FDA Takes Action Against Artificial Trans Fats
Partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs) to be phased out of processed foods in 3 years.
For many years now, scientific evidence has been piling up showing that trans fats—especially artificial trans fats—are harmful to your health. In 2013, the FDA issued a preliminary judgment against trans fats. This month, after completing their exhaustive review of the scientific evidence, the FDA finalized this judgment and called for all partially hydrogenated oils (the main source of artificial trans fats in processed food) to be removed from all products in three years’ time.
FDA Lags Behind Public Opinion
While a ban on PHOs is excellent news, you can’t help but feel that the FDA may be a little late to the party on this one. The media has already widely publicized the dangers of trans fats, and many Americans have already changed their diets to reduce their intake of this unhealthy type of fat. In fact, the FDA itself estimated that between 2003 and 2012, consumer trans fat consumption decreased by 78 percent. In large part, this was due to new labeling requirements enacted in 2006 that required trans fat content to be listed separately from other fats.
Banning PHOs Is Still Good News
Even if you read food labels very carefully, you may still be getting PHOs in your diet. Why? Because food labeling requirements allow manufacturers to list trans fat content as “0” so long as it is less than 0.5 grams per serving.
This means that when you pick up a food labeled with a “0” you could be ingesting up to 0.49 grams of trans fat per serving. Considering that the daily recommended amount of trans fats is only 1.11 grams, unwittingly eating just a few servings of a food that actually contains 0.49 grams of trans fat could present a real problem. But, once the ban is in full effect and a “0” on the label really will mean that the product is totally free of artificial trans fats, you won’t have to worry so much about this issue.
Good News for Your Heart: Trans fats have been linked to increased risk of coronary artery disease as well as fatal heart attacks. By eliminating PHOs from processed foods, the FDA projects that it could prevent 10,000 to 20,000 heart attacks and stop 3,000 to 7,000 heart disease deaths every year.
Good News for Your Brain: Trans fats have also been linked to memory problems, according to a study published in the journal PLOS ONE this month. The study showed that foe every additional gram of trans fat consumed, the men in the study displayed a reduction in their memory power.
What Else Can You Do To Protect Your Heart, Brain, & More?
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