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Labels don't tell all the trans fat story |
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Written by Dave Philipps, McClatchy-Tribune
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Saturday, 24 March 2007 |
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Improving your diet always seems to mean giving up things: butter, sugar, that second bacon double cheeseburger.
But when it comes to the No. 1 nutritional villain, trans fats, people can make dramatic improvements without giving up anything.
"With almost every product at the supermarket that has trans fat, there's one that's almost the same that doesn't," said Shirley Lippincott, a registered dietitian with the El Paso County (Colo.) Health Department. "If you have a product that looks just as good and has zero fat, why not buy it?"
There are Oreos with no trans fat and cookies that look exactly like Oreos with 2 grams in a three-cookie serving. There are oven fries with zero grams and oven fries with 4.5 grams. Same is true with fish sticks, corn dogs and dozens of other processed foods people eat every day.
A recent tour of local supermarket aisles shows that trans fats hide in almost every aisle, but a little label reading can help you eliminate them from your diet.
Last year, federal regulations started requiring manufacturers to add trans-fat content to their labels. The move was prompted by growing concerns over the health effects of these fats, which are derived by bubbling hydrogen gas under pressure through vegetable oil. The result is those "partially hydrogenated oils" that show up on ingredient lists for a variety of foods.
For years manufacturers used hydrogenated oils because adding hydrogen atoms to unsaturated vegetable fat molecules made them act like a saturated fat. Like lard and butter, it became solid at room temperature. It gave baked goods a crispy finish and a longer shelf life. It also was cheaper than butter and thought to be more healthful.
"There was a time when we recommended margarine instead of butter. We didn't know the health effects of trans fats," said Sheryl Stampher a registered dietitian at Memorial Hospital in Colorado Springs, Colo.
It turns out, trans fats don't just act like saturated fats in cookies and crackers. They act like saturated fats in your arteries. In fact, they act worse. Studies have shown that trans fat raises the body's LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels just as saturated fats do, but they also lower the body's HDL ("good") cholesterol levels. A diet high in trans fats can increase risk of heart disease, according to the American Heart Association.
Other studies suggest that partially hydrogenated oils may also increase instances of liver disease and diabetes.
The findings have set the food police on a crusade. Last month, New York City became the nation's first city to ban trans fats in restaurants and bakeries. Other cities are considering a similar ban, and some restaurants chains have voluntarily eliminated them from their kitchens.
Although the federal government hasn't taken such drastic steps, the Food and Drug Administration recommends that people limit trans fat consumption as much as possible.
Despite the trans fat backlash, this Lex Luthor of lipids still lurks in almost every aisle of the supermarket. Fortunately, there's often trans fat-free alternative nearby.
Starting in the deli, we immediately found "old-fashioned potato salad" with 2 grams of trans fat per cup. Right next door, the mustard potato salad had none.
The frozen foods aisle was a Wac-a-Mole game of trans fats, with hydrogenated oils popping up where you'd least expect. The egg and pizza rolls were trans fat-free. Almost all frozen dinners were, too. But the frozen, pre-made PB&J sandwiches had the dreaded oil.
Frozen White Castle burgers, as might be expected, had a gram of trans fat each. But other frozen fast foods were hit or miss. Most pizzas had none, while California Pizza Kitchen pizzas had 1 to 1.5 grams. Corn dogs and fish sticks both had trans fat-free options.
The cookie/cracker aisle — once a trans fat stronghold — now has dozens of packages boasting that their contents don't contain trans fat. Goldfish, Triscuits and Wheat Thins are all trans fat-free.
Consumers should be careful, however. Federal law allows a manufacturer to claim a product has "zero grams of trans fat" if it has less than half a gram per serving. Cheetos claims to have zero grams in every 21-piece serving. But anyone who eats several servings (just imagine) could get a serious dose of bad fats. To know for sure, look at the ingredients. If you see the term "partially hydrogenated," the product will have at least some trans fats.
But things are changing rapidly, Lippincott said.
"A lot of manufacturers are changing how they make things because they know that `trans fat-free' label is very attractive to consumers," she said. Trans fats are being taken out and unsaturated ("healthful") fats are being put in.
Even Crisco, the partially hydrogenated lard substitute that started it all in 1911, now has a trans fat-free blend of fully hydrogenated and unsaturated oils.
"I'm even seeing that trans-free label on things that never had trans fat, like a can of coffee" Lippincott said. "I can't imagine how you could even put trans fat in coffee. They'll be putting the label on apples next."
Some foods have yet to catch on to the trend. Ready-made pie crusts? Still riding the trans-fat train. Trans fat-free tortillas? Nope. And canned country biscuits? They should come with an artery stent.
But now foods as varied as canned chili, toaster pastries and Little Debbie snacks have a trans fat-free option.
Now don't go thinking that you can create a healthful meal out of canned chili, toaster pastries and snack cakes. Nutritionists still recommend a diet of whole grains, fruits and vegetables, paired with plenty of exercise. But at least the choices are a little more healthful. And hey, if you can be a little healthier just by reading a few labels, why not?
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Q&A
QUESTION: What is trans fat?
ANSWER: Trans fat is a short name for trans fatty acids. They are formed by adding hydrogen atoms to a molecule of vegetable oil to make an unsaturated fat act like saturated fat, giving food products a longer shelf life and better flavor.
Q: How do trans fats affect health?
A: Studies show that trans fats raise levels of "bad cholesterol" and lower levels of "good" cholesterol, increasing the risk of heart disease.
Q: How do I know whether a food contains trans fats?
A: Read the label: Federal law now requires that food manufacturers list trans fats.
Q: So if a label says "zero trans fats," does that mean it's trans fat-free?
A: No. The food can still contain a small amount — less than a half gram per serving. Check the list of ingredients on the label. If you see the term "partially hydrogenated," it means the food contains some amount of trans fats.
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TASTE THE DIFFERENCE
We put similar trans fat and trans fat-free products side-by-side and did a taste test. Most participants couldn't tell the difference.
OREOS VS. KIDDOS
Grams of trans fat per serving — Oreos: 0, Kiddos: 1
Taste winner: Oreos
Testers' comments: The cream filling tasted similar in both, but Oreo had a better chocolate cookie.
HOSTESS CHOCOLATE DONETTES VS. ENTENMANN'S CHOCOLATE DONUTS
Grams of trans fat per serving — Entenmann's: 0, Donettes: 1
Taste winner: Donettes
Testers' comments: Both tasted almost identical, but Donettes pulled ahead because its chocolate had "that good waxy feel."
PEPPERIDGE FARM GOLDFISH CRACKERS VS. THE COMPANY'S OLD RECIPE
Grams of trans fat per serving — Old goldfish: About 1, New goldfish: 0
Taste winner: tie
Testers' comments: They taste exactly the same. | Only registered users can write comments.
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