The Shocking U.S. Trans Fat Ban & What It Means For Your French Fries

Trans fats are no joke. They were introduced into our food supply to spare us from the supposed dangers of saturated fats. Much of the research vilifying saturated fats in the first place included trans fats in their analysis. Given the recent research confirming the risks associated with trans fats, it’s likely that these were the artery-clogging culprits all along. 

Trans fats are estimated to account approximately 30,000 premature deaths each year. According to the Nurse’s Study, women who consumed the most trans fats had a 50% increased risk of a heart attack compared to women who consumed the least. Other research has confirmed the link between trans fats and heart disease risk due to its ability to increase levels of LDL, triglycerides, and lipoprotein (a) while decreasing HDL (“good cholesterol”). Population studies also indicate that consuming trans fats may also increase the risk of diabetes. 

The research is clear. Trans fats should be avoided at all costs.

Unfortunately, trans fats are still found in a plethora of foods today. These include shortening, margarine, crackers, cereals, candy, baked goods, cookies, chips, salad dressings, fried foods, frostings, microwave popcorn and processed foods. You can identify foods that contain trans fats by looking for shortening, hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oil on the label. The higher up on the list these ingredients appear, the more trans fat. 

Fortunately, the omnipresence of trans fats in our food supply may be about to change -- at least in restaurants.  As of June 15, the US government is enacting a nationwide ban on the use of trans fats in restaurants. Admittedly, there is still more work to be done in order to fully eliminate the risks associated with trans fats and save as many lives as possible, but at least it's progress. Here are the highlights from an article entitled, "Thanks To the FDA’s Nationwide Trans-Fat Ban, French Fries Will Be Slightly Less Terrible For You" by Josh Sherer. Read the full article here.

On our government’s original efforts to cut down on trans fat consumption…

“…the first piece of anti-trans-fat legislation didn't come until 2006, when then-Mayor Michael Bloomberg banned all New York City restaurants from using the harmful chemical in their food. One year later, Albany County in New York, Chicago, and San Francisco followed suit, and in 2008, California became the first state to ban trans fats in restaurants. Finally, on June 15, the FDA is initiating a nationwide prohibition.”

According to Dr. Thomas Farley a health commissioner under former Mayor Michael Bloomberg…

"It's about time. Trans-fat is an artificial chemical. It never should have gotten into our food supply in the first place. It’s toxic over the long term and it's easy to get rid of.”

What’s worse is that you may have been consuming trans fats, even if you were taking efforts to avoid it!  How is that possible, you ask? Well, according to this article…

“On May 22, the Environmental Working Group analyzed 84,000 grocery store foods and found that 27 percent contained trans fats, even though only 2 percent listed them on the nutrition label. The disparity comes from an FDA loophole that allows companies to round down to zero if a food contains less than half a gram of trans fat per serving.”

Pretty shocking, right?

My take on this:

I don’t know about you, but it angered me to learn that a food label can make the claim “contain 0 trans fats” even though it contains trans fats. Not only because it is inaccurate, but also because the research has been very clear that the consumption of trans fats has dangerous consequences. Though our government’s decision to ban trans fats in restaurants is a step in the right direction, it’s still not enough.

Don’t wait for the government to restrict your use of trans fats. We already know they are hazardous to your health.  There is simply no reason to consume them. The easiest way to avoid them is to avoid processed foods and fats by adopting a paleo diet. Replace trans fats with natural fats which are incredibly nourishing. 

Don’t be fooled! Just because a food doesn’t contain trans fats, doesn’t mean it’s healthy. French fries will never be good for you regardless of the type of oil used to fry them. Stick to the whole foods that Mother Nature has provided, and you will avoid trans fats effortlessly.