Beginning in January 2008, the FDA required that trans fats be included on food labels based on the conclusion of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) in 2005 that there is no safe level of trans fats in the diet.
Trans fats are a man made, aka factory fat created by the highly industrialized, chemical process of partial hydrogenation. This is why trans fats are sometimes referred to as partially hydrogenated fats.
Trans Fat = Partially Hydrogenated Fat
The list of ailments associated with trans fats are many:
- Type 2 Diabetes
- Infertility
- Auto Immune Disorders
- Degeneration of bones and tendons
- Cancer
- Heart Disease
Zero Trans Fats? Think Again
With the labels of most processed foods now proudly displaying zero trans fats, consumers may think they have now rid themselves of this dangerous fat.
Not so.
In recent months, the Weston A. Price Foundation contracted with the Burnsides Research Laboratory at the University of Illinois to test various grocery items for trans fat content.
While the results of this testing did indeed indicate that the trans fat content of processed foods is greatly reduced, it is far from gone.
This is because food manufacturers are permitted to put ZERO next to the trans fat line item on the label as long as the food contains .5 grams or less of trans fat per serving.
Food manufacturers work around this requirement by making their serving sizes unnaturally small and not based on the reality of how people actually consume their products.
If an individual eats an entire bag of chips or close to it while watching TV, for instance, quite a bit of trans fats will be consumed. Remember that the NAS said that there is no safe level of trans fat consumption.
The good news is that some of the foods tested, Oreos and Goldfish crackers for example, accurately tested at zero transfats.
This doesn’t mean these foods are actually free from factory fats, however. It just means that they are free of one type of dangerous fat – trans fats.
Interesterified fats are the go to factory fat used in place of trans fats in processed foods nowadays and these fats have their own health concerns as they are very high in cancer causing free radicals due to the high heat processing required to produce them.
So, while Country Crock is labeled “heart healthy” because it is very low in transfats, on the flip side it is very high in delicate omega-6 fats (vegetable oils) that when subjected to the high heat interesterification process required to produce the spread, become dangerous to health and very likely carcinogenic.
Trans Fats in Animal Foods
One last point about trans fats. Don’t fall for the misguided argument that animal foods like butter, cream, and grassfed meat should be avoided as they contain a small amount of naturally occurring trans fat.
Federal labeling for trans fats does not distinguish between naturally occurring trans fat and the artificially created, synthetic kind.
The fact is that the trans fat in animal foods is completely different than the factory produced trans fats in processed foods.
Trans fat in animal foods is actually trans vaccenic acid (VA) and is used by humans to synthesize conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). CLA is highly beneficial for losing weight and building muscle mass.
CLA can reduce risk factors for the Big Three of degenerative disease: obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.
So next time you see a ZERO next to the trans fats on your favorite processed food label, know that chances are these dangerous factory fats are still in there. But don’t be put off by trans fat content of natural foods like butter as these trans fats will help keep you slim and healthy!
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
Sources: Trans Fats in the Food Supply, Sally Fallon Morell, Wise Traditions Journal, Winter 2011.
Health Benefits Discovered in Natural Trans Fats, University of Alberta Shows
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{ 46 comments… read them below or add one }
Guess What? You’re Likely Still Eating Trans Fats http://t.co/j6cM4Ogk
I don’t because I avoid the foods they would be in, but I think this is a great point that a lot of people don’t realize.
Often the serving size is so small the trans fat will add up and in the whole package the person eating it would likely receive a decent amount of trans fat.
I’d also be willing to wager food manufacturers that label products with 0 grams of trans fat per serving concoct the products in such a way so each serving has as close to 0.5 grams as possible without going over, which would force them to change the 0 to a 1.
Andy\’s last post: Daily Deals 1/13 – Star Wars, Blockbuster Rentals, B1G1 TV Sale, Dexter, Human Centipede, and more
That is one of the favorite tricks of label deception, for the government to officially sanction a lie by loose standards. Zero should mean zero, not less than five percent a serving. What this really boils down to is you just cannot trust processed foods to be as they are labeled. Solution- Do not buy processed foods.
