July 2002: The National Academy of Sciences—Institute of Medicine, the government's adviser on health policy, reported that Americans are eating foods made with dangerous levels of trans fatty acids, a manufactured vegetable oil product often referred to as hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. They stated that this was an ingredient that has no safe level for human consumption, "an upper intake level of zero".

Some researchers have been documenting the potential dangers of these trans fats for twenty years. Scientists at Harvard University and other influential institutions have been publishing studies that positively document specific relationships between trans fatty acids and several disease processes since the early 90s. Diseases like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and obesity.

The United States Department of Agriculture, (U.S.D.A.) says hydrogenated vegetable oils are in about 40 percent of the food on grocery store shelves and in a lot of the fast food, bakery, and take-out we eat.

The U.S. government decided to require manufactures of packaged foods to include levels of trans-fat on their product labels by 2006. This does not apply to items cooked in restaurants and fast food outlets.

Why they are used

Hydrogenated vegetable oils (which contain trans-fats) are a real wonder-substance for food product manufacturers. They make a solid or semi-solid fat out of inexpensive liquid vegetable oils. The resulting product works much like old-fashioned lard and butter and does not go rancid very quickly. It's what allows those packaged mass produced chocolate cream filled cup cakes to sit on the shelf, unrefrigerated, sometimes for months. Since it doesn't "spoil" quickly it is also very useful for deep frying. It is used by most fast-food outlets to cook things like french fries. Hydrogenated vegetable oils first became household items as stick margarine and shortening (Crisco). Later, when we became aware of the problems associated with high cholesterol levels, it was thought that these zero cholesterol hydrogenated vegetable oils were a perfect solution to replace traditional animal fats in many products.

How they are made

Hydrogenated vegetable oils start out as simple plant products such as soybeans, corn, rapeseed (used to make canola oil), cottonseed, and sunflower seed. First they are pressed to extract the oil. These good oils are then chemically refined using solvents and bleaches to clarify and deodorize them. Next, the oils are exposed to hydrogen at a high temperature in the presence of a metal catalyst (usually nickel) changing the molecular structure in ways that cause the oils to become semi-solid at room temperature.

During the hydrogenation process, the good fats like monounsaturated linolenic and linoleic acids are destroyed (omega 3 and omega 6). The vegetable oil's molecular structure has been changed. Some unsaturated bonds become saturated (fully hydrogenated) and others are converted from their natural "cis" arrangement to the "trans" position, creating straight molecules that pack together more solidly.

"Trans" and "Cis" refer to the physical structure of the fat. "Cis" means that hydrogen atoms are on the same side of the unsaturated carbon atoms in a fatty acid. "Trans" means across. When hydrogen is added to unsaturated fatty acids, some of the unsaturated bonds become saturated but some of the unsaturated bonds "rearrange" so the hydrogen atoms are on the opposite side of the carbon atoms. Hence the word "trans," meaning, across from.

So what's wrong with trans-fats and hydrogenated vegetable oils?

Hydrogenated vegetable oils act in the body much like saturated fats. The same health risks associated with animal based saturated fats apply to hydrogenated oils, plus some. Saturated fats raise both good and bad cholesterol levels while the trans-fats found in hydrogenated vegetable oils raise the bad and lower the good. There is a host of additional concerns and documented health risks with trans-fats.

The Food and Drug Administration has estimated that removing all trans-fatty acids from margarine and just three percent form commercial baked goods would prevent over 17,000 heart attacks and 5,000 deaths yearly.

The American Heart Association's, 2002 Scientific Conference on Dietary Fatty Acids and Cardiovascular Health concluded, "Based on a large body of evidence, it is apparent that the optimal diet for reducing the risk of chronic disease is on in which ... trans fatty acids from manufactured fats are virtually eliminated" They also stated that, "Trans fatty acids are strong predictors of increased coronary risk compared with saturated fats..."

The nutritional scientists at Harvard University's School of Public Health, estimate that eliminating all partially hydrogenated vegetable oils from the American diet would prevent at least 30,000 deaths from heart disease every year and up to 100,000 from related vascular diseases.

Our body's cells cannot tell the difference between real fats and man made trans-fats. When we consume trans-fats, the molecules are absorbed into our cells filling the space that healthy fats would otherwise occupy. However, trans-fats don't have the same set of characteristics and behaviors as natural fats. This compromises the integrity of normal cell behavior and alters the cell's metabolism and the way it interacts with other cells.

Many recent studies suggest strong correlations between the trans-fats in our diet and diseases such as coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, autoimmune disease, and obesity.

