Trans fat

Trans-fatty acids form during the process of hydrogenation. Once polyunsaturated oils are hardened by hydrogenation, some of the unsaturated fatty acids end up altering their shapes rather than becoming saturated. As a result, this alteration in chemical structure creates trans unsaturated fatty acids that are similar in shape to saturated fatty acids. These changed fatty acids, or trans fatty acids, have an effect on the body’s health. Some foods that contain trans-fat include fried foods, savory snacks like microwave popcorn, frozen pizzas, baked goods, margarines and spreads, ready-to-use frosting, and coffee creamers. Consuming manufactured trans-fat poses a risk to the heart and arteries by raising blood LDL cholesterol, lowering HDL…

Banning trans fats is a good idea to avert people from overriding them due to the strong links that exist with heart disease. Though, banning them would not fade away the worry about heart disease as while some of the concerns linked to the excessive use and consumption of trans fats would be solved, heart disease worries would remain. As Dr. Katz has denoted in his article Sugar and Saturated Fat: Feeding the Parasites of Science based on the study made by Harvard students, “when net saturated…

When looking at commercial alternatives to trans-fat use in processed foods, there are four factors to consider. These factors include: performance, availability, economics, and safety. Currently, there are many alternatives under development, such as: modified hydrogenation, genetically modified seeds, interesterification, fractionation and blending, butter and animal fat, natural saturated oils, natural unsaturated oils, and other fat substitutes. Partial hydrogenation of vegetable…

health. Natural versus artificiel trans fats As previously mentioned, trans fats can come from two sources, naturally and artificially via the process of hydrogenation. Natural trans fat is formed in some grassland animals and small amounts can be found in animal products (Food and Drug Administration, 2016). This is due to bacteria found in the stomachs of these animals that convert the fatty oils (Harvard Health Publications, 2008). In fact, it was reported by Harvard Medical School trans fat…

In the article “Oh Brother,” which was first published in the Boston Globe in 2006, Jeff Jacoby raises a question about U.S. people’s liberty by illustrating an issue of banning trans fats from restaurants in New York City. He argues that, trans fats food is bad in some perspectives, such as it could raise the risk of heart disease and it is bad for people’s long-term health. However, trans-fats food also brings people immediate joy when dinning, and that makes trans fats food becomes a personal…

According to the FDA, food companies are allowed to say that their food products contains 0 grams of trans fat, as long as one serving contains less than .50 grams of trans fat. However, food companies should not be allowed to hide trans fats like these, as they are unhealthy for our bodies and health. As a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association Andrea Giancoli states it “Trans fats raise your bad cholesterol just like saturated fats, but they also increase inflammation and lower the…

In a political sense, precedent is important because it is often a belief of change. Take for example the New York trans fat ban. In 2006, New York city became the first municipality to restrict artificial trans fats in restaurants “and would not be the last as health officials across the US mobilized to enact similar bans of their own” (Brady, 2015). New York recognized a need to counteract the growing health concerns regarding trans fats, which in turn, raised awareness in other municipalities…

periodontal disease, arthritis and other diseases that activate the immune system over time. Even obesity is inflammatory, because fat cells give off chemicals called cytokines that trigger inflammation. Why is it a problem? Chronic inflammation causes damage to the endothelial lining of arteries, which can lead to atherosclerosis and heart disease.…

The Secret Killer For years, Trans fat was viewed as bad for your health, which has lead the government to step in and look at limiting trans-fat consumption. Although there are many different types of fats in the food we consume, you should be aware of Trans-fats because of the effects they have on your body. I think it is especially important for young adults who have the option of preventing health problems to be aware of such things. Walter Willett claims, “Trans-fats are secret killers”…

FDA announces trans fats to be phased out of American food supply The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) took a major step this week toward eliminating a major health risk present in the American diet. The FDA announced that artificial fats that are present in many processed foods and fast foods, will be phased out of the U.S. Food supply over the next three years. The three year phase out allows food manufacturers to find alternative ingredients to replace trans fats and reformulate…