Great post, once again!
Stanley Fishman\’s last post: Before Weight Loss Surgery — Try Grassfed Fat
The simple fact is we don’t know about half the stuff that goes in our food. Have you ever seen how they process the chicken you get in chicken nuggets? Trust me, if you Google it you won’t be eating it again. I’m just glad people are becoming more aware of this and hopefully one day our food can be how it is meant to be!
Richard\’s last post: An Indian Banquet by Kumud Gandhi – Menu # 13
And just think, Weight Watchers is currently working up a deal with McD’s to endorse chicken nuggets as a healthy choice. The WW logo will soon appear on the menu board at McD’s next to “approved” items (including those processed nuggets). Shameful…
Valerie Colley\’s last post: Cha-cha-cha-chia…
I usually don’t look at the transfat content of a food product, I look at the ingredients. If it is made with vegetable oil (except palm or coconut, sometimes good quality products also have olive oil), I don’t eat it or buy it.
marina\’s last post: Tropical Traditions Coconut Oil Giveaway, value of $29.95 (Canadian Residents only)
And thats why processed crap should always be avoided. The labeling is often very deceptive and doesn’t take in the fact that most people eat the entire bag in one setting.
Here’s the reality of the situation … the vast majority of people still have a bag or two of Big Food chips, cookies or crackers in their pantry even if they subscribe to a Traditional Eating philosophy, drink raw milk and take cod liver oil. I know this from being a WAPF Chapter Leader for 10 years.
Knowing the truth behind the labeling of these foods may prove helpful for them to take that final step and disallow these foods from coming into their home ever again.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist\’s last post: Guess What? You’re Likely Still Eating Trans Fats
Well said!
Stanley Fishman\’s last post: Before Weight Loss Surgery — Try Grassfed Fat
The big three–Kelli, Sarah, and Stanley F all in ONE post! ! Thanks for weighing in
I’m not worthy–such a fan of you all.
If it’s a weird vegetable oil, or it says partially hydrogenated anything, I put it back on the shelf.
My mother told me about an episode of Dirty Jobs where the host visits a pig farm just outside of Las Vegas. The pig farmer brings in dump truck loads of uneaten restaurant foods from Vegas, puts it in a big swill tank and eventually skims off the grease that rises to the top. The grease is then sold to cosmetic manufacturers and the swill is fed to the pigs. You can only imagine the kind of fats that come off this restaurant food!
Consequently, we end up eating the poorly fed pigs and slathering that nasty grease on our skin! What exactly is in our Cover Girl and Oil of Olay?! Off topic, I know, but your post of hydrogenated fats reminded me of it.
Kate S.\’s last post: See, God Knows!
Reason 432,543,586 why I will never wear makeup, or eat pigs that haven’t been pastured.
For everyone’s viewing enjoyment I found the video showing Mike Rowe preparing the pig slop: http://videos.howstuffworks.com/discovery/41101-dirty-jobs-pig-farmer-video.htm
Not something I wanted to watch during breakfast! GROSS!
I remember that episode. One of the things they fed the pigs was soured/expired ice cream mix. After learning about all that’s in commercial ice cream, can you imagine the health of those pigs! Why do people think that pigs eat garbage? Well, they will eat it, but they can’t imagine that they WANT to or are MEANT to, do they?
Another clear-cut sin of omission by the BigPhood jerks. They seem to continually push the envelope on these and other hot-button food right-to-know issues, and they get away with it because they are pillow talking with the FDA. Trust nothing in a bag, box or jar unless you put it in there yourself.
I noticed something the other day on a product a friend had been given (I think it was a box of chocolates, but that’s irrelevant). What was funny is that it had THREE different nutrition panels on the back! One was for the US/Canada, one for the UK and one for Australia/NZ. The panels for the UK and Australia/NZ had all the percentages and amounts accurate to one decimal point, whereas the one for the US/Canada had them rounded off! So it would say (for example) 5.4g fat on one nutriton label, and on the other it would say 5g fat (rounded down).
