Transfats and Health
Aren't Compatible!
Transfats provide no benefit to you and can damage your health in many ways. A few of the more serious problems are: . cancer . heart disease . diabetes . clogged arteries . an increase in LDL's and . a decrease in HDL's Obviously these are serious issues that you want to avoid.
What are they Exactly?
They are created by partially hydrogenating plant oils. Basically adding hydrogen atoms to them. This is done so that food manufacturers can extend the storage life of their products.The political clout of these companies has kept these ingredients in our food, despite the fact that they have been proven harmful. The FDA finally required companies to list tranfat on the Nutrition Labels of their products in 2006.
Facts on Transfats
How do I recognize them?
On the label of the product look for the word hydrogenated in conjunction with any oil. If it is listed you are almost assured that it is contained in the product.Beware of labels that tout in bold letters “NO TRANSFAT” because it is legal to advertise this way as long as you get less than .5 of a gram in a serving. All a company has to do to be legal is figure out the amount it takes to get to .49 grams and call that a serving size. They can then proudly proclaim their product free of trans-fatty acids, when it is not.
Which Products are likely to contain them?
There is a long list of products that might be infected. A partial list would include:. chips . cookies . crackers . french fries and . donuts Girl scout cookies were reported to have them as recently as 2007.
My Recommendation
I tell my
coaching clients
that an easy solution to avoiding these worries altogether is to eat all natural foods. Then you won't have to worry about reading the label, deceitful advertising, outright lies, etc...Be aware, think for yourself, and take control of your own health!
Return from Transfats to Nutrition Facts
|
