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Click to view slowpoke014's profile Amateur
slowpoke014
37 posts since
Dec 14, 2007

Apr 25, 2007 7:45 PM

question re: trans fats

please help to clear up a question for me and the BF.

We were both talking about cleaning up our diets, avioding trans fats, etc. Then we started talking about what trans fats actually were, and realized that neither of us knew. So: I know that this is a really basic nutrition question, but what is a trans fat and why is it worse than regular fat? Is it true that McDonald's french fries are no longer cooked in trans fats? How is that different? do McNuggets still have trans fats? How do you know if stuff has trans fats in it?
I realize this is a super-basic question that I could probably figure out via research on the interweb, but i'm afraid of the sites that might come up if I put 'trans fats' into google.
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mbannon
1,814 posts since
Dec 14, 2007
1. Apr 25, 2007 7:51 PM in response to: slowpoke014
Anything that says "Partially Hydrogenated" is a trans fat. They took a vegetable oil and added hydrogen to it, which makes it the consistency of warm butter. Much better for cookies, french fries, and other things that need to stay crispy at room temperature. Unfortunately, studies have shown that trans fat not only reduces HDL (the good cholesterol) but also increases LDL (the bad one). So it's a double whammy.


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NorthernElf
214 posts since
Dec 14, 2007
5. Apr 27, 2007 11:05 PM in response to: slowpoke014
Cholesterol, saturated fat, trans fat - all bad...if you have too much.

In fact, out of all of those, cholesterol is probably the lesser evil. It is the cholesterol your body MAKES that is most hazardous to your health - and it can easily make it out of trans & saturated fat (hydrogenated acts like saturated).

What's more - trans & sat fat are almost always associated with junky foods. Most "natural" foods are unsaturated - but no, not all.
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dg12002
622 posts since
Aug 26, 2003
6. Apr 27, 2007 11:15 PM in response to: slowpoke014
quote:<HR>Originally posted by slowpoke:


McDonald's french fries are no longer cooked in trans fats? How is that different? <HR>


The oils they're switching to are just as bad. Google within Dr. Mercola's website, www.mercola.com[/URL" target="_blank"> .
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GreenEggsAndHam
314 posts since
Jun 4, 2006
7. Dec 26, 2007 4:33 AM in response to: slowpoke014
quote:<HR>Originally posted by NorthernElf:
Cholesterol, saturated fat, trans fat - all bad...if you have too much.
<HR>


Trans fat, however, you should aim to have NONE of... they are really very, very bad. You eat 3 g of saturated fat, you are okay--- you eat 3 g of trans fats-- BAD.
Going by the American Heart Association, you should limit saturated fat to 10% or less of your diet (say, 20 g) -- and trans fat to 1% or less of your diet (no more than 2 g)

You need cholesterol in your body, though you should limit it.

They've done studies--- even just at the equivalant of 3-4 g a day of trans fats, you can gain weight AT THE same number of Calories. That is not something you can say about many foods! You also will gain more weight in the abdomen area-- a very heart-unhealthy place to carry it.

http://www.webmd.com/sexual-conditions/news/20060612/eat-trans-fat-get-big-belly[/URL" target="_blank">

Hydrogenated fats increase the risk of heart disease--- and have NO use in the body or benefit for the body, PERIOD. (There is some contention that natural animal transfats might not have quite the negative effect of plant sources, but not enough to bet on currently.)

While saturated fats can raise levels of LDL ("bad" cholesterol), trans fats do this AND lower levels of HDL ("good" cholesterol)

Well poly or mono - unsaturated fats are better, I would choose saturated over trans ANY day.

The information that transfats are bad have been around for a long time.... I remember learning in elementary school to eat margarine, not butter because of saturated fats, but by high school the teachers were already telling us that butter is the better option and that trying the light butter might be a choice-- just no margarine!

But lately, there have been more and more, conclusively condemning, studies -- and a lot of press about them... and I am glad.
It can be hard to avoid transfats if you eat out or eat any processed foods (though health is probably better off the more you limit processed foods)--- and that's starting to change as the markets says-- "Umm, no poison for me please."

I do consider transfats poison-- slow acting but the end result is the same!


http://This message has been edited by GreenEggsAndHam (edited Apr-28-2007).
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Silvercrown90
17 posts since
Jul 9, 2007
8. Apr 28, 2007 9:39 PM in response to: slowpoke014
According to Mayo Clinic, trans fats are the worst fats of them all. I agree with them after a lot of research. Trans fats were created by the large global national food processers to save money -- they used them in baked goods, cookies, cakes and crackers to extend the shelf life. Ever wonder why a Little Debbie cake or HoHo has a fresh sale date for 6 weeks or more? If they used butter, it would go rancid within a few days, thus shortening its shelf life.

