Artificial Trans Fats Banned in the US
Artificial Trans Fats Officially Phased out of U.S. Food
Since June 18, 2018, U.S., food manufacturers have no longer been able to add artificial trans fat to food products. Partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs) have been the main source of artificial trans fat in processed foods. Artificial trans fats have also been disguised in the term shortening (1). In 2015, the Food and Drug Administration ruled trans fats no longer Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS). Initially, the FDA gave U.S. food-manufacturers three years to remove this unhealthy ingredient. Companies use artificial trans fats in processed foods to prolong shelf life, increase heat tolerance, and improve texture. While artificial trans fats help your food last longer on the shelf, they are extremely harmful to your health.
Artificial Trans Fats Linked to Disease
Artificial trans fats are made by a chemical process that pumps hydrogen molecules into an unsaturated fat. When the molecules in the vegetable fat are altered, your body does not recognize them as food. This causes the body to increase bad cholesterol and decrease good cholesterol. This change also increases the risk for nearly every type of disease, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, dementia, cancer, and obesity (2).
A Step Towards a Healthier Country
Companies in the U.S. have removed almost 100% of artificial trans fats from their products since the FDA’s ruling. “However, to allow for an orderly transition in the marketplace, FDA is allowing more time for products produced prior to June 18, 2018, to work their way through distribution (2).” For some products, that date was extended to January 2021. To be sure you are avoiding artificial trans fats, it is best to stick with eating whole fresh foods and avoid processed foods.
Removing this harmful ingredient should decrease the prevalence of heart disease, the number one cause of death in the U.S. “Ridding the food supply of partially hydrogenated oils will save tens of thousands of lives each year,” said Michael F Jacobson, former executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest (3). In fact, NYC and Denmark experienced declining rates of metabolic disease after banning artificial trans fats from their food supply.
How can you avoid trans fats in your foods?
- Read the Nutrition Facts label and ingredients list on all products.
- Pick foods with 0 grams trans fat.
- Remember that products with 0.5 grams of trans fat may legally only say 0 grams of trans fat. This is why checking the ingredients list is also important.
- Look for ingredients, such as partially hydrogenated oil, hydrogenated oil, and shortening and avoid these products.
- Shop along the periphery of the store – choosing a diet that is balanced and rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins will help reduce and avoid trans fat intake, overall.
- Replace polyunsaturated fats with monounsaturated fats, such as avocado oil olive oil.
- Go to restaurants and bakeries that avoid the use of partially hydrogenated vegetable oils and shortening in their food production (4).
Some common culprits include breads, creamy desserts and coffee creamers, and crunchy foods and snacks, such as microwavable popcorn, frozen fried foods, and packaged cookies and desserts.
Sources
(1) https://www.fda.gov/food/food-additives-ingredients/trans-fat
(3) https://cspinet.org/news/final-farewell-artificial-trans-fat-20180613
(4) https://cchealth.org/eh/food/pdf/Trans-Fat-The-Facts.pdf