So yes, I can see exactly how the manufacturers in the US could get away with this! They simply round down and it’s okay.
I found the box funny though, because obviously if you had it in the US you wouldn’t simply “ignore” the other nutrition panels and not look, would you? (Well if you were a conscious consmer that is!)
“Contains zero arsenic!” Their “round down” policy doesn’t really work when it’s something more deadly. Maybe I’ll learn to make my own chips.
Bonnie, making chips is easy and they are so delicious (esp. bbq sweet potato). problem I have is that they don’t store, they turn soggy.
I have tried vigilantly to keep hydrogenated fat out of our home and diet. I am constantly amazed at how big business is able to manipulate the system, putting our health at risk, for the almighty dollar. Thank you for publishing this informative article! We consumers need to make our voices heard, vote with our dollars, and carefully safeguard the health and future health of ourselves, our children and our country.
Jenni@Momessentials.net\’s last post: Why I Don’t Get Flu Vaccines
Ugh, now I want to make my own oreos…. It’s been months, if not years, since I have had any. Hmm, almond flour + sucanat + butter + cocoa could make that, right?
Anyway, that’s my solution when I crave “junk” food — make my own homemade version!
Kate @ Modern Alternative Mama\’s last post: How to Do It All and Stay Sane
We avoid pkgd foods all together. But how dishonest! Good info to know!
I remember a couple years ago learning that Girl Scout cookies do this. I thought that was kind of ironic, since they promote honesty!
Yup – I knew about this. Disgusting marketing manipulation as usual!
Sara,
I thought you’d get a kick out of my toddler’s teacher asking me recently send “goldfish, puffs or cereal bars” in lieu of the grassfed raw milk yogurt I’d been sending because she was “interested” in what the other kids were eating and they didn’t want her to feel excluded….sigh. So, I of course had to explain why she gets what she does for food and you could tell it was more info tsheeted teacher ever wanted to know about nutrition! I’m sure they think Im crazy because I send things like pAstured egg and Swiss chard fritatta for her lunch. Oh well! I might add she is bright eyed and precocious and never had an ear infection or stomach virus!!
Teachers are tough nuts to crack when it comes to good nutrition. They like what makes their job easy and shuts the kids up, not what is best for their health.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist\’s last post: Guess What? You’re Likely Still Eating Trans Fats
There’s arsenic in the chicken and turkey and they don’t put that on the labels…
Seems like most packaged food companies need to be boycotted to smarten up and start making food that is not junk or even toxic.
My organic non-homoginized yogurt has .5g trans fat. Where does it come from?
Guess What? You’re Likely Still Eating Trans Fats — The Healthy Home Economist http://t.co/tt8OFThA
Yet another reason to eat real food you make yourself. That way you won’t fall prey to the tricks of the manufactured “food” industry.
kristin konvolinka\’s last post: Dangerous Milk?
@Kati At the end of the post is a discussion of the trans fats in animal foods like yogurt. It is not the same as the trans fats in processed foods and not dangerous.
Sarah, do you know if CAFO meats have a different fatty acid profile than grassed meats? I know they have less omega-3 but do they also have the wrong kind of transfats? Mercola today had an article on what we should eat to avoid breast cancer and he quotes a former plastic surgeon (breast reconstruction) telling us to avoid red meat, esp. CAFO meats. Are there studies showing that industrially produced beef causes cancer?
Yes they do. There is little to no CLA in CAFO meat. Grassfed meat has a lot of CLA which helps you lose weight and build muscle mass.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist\’s last post: Guess What? You’re Likely Still Eating Trans Fats
thehealthyhomeeconomist-I knew it had to be different and not harmful, but still it stuck with me that it was in there. Thanks!
So, what foods are CLA found in?
This serving size issue is very deceptive. It is used in the marketing of “sugar free” items like Splenda, which really have quite a bit of sugar in them if you look at what the fillers are.
Adrienne @ Whole New Mom\’s last post: Top 10 Posts of 2011 (Kitchen Tips, Health, Food Freedom and More!)
