Tag Archives: French fries

Straight, No Chaser: Bye-Bye, Trans Fats

Toxic-Trans-Fat

In news you can use: the Food and Drug Administration has decided to eliminate trans fats from the American diet. What does this mean? Why should you care? Read on…
Substances known as trans fats, trans fatty acids or partially hydrogenated oils serve the purpose of making liquid vegetable oils more solid. You know and love them because they make food taste good. It’s largely why some of you love and crave foods that are deep fried. What types of foods am I describing? Think about French fries, pizza, pies, doughnuts, pastries, microwave popcorn, cookies and popcorn creamer. Are you using stick margarine? Not for long! Enjoy it while it lasts – or better yet, don’t.
Trans fats raise your bad (LDL) cholesterol levels and lower your good (HDL) cholesterol levels. Eating trans fats increases your risk of developing heart disease and stroke. It’s also associated with a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
This move will eliminate 20,000 heart attacks and 7,000 deaths due to heart disease per year. However,  you know what won’t die? Your taste buds. Options always exist, and food manufacturers will find healthier ways to make food just as tasty as it has always been. By the way, you can do the same even now with just a little effort.
Before you start thinking about whether you can ingest trans fats in moderation, the answer is no. Trans fats occur in sufficient amounts naturally that you’re already eating the limits of what would be acceptable. Adding industrially made trans fats simply adds to your risk of disease and avoidable death.
Now if we can only get you to exercise…
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