Ask a Dietitian

TRANS FATTY ACIDS AND YOUR HEALTH

What are Trans Fatty Acids?

Trans Fatty acids (TFAs) are unsaturated fatty acids that contain at least one double bond in the unnatural trans configuration. Dietary TFAs are found in both animal and vegetable sources. Trans fat from animal products, such as dairy and meat, is a result of the bacterial process in the ruminant. However, the greatest source of trans fat comes from vegetable sources via the industrial hydrogenation of edible oils to produce a more stable product that is solid at room temperature and can be transported and stored with ease. A variety of processed goods contain hydrogenated oils.

What are the implications for our health?

TFAs appear to have the most implications for risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Numerous studies have demonstrated the negative effects that trans fat ingestion has on the following CVD risk factors:

• Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) Cholesterol: LDL carries cholesterol from the liver to the arteries. Increased cholesterol transport to the arteries can lead to increased risk of CVD. TFAs have been found to raise LDL cholesterol levels and increase the density of the particles.
• High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) Cholesterol: HDL cholesterol carries the cholesterol from the arteries back to the liver, in a reverse cholesterol transport system. Increasing HDL levels can help to reduce our risk of CVD. However, TFAs have been found to decrease HDL levels.
• Omega- 3 Fatty acid metabolism: Omega-3 fatty acids have many benefits for health including prevention of CVD. TFAs have been found to impair metabolism of omega-3 fatty acids, decreasing the percentage of metabolites that are incorporated into the cell membrane. This is considered a high risk factor for primary cardiac arrest and sudden death.
• Saturated Fat versus Trans Fat: Studies have found that trans fat can produce equal or greater risk for acquiring CVD in comparison to saturated fats.

What do I look for on the food Labels

Appropriate labeling of trans fat on commercial products will be mandatory by the year 2006. However, here is how you can look for whether the food you are consuming contains trans fat in the interim.

• Foods that typically contain trans fat are commercial products such as cookies, donuts, chips, granola bars, some cereals, crackers, peanut butter, vegetable or chicken stock and chocolate bars.
• To check whether the item contains trans fat simply look at the label on the package, and check for ingredients such as hydrogenated vegetable oils, partially hydrogenated vegetable oils or shortening. If the above are mentioned on the label, it can contain trans fat.
• In addition, many fast food restaurants (such as McDonalds) use hydrogenated oils to prepare foods, so ask about your server which foods are not prepared with such methods.

However, you can find commercial items with out the trans fat. Some commercial products that do not contain trans fat are:

1. Natural peanut butter: The ingredients list for should only say peanuts (and maybe salt)
2. Voortman cookies: There is no trans fat but should still be consumed in moderation as they do contain tropical oils (which are higher in saturated fats)
3. Nature Valley Granola Bars: These granola bars do not contain trans fat, compared to many other chewy granola bar varieties
4. Ryvita and Wasa crackers: Many types of crackers contain shortening and thus trans fat, these crackers are a good option and are usually high in fiber too!
5. Dark chocolate versus milk chocolate candy bars: Dark chocolate (50% or higher) generally does not contain hydrogenated vegetable oils and have more of the antioxidants found in cocoa!

Bottom line: Try to limit your intake of trans fatty acids by looking at food labels, preparing your own baked goods at home and when consuming animal products choose the low fat dairy and meats. Remember that it is just as important to reduce your saturated fat consumption as it is to reduce trans fats, both are implicated in increased cardiovascular disease risk. The fats that are the most healthy to choose are the monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats found in non hydrogenated olive oil, peanut oil, sunflower oil, soybean oil and canola oil.

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