The Truth About Trans Fats
The Truth About Trans Fats
Evidence is mounting daily from scientists and researchers, demonstrating that the artificial trans fats loaded into your food supply are one of the WORST things that you can put into your body.
Unless you read nutrition labels, most people have no idea how many of the foods they eat daily are filled with these nasty trans fats.
Did you know that scientific research indicates that as little as 1-2 grams of artificial trans fat daily in your diet can contribute significantly to your risk of heart disease, cancer, and other health risks? I glanced at a label on a packet of crackers at the supermarket the other day, and those crackers had 4 grams of trans fat per serving.
The primary culprits are fast foods, processed snack foods, commercial baking and deep fried foods. Between these, some people are taking in around 20-30 grams of trans fat per day without even realising it… yet a mere 1-2 grams/day has been shown to cause health risks! Now you see just how dangerous this problem is.
Unlike things such as smoking and drinking, with which we’re frequently reminded of the health risks, when it comes to trans fats, the vast majority of the population still does not understand the dangers of trans fats and their prevalence in our food supply, nor do they know the foods in which trans fats are found. Just because a food is FDA approved does not mean that it’s a safe bet in terms of your health!
I’d just like to note quickly- before we start damning all trans fats as evil- there is actually a difference between the deadly artificial trans fats, and some of the natural trans fats that can actually benefit your health and help you to get leaner. But this is a topic that I’ll address separately!
Back on the subject of the nasty variety of trans fats, there is some good news. Things are starting to change as more and more scrutiny continues to force the food manufacturers to either reduce or completely eliminate their use of trans fats. Major US cities such as New York and Massachusetts, and even some of the big food chains- notably McDonalds and Taco Bell- are reviewing their use of trans fats and are making efforts to eliminate them completely.
The best advice I can give you is that it’s YOU who is responsible for your health, NOT the restaurants and food companies. I don’t advocate getting too obsessive about a ‘perfect’ diet- because it does more harm than good when it comes to creating a diet that you can actually STICK to. However, artificial trans fats are a major health concern, and it is important to be aware of this. Therefore, you need to be as educated and informed on the subject as possible and read labels to avoid artificial trans fats as best as possible.
Alternatively, you could avoid processed food altogether, which eliminates the problem of artificial trans fats altogether. If this is a viable option for you and you’re happy to go that route, that’s going to be great for your overall health.
So shop smart, check those nutrition labels and keep your body happy!
- FOOD FOR THOUGHT:
Do you look for trans fats of food labels already?
If not, do you think you will now?
I’d love to hear your answers in the comments section below!
