Trans Fats - FDA Deception

Americans are getting fatter and sicker by the minute, sad but true. I mean, if you look at the statistics then there is no other conclusion possible. Don't worry, I'm not going to bore you with statistics - percentages, numbers and U.S. trends, but do I even have to? Just take a stroll through any mall, store, or amusement park, and you will see just how overweight and unhealthy looking Americans have become.

In my new book, I discuss the Eight Reasons why Americans have Become Fatter and Sicker, and the consumption of trans fats is one of them. For years, Americans have been told to avoid saturated fats and cholesterol as if they were "Bonnie and Clyde." FYI - saturated fats and cholesterol are not the evil twins, in fact, they are more important than you can imagine.

Saturated fats and cholesterol have been wrongly accused, convicted and imprisoned by the anti-fat propagandists before all the facts were known. Now, we have the facts and we know what the "bad fats" are - trans fats - which should be avoided like the plague.

Trans fats are made when vegetable oils, canola oil and soybean oil are partially hydrogenated. Partial hydrogenation is a process whereby unsaturated oils are exposed to high temperatures and chemical agents like hexane (alkaline hydrocarbon). This process changes liquid oil into a semi-solid fat, i.e. margarine and shortening, used in cooking, baking and processed food manufacturing.

What's the big deal? Trans fats are synthetic fats and consuming even small amounts can decrease HDL-cholesterol and increase LDL-cholesterol and triglycerides, as well as disrupting the omega-6 and omega-3 pathways promoting immune system dysfunction and systemic inflammation. Consequently, these fats are associated with heart disease, diabetes, obesity and various cancers, and that is why claiming zero trans fats on food labels is so misleading and dangerous.

In this day and age of new math, zero does not mean zip, zilch or nada. What zero really means is less than 500 mg per serving. In other words, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), food manufactures are allowed to claim that their particular product has "Zero Trans Fats, if in fact, each serving has less than 500 mg.

So what you say? Well, taking into consideration that most Americans "can't eat just one" of anything, eating multiple servings of cookies or crackers containing 499 mg of trans fats adds up. Not only is this not healthy, but it's just plan deceptive and dishonest.

When my bank tells me that I have zero dollars in my account, they mean zip, zilch, and nada, and I would expect nothing less from the FDA.

One way to avoid eating them is to check food label ingredient lists regardless of what the front package claims. If the product is made using partially hydrogenated oils or shortening, then you can bet they contain trans fats, even if the front-of-package claims ZERO. Nevertheless, the only sure way of avoidance is by not consuming processed foods - no, I'm not kidding - try it and see.

The Naked Truth!

Dr. Sardone
www.drsardone.com