saturated fats in food. They also act like saturated fats in the body, raising LDL cholesterol and causing inflammation. Even if you don’t eat much, this can ultimately increase your risk of cardiovascular disease, such as heart disease and stroke.
this World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that we keep trans fats to less than 1% of total energy intake (about 2.2 grams per day if your standard diet is 8,000 kilojoules). This means eating less than four servings (300g) of frozen lasagna per day.
About the author
Emma Beckett is Senior Lecturer in Nutrition and Food Science at the Australian Catholic University.
This article is reproduced from dialogue Licensed under Creative Commons. read Original article.
Trans fat use Australia Average trans fat consumption has declined in recent decades and is below levels recommended by the World Health Organization. But it’s estimated that about 10 per cent of Australians eat more than the World Health Organization recommends.
Some countries have introduced regulations to limit the amount of trans fat in foods. The World Health Organization recommends that foods contain no more than 2 grams of trans fat per 100 grams of total fat. Despite calls for this to happen, this has not yet happened in Australia.
Since “industrial” trans fats are often found in prepackaged discretionary foods (such as shelf-stable pastries, cakes and cookies) and convenience foods (such as frozen meals), it’s easy to fall back on the simple “just eat fresh, whole foods and cook from scratch” recommendations.
But cooking from scratch may not be practical
However, for many people, cooking every meal from scratch isn’t practical, affordable or enjoyable. But even when eating convenience and discretionary foods, there are practical and meaningful ways to reduce your trans fat intake without changing your entire lifestyle or becoming a chef.
When buying snacks, frozen meals, or other prepackaged convenience products, check the label for trans fats. But this can be a bit tricky as they are not always mentioned, or may be called something else.
In Australia, the inclusion of trans fats on food labels is not mandatory unless the manufacturer makes a nutritional or health claim about the fat or cholesterol. If this is the case, trans fats need to be listed on the nutritional information panel.
In other cases, trans fat content does not have to be listed, but the manufacturer may declare it voluntarily.
You can also look for “hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated” in the ingredients list.
However, if a specific vegetable oil is listed, the manufacturer only needs to state that it is hydrogenated. If the ingredient is a generic “vegetable oil,” the manufacturer does not have to state whether the oil is hydrogenated.
So, to be sure, look for products that specifically list the unsaturated fats (such as canola, sunflower, or olive oil) they use as ingredients, as these products must include additional details.
Don’t stress about cooking with oils at home, as they aren’t hot enough to produce large amounts of trans fats. Most margarines and shortenings in Australia are now reformulated to contain almost no trans fat.
If you order takeout or fast food, frying at high temperatures may result in a modest increase in trans fats. Choosing a point of sale that uses liquid vegetable oils can reduce this risk. Most fast food chains in Australia use high oleic canola oil or a trans fat-free blend.
We don’t need to become chefs overnight
The bottom line is, trans fats are not necessary and do not contribute to health.
But we don’t need to drastically change our lives, cook from scratch or track every gram of fat we eat.
By reading a few labels, making a few simple substitutions, and a general pattern of choosing foods made with vegetable oils instead of solid fats, you can feel confident minimizing your exposure to trans fats.