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The Truth About Trans Fat Oils: How Much Are You Consuming?

posted by ChickSpeak
Monday, January 4, 2010 at 1:50pm CST

Starting yesterday, California restaurants are strictly banned from cooking with trans fat oils. The bill, which was signed in 2008 by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, gave restaurants in California a year’s notice to phase out any usage of trans fat oils. Bakeries do not have to comply until 2011. Although cities all over America advocate the ban of cooking with trans fat oils, California is first state to impose such restrictions legally.

This new legislation has proven a tricky situation for the California Restaurant Association who has opposed the bill from the start. Trans fat oils are fabulous for food processing and cooking because they are cheaper to use, and they increase the taste and texture of food.

“Hydrogenated oils don’t spoil as quickly as liquid oils, giving them a longer shelf life,” Landon Hall, author of the Orange County Registrar article Good Riddance to Trans Fat in Eateries, said. “Which is why cost-conscious restaurants like them. These fats also hold up better at high frying temperatures, another plus for some eateries.”

No matter the argument, the bottom line is there is no nutritional value to trans fat oils. Before the bill was passed, many restaurants claimed financial hardship would be inevitable if the use of trans fat oils was banned in cooking. But according to assemblyman Tony Mendoza, whose idea it was to propose the bill, “testimony from small restaurant owners during the Senate Health Committee hearing indicates that there are actually very few obstacles to stand in the way of such a transition towards healthier cooking practices.”

In response, the California Restaurant Association tried a different tactic. The CRA believes the ban of trans fat oils in cooking will have zero effect on people’s health statewide anyway, that the problem of obesity is too far gone, and that because a great percentage of families eat at home on a regular basis, the chance of continued consumption of trans fat oils is low as it is. For Tony Mendoza, “there is no safe level of trans fat in our diets.”

Trans fats, which are created through a process called hydrogenation, occur when hydrogen gas is added to oil at high pressure. The longer the process, the thicker the liquid becomes, turning it eventually into a solid. If the oil is only partially hydrogenated, the solid has the consistency of butter, or shortening. Because of its low processing cost and high taste, partially hydrogenated oils are often used as substitutes for butter in store bought goods.

Oils such as vegetable, soy, canola, and coconut are all used in the hydrogenation process, and can be found in as varying food products as chips, chocolate, cereal, granola bars, and frozen pizza. Though the bill does not refer specifically to these store bought goods, the hope is that more companies, as well as restaurants nation wide, will hear Mendoza’s urgent call. In the end, while the bill does not attempt to combat heart disease and obesity in its entirety (ahem, impossible), it has set the bar for more states to pass similar bills, and be proactive in the movement for healthier eating, even if it is in baby steps.

The benefits of hydrogenation is wholly one sided, as its affects on human health is entirely negative. The consumption of trans fats can lead to coronary heart disease, diabetes, and increased cholesterol, the more common of the leading health concerns. Trans fats inhibit natural metabolic processing of the body, which increases ‘bad cholesterol’ (Low Density Lipoprotein, LDL), and lowers ‘good cholesterol’ (High Density Lipoprotein, HDL). An increase of cholesterol creates buildup along the walls of the arteries, and ultimately reduces blood flow, which creates a stronger likelihood of a heart attack or stroke.

Because trans fats are man made, our bodies have little chance to fight off the harmful effects of hydrogenation, which is why many doctors refer to the use of trans fats as part of an epidemic. The bill is hailed by supporters, and guarantees that what we eat in restaurants, where food preparation and ingredients are normally behind closed doors, is nutritious and delicious. Others insist larger companies such as the Food and Drug Association, who does not restrict the use of trans fat in foods, should take the proper steps in promoting legislation like that of Mendoza’s bill.

As in any debate, different opinions abound, but ultimately the decision lies with you. The American Heart Association recommends reducing trans fat intake to less than 1 percent of total calories consumed daily, which, for you, means reading food labels more carefully at the supermarket, and taking more care in general in what it is you eat.

Hydrogenated oils are also used in cosmetics, and hair products too, so read the ingredients and forgo any concealers, eyeliners, conditioners or shampoos that labels partially or fully hydrogenated oils on the label.

If trans fat oils have absolutely no benefit to you when consumed (which they do not), why put it on your face or in your hair? Regardless of how much better the product may taste, or how creamier the texture of your shampoo may feel, hydrogenated and trans fat oils are best avoided altogether.

Strangely enough, we live in a world where food, a necessity of life, is an enemy to our bodies and to our wallets. In this economic climate, many people have been faced with the decision of having to consume cheaper food, and cheaper food often means unhealthier food. Even though Mendoza’s bill concerns only the state of California, it has shed more light on an issue that could have been avoided long before good business trumped personal health.

Eating healthy is a no-brainer, we all know that, but sometimes navigating the waters of the food industry can be overwhelming and confusing.

So do what you think is right, Chicks, and make decisions that benefit you as a whole. Just remember, even if we don’t immediately see the effects of trans fat oils, the damage has already been done.

Ever since she first learned about hydrogenated oils a few years ago, Jasmin has kept a vigilant eye on what she buys from grocery stores. At first it was hard, since perennial favorites like Skittles had hydrogenated oils in them. Fortunately for her, more and more companies are getting the picture and ridding their products of trans fats. And who knows? Maybe Skittles may just be in Jasmin’s future once again.

Sources: Good Riddance to Trans Fats in Eateries, California Restaurants Can’t Use Trans Fats As of Jan. 1