Here is what Mayo Clinic has to say about the subject: "When it comes to fat, trans fat is considered by some doctors to be the worst of them all because of its double-barreled impact on your cholesterol levels. Unlike other fats, trans fat ? also called trans fatty acids ? both raises your "bad" (LDL) cholesterol and lowers your "good" (HDL) cholesterol. A high LDL cholesterol level in combination with a low HDL cholesterol level significantly increases your risk of heart disease, the leading killer of men and women."

"Trans fat comes from adding hydrogen to vegetable oil through a process called hydrogenation. Trans fats are more solid than oil, making them less likely to spoil. Using trans fats in the manufacturing of foods helps foods stay fresh longer, have a longer shelf life and have a less greasy feel."



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otakutie
63 posts since
May 2, 2007
9. May 3, 2007 11:58 PM in response to: slowpoke014
quote:<HR>Originally posted by GreenEggsAndHam:
Trans fat, however, you should aim to have NONE of... they are really very, very bad. You eat 3 g of saturated fat, you are okay--- you eat 3 g of trans fats-- BAD.
Going by the American Heart Association, you should limit saturated fat to 10% or less of your diet (say, 20 g) -- and trans fat to 1% or less of your diet (no more than 2 g)<HR>



Just an fyi re something I noticed yesterday when I was eating my yummy Doritos (I know, I know... bad, bad, bad but I had a major craving ). The bag says "0 trans fat" but if you look at the ingredient list, you'll find "partially hydrogenated soybean and cottonseed oil" listed somewhere in the middle. WTF. After some research, I found out that if there's <.5 g of trans fat per serving, it's okay to report 0 g of trans fat on the nutrition label. Problem: who eats just 1 serving of Doritos?!? j/k. Seriously though, I didn't realize that my occasional cravings were resulting in trans fat consumption... On a side note: does anyone else think the Doritos lately just don't taste as good? Maybe my tastes have changed...
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Gale02
9 posts since
Mar 4, 2007
10. May 5, 2007 3:46 AM in response to: slowpoke014
quote:<HR>Originally posted by pokie:

On a side note: does anyone else think the Doritos lately just don't taste as good? Maybe my tastes have changed...<HR>


Nope, I noticed it too. I haven't had Doritos in months, but before I stopped eating them I noticed that they seemed to have less of that flavoring powder on them. Maybe that's where all the trans fats were that they had to cut out? Anyhow, the flavor isn't as strong as it used to be.
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csickels
96 posts since
Oct 23, 2007
11. May 8, 2007 1:26 PM in response to: slowpoke014
two points.....

1. through a loophole, food companies are allowed to claim "0 trans fats" on labels even if a product contains hydrogenated oils. i'm not sure what the exact regulation states, but basically the food can contain some trans fats and still claim zero. this is just another of the millions of examples of how our goverment is impotent.

2. just like every other issue, there are studies supporting both sides. one side is like the posters say here, that trans fats, in any quantity, are "pure evil". there are also numerous studies saying they are not worse than "regular" saturated fats. my thought is, they are both really bad for you, so if they can be avoided, why wouldn't you? i'm guilty, i don't eat perfectly, but why examine and analyze it to death? we know trans fats AND saturated fats are not good. and further, we know that trans fats really aren't necessary in foods, and don't occur naturally(for the most part). so i would say, avoid them like cigarettes or low dollar prostitutes.
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runningforfreedom
164 posts since
Dec 14, 2007
12. May 29, 2007 2:57 PM in response to: slowpoke014
Here's another reason to avoid transfats I have not seen covered here... this boggled my mind... they have a half life of 57-59 days... so if you eat 10 grams today, almost 2 months later you will still have 5 grams of it left in your body... that's gross, and no I'm not perfect, but I now read labels on EVERYTHING...not just the label that tells you it's transfat free, but the ingredients. After a couple of years of inactivity, and eating whatever came along... I KNOW how damaging that kind of life-style is. I'm sure that I still get trans-fat on occasion, but I avoid it whenever possible. I'm still repairing the damage I have done to my body through eating the typical american diet for that time period.

Oh and no, dorritos don't taste all that great anymore... maybe my tastes have changed also.

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csickels
96 posts since
Oct 23, 2007
13. May 31, 2007 3:02 PM in response to: slowpoke014
quote:<HR>Originally posted by runningforfreedom:
Here's another reason to avoid transfats I have not seen covered here... this boggled my mind... they have a half life of 57-59 days...
<HR>


rff: thanks for posting that. I had heard that once before, but did not remember it. that's as much info as i need to explain to people why trans fats are so bad.

it's no surprise that, in my late 20's, i found out i had hypertension and high cholesterol. i basically lived on fast food and pizza from the time i got my driver's lisence until i started running in Dec. 06 (age 31). i think of all those french fries and cringe.

perspective is a funny thing. i used to be the guy rolling through the drive-thru at least once per day, now i look at those who are doing the same thing, and i think "how could you consume that ****?"
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