Guess What? You’re Likely Still Eating Trans Fats — The Healthy Home Economist
http://t.co/MffpXvQb
Thanks for bringing this up, Sarah. I have paid attention to this, and caught on immediately with the “per serving” modification. If there’s zero trans fats, they can just say zero, and not have to say per serving. We have stopped buying processed foods in any event, but it’s sad how many people out there are being duped, and thinking they’re eating a ‘healthier’ choice!
One time, in search of trans-fat free crackers for my boys in a pinch, I tried to buy a store brand, and they listed interesterified fats intstead of hydrogenated fats. I looked it up on my Iphone at the store, and of course, I found that they were relatd to hydrogenated fats, so I didn’t buy them!
Unfortunately, we let ourselves walk into the food manufacturers traps by not educating ourselves. they think if they change the name of something, we’ll just buy into it (pun intended!).
@ellenannez – Guess What? You’re Likely Still Eating Trans Fats — The Healthy Home Economist
http://t.co/sbV3TtEG”
Still enjoying those Trans Fats!… http://t.co/Elthnwzf
Great post Sarah. I’ve also noticed on many labels which say zero trans fats, that most of them still contain oils – like peanut, sunflower, safflower, corn oil, and other – that are deodorized, subjected to high heat, and heavily processed, which I’m pretty certain still puts them squarely in the category of trans fat anyway (the unnatural variety, that is). The food industry is so full of deceptions, it’s really difficult to trust anything you read on nutritional labels at all. Especially with all the exceptions and omissions being made now due to changing FDA laws like this one where it’s “less than 0.5%” and therefore is considered “zero”.
Raine\’s last post: Super Sale from Real Food Media Bloggers Extended Through January 6th!
Guess What? You’re Likely Still Eating Trans Fats http://t.co/HwjQLwv3
“Trans fats are a man made, aka factory fat created by the highly industrialized, chemical process of partial hydrogenation. This is why trans fats are sometimes referred to as partially hydrogenated fats.”
There are naturally occurring trans fats as well…
http://livinlavidalowcarb.com/blog/are-there-healthy-naturally-occurring-trans-fats-found-in-meat-yes/8178
I agree, the FDA labeling is horrid, but your title is very misleading/misinformed. Yes, you’re likely still eating trans fats, because they are in all the pastured meat and dairy that we are all eating!
Thank you for bringing awareness to this. In the article I wrote “The Toxic Truth About Trans Fat” the processed corn chip company I was referring to is frito-lay. Trans fats are not only toxic to the human body but they also create the illusion that you are not full. Don’t be fooled by false advertising. The food manufacturers can get away with advertising trans fat free snack on the packaging.. http://voices.yahoo.com/the-toxic-truth-trans-fat-10995648.html?cat=5
I just love your articles!! This one further confirms what I suspected of current processed food trends. I think we’re just better off not trusting these “food” companies because they’ve already and repeatedly violated their consumers. I can’t describe the disgust I feel when I see children suffering. Ignorance is NOT bliss especially when there are individuals out there trying to use it against you. I thank my lucky stars everyday that I finally learned the IMMENSE importance of good nutrition because I have NEVER felt better or so radiant. Good nutrition supports the very fabric of our beings. It is a matter of sustenance and growth so imagine what bad or the lack of nutrition does. It is deeply saddening to me to know the state of things and their implications. Ignorance is NOT bliss and our freedom should be taken more seriously because our well-being depends on it. Thank you Sarah for helping me and others open our hearts to truth.
I wanted to add that “food” vendors aren’t required to list ingredients for ingredients on their labels for basic things like chicken stock and natural flavorings and spices. Vendors can put whatever they want in their products as long as the end product used is what is listed which leaves a lot of gray areas I think. Neurotoxins have addictive effects and are added to crap for flavor. Meanwhile authorities are cracking down on things like raw foods and plants and basic chemistry like the wonderful MMS! A solution that seems to have the capability to completely cleanse the body which some peoples are working to outlaw. Just imagine what a simple home-made solution that can cure everything would do to industries with enormous monetary interests! Here’s a link for more information on MMS jimhumble.biz