Hope this post makes more people aware that hydrogenated oil is just another name for trans fat since they both undergo the same chemical process.
Manufacturers prefer using hydrogenated oil instead of real butter because it costs much lower and food stays longer on the shelf without getting spoiled. In effect, it makes their profit margin bigger.

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We need a petition to tell the FDA that ANY trans fat MUST be listed as Not zero. Or better still to BAN trans fats completely!
This is the food corporation lobbyists at the worst!

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thanks...
Kabin
Konteyner

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Magdalena,
From what I understand, and it has been quite some time since my college bio class where we first covered trans fats, unsaturated fatty acids need only have one such bond to be classified as trans fats. As this particular article is stating that even 0.5 grams of trans fat is excessive because none is acceptable then it's probably worth talking about the 1.33 gr in a quarter pound of ground beef, 0.24 in a cup of milk, etc. I did manage to find one study that advocates a difference between how the body handles natural versus processed trans fat (http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080402152140.htm), but there really hasn't been tons of research on this.

I think on some levels we agree more than disagree. Small amounts of toxins do get worked through the system. See also, one serving of chips with less than 0.5 grams of trans fat (the complaint of this article). The issue here comes down to quantity. Less than 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving probably doesn't matter if you don't sit down and eat a family-sized bag of processed food a day. I just think that processed food is an easy target because people tend to agree that it is not needed at all even if they consume it, whereas clearly there are nutrients to be had in beef and dairy so people have more at stake in fighting for their exclusion from the ban.

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Thank you so much for clearing this up! it's been driving me nuts when I see this. It seems the FDA needs to adjust their rules. How hard would it be to rule that under 1 gram can not be rounded down? Myabe we need a petition??

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Jillian,

Fat from ruminant animals only has a very very small fraction of double bonds in the trans position. Such low occurrences is not comparable with the kind of abundance in artificially hydrogenated oils, and is most likely harmless. Dose is of the essence here. Many things in nature are toxic but normally in such low doses that it doesn't matter for our normal life span - such as cosmic radiation, radon gas from rocks and soil, etc. It's only when we construct ill-ventilated houses that trap radon, or fly in airplanes above the protective ozone layer, that gets us the larger exposure that could be harmful.

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For the record, I think the line in #2 that states something is fine to eat just because it does not contain trans fats is borderline careless.

BTW: Crisco is trans fat in case you weren't aware; even lard, yes, lard, is more healthy to use than Crisco, but, again, as long as the lard isn't hydrogenated.

For me, I'll stick with virgin coconut oil for cooking, period.

More proof that goes to show the FDA is corrupt and not on our side.

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Wouldn't it have been much simplier and clearer to state:Due to the FDA regulations{When a product contains less than 0.5 grams of trans fat 'PER SERVING', the number on the nutrition label can be rounded down to zero.} manufacturers have gotten around listing the actual 'trans fats' in their product by dropping the serving size!All processed goods /foods have trans fats and what oce was a serving size..let's say for potatoe chips it was 15 chips...that serving has been dropped to perhaps 7chips to get below the regulated ruling!!Don't forget the FDA boaard memembers are basically still sitting or past sitting members of the very guys we are trying to have regulated...big business!!
Hope this clears things up in a nutshell!!

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The closer to a natural (unprocessed) state a product is the better for the body. So buy the best unprocessed ingredients & make your own snacks. I know most of us work full time jobs and have busy lives. I still find it worth while to devote one evening a week to make a batch of carrot cakes or simple bran muffins to last all week as snack food. They are easy to freeze too. Any food product that can sit on a store shelf at room temperature must contain harmful preservatives, i.e. trans fats. We need to look after ourselves and not trust the food industry and marketers.

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This is a very timely post.It has just been on the BBC news that former GP. Dr.Richard Simpson Labour Member for Mid Scotland and Fife recieved backing from celebrity chef Nick Nairn, to introduce a Bill into the Scottish Parlment regarding trans-fats. If passed this would ban shops and restaurents from selling food with more than 1% trans-fats.These are chemicaly altered vegatables used to give processes foods a longe shelf-life.It does seem that some people areat last getting the message.

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