07 Track 7

Review unit 3

Fluency Strategy: PARCER

Trans Fats in Trouble

Page 162

Trans Fats in Trouble

The war against trans fats is underway. Thanks to a persuasive study by the Harvard School of Public Health, trans fats were proven to be the worst fats for the heart, blood vessels, and rest of the body… and found in thousands of foods.

The 2006 study, validated by the medical community, correlated a high intake of trans fats with a greater chance of heart disease. Other studies have also linked trans fats to obesity, infertility, and cancer, although this has neither been proven nor ruled out by the scientific community.

Compositionally, trans fats are slightly different from other fats. They are considered man-made fats, created when vegetable oil is hydrogenated − chemically changed through heating and by the addition of hydrogen atoms, and turn from liquid to solid.

This hydrogenated oil lasts longer than natural oil and is commonly used in baking and frying because it melts at a higher temperature. Until recently, trans fats were a stable product in many foods, especially in processed snack foods and baked goods.

They give food a rich flavor and texture, and are much cheaper than butter. Even before the Harvard study was conducted, many countries had begun to restrict their use.

Denmark was the first, in March 2003, to restrict hydrogenated oils in food. Later that year, Canada introduced similar legislation controlling hydrogenated oils.

The public also needed educating on the presence of trans fats in their foods. Even those who were aware of the health risks had a hard time detecting which products contain them; only those who knew the terms “partially hydrogenated vegetable oil” and “vegetable shortening” were aware of trans fats hiding in their food.

In 2005, the Canadian government made it mandatory to list amounts of trans fats on food labels. The United States, Argentina, Brazil, and Switzerland also require such labeling to alert consumers to the presence of trans fats.

In July 2007, faced with the overwhelming evidence of the dangers of trans fats, New York City became the first place in the U.S. to restrict the use of trans fats, particularly among restaurants.

Over 24,000 restaurants were forced to adhere to strict rules concerning trans fats − no more than one half gram is allowed in any food product. This move divided opinion and generated a lot of interest.

Proponents of the ban frequently quote the Harvard study and claim trans fats account for at least 30,000 premature heart disease deaths each year in the U.S.

Critics of the law feel that the government shouldn’t stick their noses into what should be an issue of personal freedom and choice.

In addition, they argue that some of the alternatives to hydrogenated oils such as palm oil are also considered unhealthy.

Some companies were happy to remove trans fats from their products since they felt growing awareness of trans fats’ health risks would affect sales.

Others, especially fast food chains, were slow to observe the band since it involved completely changing their recipes.

Philadelphia, like New York City, has resorted to the law to eliminate trans fats from the city’s kitchens.

In contrast, restaurants in the small city of Tiburon, California voluntarily agreed to eliminate oils containing trans fats.

California, a trendsetter when it comes to food and health matters, went on to become the first state to ban trans fats in restaurants in 2010. As the war against trans fats rages on, other states are considering following California’s lead and banning trans fats.