Nutrition Labels Must Include Trans Fat

From reality television to the dietary guidelines, everywhere we turn these days someone or something is getting a makeover. In response to the prevalence of heart disease in Americans, the latest makeover is coming to a nutrition label near you. According to the American Heart Association, heart disease is the single largest killer of American males and females. About every 26 seconds an American will suffer a coronary event and about every minute someone will die from one.

Many believe that these staggering statistics are partly due to the increased consumption of trans fat, which raises the LDL or “bad” cholesterol levels, increasing your risk for heart disease and other health conditions. Trans fat is found in processed foods like vegetable shortening, some margarine, crackers, cookies, snack foods, and other foods made with or fried in partially hydrogenated oils. Trans fat is formed when liquid oils are made into solid fats-essentially when hydrogen is added to vegetable oil - a process called hydrogenation. This process is used by many food companies and fast-food restaurants because it increases the shelf life and flavor stability of foods containing these fats. The current dietary recommendation is to minimize intake of trans fats.

Since January 2006, the Food and Drug Administration has made it mandatory for all food manufacturers to list trans fat on the Nutrition Facts panel of all food products to help consumers better understand their trans fat intake. These new rules are prompting some food companies to reformulate products introduce trans-free versions to their product lines. Consumers are now able to find the new trans fat amounts listed on the Nutrition Facts panel directly under the line for saturated fat.

Products that contain less than 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving will show a level of zero on their labels. For example, most dairy products contain such small amounts of trans fat that a zero value will be listed; In fact, one type of trans fat found in dairy-conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is specifically excluded from the labeling requirement because recent research suggests CLA may have some health benefits. In addition, dairy products contain numerous essential nutrients including calcium, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium and protein. This mix of nutrients found in dairy foods, especially calcium, may also be responsible for helping the body break down and burn fat and reduce your risk for high blood pressure, osteoporosis and certain cancers.

So what’s the bottom line? Trans fats from hydrogenated sources-for example, margarine, vegetable shortening, highly processed snack foods such as crackers and cookies-should be limited. The new nutrition labels will help you quantify your intake of these, and to find appropriate alternatives. Healthy snacking alternatives include whole grain breads, nuts, fruits, raw vegetables and low-fat dairy foods such as yogurt, milk, and cheese. Such “naturally nutrient-rich” foods provide a variety of key nutrients. By reading nutrition labels carefully and making appropriate selections you can ensure that you and your family are getting the best diet possible-important not just to optimize your current health but to prevent chronic disease in the long run.