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Myth Buster; The Trans-Fat myth (Fat is Fat)

by on Sep. 29, 2010, under Health

Crisco switched to a "no trans-fat" formula; but it's still fat

In 2006, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration made a rule that trans-fat had to be listed on food labels, saying it is the “bad” fat, the kind of fat that stays hard at room temperature — mostly found in animal fats.  

So now, there are two categories on food labels, for label readers out there — fat grams, and “trans-fat” grams.

Without getting into a lot of details about the molecular structure of trans-fat vs. regular fat, it seems that trans-fat is the kind of fat more likely to clog your arteries and cause heart disease and heart attacks.  However, I still think fat is fat is fat – when trying to follow any kind of weight maintenance program — and all fat is higher in calories — portion-wise – than most other food. 

In past blogs, you may have noticed that I’m a calorie counter.  However, in living the thin lifestyle, it is all about “calories-in, calories out.”  Therein lies the myth of trans-fat:  If you think by cutting down on trans-fat, that it’s the only thing you need to do to stay thin – it’s just not true.  

Even Wikipedia said there’s not enough worldwide data to support its findings.  It’s simply the newest “thing” that people (mostly in the United States and Europe) have jumped on, to gather ’round the dieting circles, thinking this will be the magic cure to help with weight control.  

Sonja in Waikiki

Here are a few things that baffle me about the trans-fat fad:

1)  Crisco switches to a trans-fat formula, to satisfy customer outcry.  Sorry, folks, one tablespoon of Crisco still has 12.8 grams of fat.

2)  Bagel bites takes out full-page advertisements touting their product is better than Pizza Rolls, because they aren’t made with trans-fat; sorry, again, but a serving of Bagel Bites still has 7 grams of fat.

3)  Almonds, my personal favorite snack, has zero grams trans-fat.  But 1/4 cup has 15 grams of fat — so think “portion control,” and don’t eat too many.

4)  McDonald’s switches from beef tallow to vegetable oil to deep fry their french fries.  Does this make the french fries, and the people who eat them, healthier?  Aren’t the french fries still being deep fried in oil?  So, basically, high in fat grams and high in calories.  I love McDonald’s french fries, but am not going to eat 100 of them simply because they switched to a “no trans-fat” deep-fat way of frying. It’s still fat. So only eat a few.

The only magic formula that works in weight management is watching the intake of calories, and outgo, that will keep our veins from getting clogged with fat.  A  body that is at its ideal weight is going to have much less chance of having high cholesterol, even you eat a few trans-fat (sharp intake of breath) calories in a day, or not.

Don’t be fooled, be educated, be smart — and live thin!

(also read my blog “Bashing a Common Diet Belief; There are No Bad Foods” for more information)

This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 29th, 2010 at 8:28 am and is filed under Health. Tags for this post: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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  • tiponeill

    It isn’t a “myth”, it is a fact. Trans fats are artificially created chemical fats that basically do not appear in nature and which our bodies have not evolved the ability to process, unlike all other “natural” fats.
    National Academy of Science:

    First, “trans fatty acids are not essential and provide no known benefit to human health”,[1] whether of animal or plant origin.[35] Second, while both saturated and trans fats increase levels of LDL cholesterol (so-called bad cholesterol), trans fats also lower levels of HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol);[2] thus increasing the risk of coronary heart disease. The NAS is concerned “that dietary trans fatty acids are more deleterious with respect to coronary heart disease than saturated fatty acids”.[2] This analysis is supported by a 2006 New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) scientific review that states “from a nutritional standpoint, the consumption of trans fatty acids results in considerable potential harm but no apparent benefit.”[4]
    Because of these facts and concerns, the NAS has concluded there is no safe level of trans fat consumption. There is no adequate level, recommended daily amount or tolerable upper limit for trans fats. This is because any incremental increase in trans fat intake increases the risk of coronary heart disease.[2]

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans_fat

  • http://justjuliebean.wordpress.com julie

    There’s a lot more to being healthy than just your weight.    There are plenty of non-weight related reasons to avoid trans fats.  Yes, it has the same calories as regular fat.  However, a donut has the same calories as brown rice.  Same thing?

  • fraser007

    Lovely pic. (Of you, not the Crisco)

  • Nathan

     ”and all fat is higher in calories than most other food” – not true, calories are a measure of energy and therefore are mostly affected by the carbohydrate and sugar content of a food – fat content can be related but should be treated seperately.

    Its a fairly common misconception that low fat foods are also low in calories – or that low calorie foods are also low in fat – this is rarely true.

    - as Julie (comment above) points out, a donut and a portion of rice have similar calorie count, but have VERY different overall nutritional profiles – to ignore this fact and just ‘count the calories’ is very niave and can lead to all sorts of leng term health problems. 

    Also the whole premise of this article seems to be wrong, fat is not fat, there are much higher risks associated with certain types of fat.

    In terms of weight management then yes its true – fat is fat, and levels of ALL FAT should be reduced – but that completely misses the point of the trans-fat ‘debate’.

    Trans-fats are linked all sorts diseases and conditions, including cognitive decline, diabetes, CVD and cancer. – As you quite rightly state, the edivence for some of this is still faily inconclusive, but there is enough for many authorities to start thinking about banning it.

    So YES, in terms of ‘thinking thin’ fat is fat … but thats not the same as calories. And in terms of living a healthy life, with a nutritionally balanced diet – there is a big difference between ‘good’ and ‘bad’ fats!

  • leftfield

     ”and all fat is higher in calories than most other food”

    Fat is more calorie-dense than carbohydrates or proteins, the two other sources of calories in food items.  This is to say that given an equivalent weight of fat vs carbohydrates, the fat will contain more calories. 

  • Nathan

    true, and perhaps I phrased my argument poorly – The point is that there are (generally) much more calories in foods from carbohydrate sources than from fat sources -
    Fat is more calorie-dense, but is generally found at much lower quantities than carbohydrate, – the calorie content of most foods comes from non-fat sources.
    Though that is not saying that fats should be ignored, as mentioned above there are other risks and obviously exceptions to this rule.
    Like I said, all in moderation, the most important thing is balance. – Remember that fats also have vital functions in our bodies.

    • leftfield

      Fat is more calorie-dense, but is generally found at much lower quantities than carbohydrate

      Put the two together in quantity and in a new and creative way and you will have  created a new fast food franchise.

       Remember that fats also have vital functions in our bodies.

      True that.  They also have a vital function at McDonald’s.  I suscribe to the belief that high fat/high carbohydrate/hyperpalatable foods are addictive just like cigarettes.

      • tiponeill

        Remember that fats also have vital functions in our bodies.

        True that.
        False: that if the subject is “trans” fats.
         
        trans ( right) chains cannot be processed by the human body – or any life on earth, all of which can only produce and process cis (left) chains.
        Trans chains are produced not by life forms but only by laboratory processes, which tend to produce left and right (trans and cis) chains in equal measure, randomly.
        This is why when you see supplements like L-arginine, L-cysteine etc they are telling you that they consist of the Left form of the chain, and they have eliminated the useless Right (trans) form.
         

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