There is now a growing concern because it is known that trans fatty acids consumed by mothers, are passed along to infants through the breast milk and that fatty acids are passed from the mother to a fetus. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition entitled "Essential Fatty Acids in Mother and Their Neonates" in the year 2000, stated that "...Consumption of trans unsaturated fatty acids appeared to be associated with lower maternal and neonatal PUFA status, Therefore, it seems prudent to minimize consumption of trans fatty acids during pregnancy...." (Neonates = a baby up to 4 weeks old.  PUFA = polyunsaturated fatty acids)

What some prominent experts are saying about trans fats

"Early on, they [trans-fats] were viewed as just another source of calories—you burn them like any other type of fat. But later it was discovered that the molecular changes that occur when you make a trans fat can have serious metabolic effects: researchers discovered substantial heart-disease risk and the risk of diabetes. Probably millions of people have died prematurely from all the trans fats that have been included in our diet." -- Walter Willett, Chairman of the department of nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health, from an article in, Eating Well magazine, Winter 2003

"Trans fat is also a major problem. This kind of fat is found in many kinds of margarine and other foods, especially fast food, but it is actually worse for your arteries than lard. Americans, particularly teens, are eating large amounts of it in the form of fried, fast food. Trans fat developed from the notion that saturated fats are not good for you, so therefore, anything else must be better, and margarine was promoted. Trans fat not only increases levels of ‘bad’ cholesterol in the bloodstream, but it also decreases levels of ‘good’ cholesterol." -- Walter Willett, Chairman of the department of nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health, from August 24, 2001, Harvard Public Health NOW

Experts don't know what constitutes a safe level of trans fats in the diet, so no "daily value" information will have to be included as it is for other nutrients. But in general, given the role of trans fats in heart disease, the less of them in the diet, the better. -- Tommy Thompson, Health and Human Services Secretary under Bush administration in a July 9, 2003 interview with Ray Suarez about the new package labeling requirements for trans-fats, PBS News Hour with Jim Lehrer

Note: Icould not find any current or recent references on trans-fats that suggested that they were a safe and healthy part of our diet.

How not to buy products with trans fats in them

Starting the first of the year 2006, food manufacturers in the United States will have to list levels of trans-fat on their food labels. This will make the job of shopping trans-fat free a little easier and perhaps go some way toward increasing public awareness.

For now we have to carefully read the list of ingredients for words like "partially hydrogenated" mono hydrogenated, and hydrogenated. These "hydrogenated words are often coupled with the type of plant or seed that they were derived from. The most common being partially hydrogenated soybean oil. If the ingredients say hydrogenated, the product contains trans fats—guaranteed.

You also need to be aware that occasionally manufacturers say, "margarine, shortening, or vegetable shortening. All produced from hydrogenated vegetable oils.

Wild Oats markets has removed all products containing partially hydrogenated oils from its shelves
US natural and organic food retailer Wild Oats Markets has removed all products containing hydrogenated oils (trans fats) from the shelves of its 75 Wild Oats stores.
Wild Oats Markets operates 101 natural foods stores in the US and Canada, under the Wild Oats Natural Marketplace, Henry's Marketplace, Sun Harvest and Capers Community Markets banners.

Some manufactures are very clever at disguising the fact that their products contain trans fats. For instance, on June 5th 2004, I noticed a new kind of "heart healthy" specialty vegetable oil spread made by a large manufacture of regular tub margarine. On the cardboard outer packaging, it touted the spread as being trans fat free "No Trans Fatty Acids". However, on the list of ingredients on the plastic tubs inside the outer packaging, partially hydrogenated vegetable oil was listed as an ingredient. Then I looked at "Benecol Light" and noticed the same misleading information. How can that be? Because the government allows manufacturers to advertise any product that has less than half a gram (0.5) as being trans fat free. The new 2006 labeling laws don't change this. So we can't trust the marketing claims at all. You must read the list of ingredients—usually in very tiny print. If you want real heart healthy spread, I recommend checking out the natural foods or organic foods stores for spreads made from 100% expeller or cold pressed oils. I found a natural buttery spread that actually tastes better than most common soft spreads and it seems to work just like butter for cooking and baking. It also has 440 mg of omega-3 per serving so using it is actually good for your health. (Earth Balance^® Natural Buttery Spread)

Trans fats can be found in the most surprising places. For instance, a common butter substitute that you sprinkle on foods to help lower fat contains, you guessed it, partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Many granola and so-called health bars contain it. It really pays to read the ingredients on children's cereals, bulk foods, non-dairy dessert toppings, frozen foods, roasted nuts, imitation cheese products, breads, crackers, and cookies to name but a few. Even your neighborhood family run bakery may use hydrogenated vegetable oils, so you will need to ask.

Eating a diet of whole natural nutrient dense foods will eliminate a lot of trans fats automatically. But even if you do all of your shopping at the local natural foods store, you still aren't assured that every product there is free of hydrogenated vegetable oils. You do need to read the ingredient lists on everything. As consumers become more aware of the dangers of trans fats and demand trans fat free foods, manufacturers are sure to find ways to meet market demand. Some of this is already happening.

Ban Trans Fats: The Campaign to Ban Partially Hydrogenated Oils - A California non-profit corporation whose goal is the reduction and elimination of partially hydrogenated oils from all food products.

An helpful book on the subject of trans fats that compiles and makes understandable a lot of scientific data and useful information for consumers is: TRANS FATS, The Hidden Killer In Our Food, by Judith Shaw, M.A.

This web site is for informational purposes only and is not meant to serve as medical advice or to replace consultation with a professional dietician, nutritionist, physician, or mental health professional. None of the information presented within this web site is meant to diagnose, prescribe, or to administer to any physical or emotional ailments or conditions.