Truth About Trans Fats...

In this Blog, I would like to raise a health issue regarding consumption- whether voluntary or involuntary- of trans fats, which is present in most of the prepacked food items. I had to use vernacular names of many food dishes, as these are characteristic of local places. I would like to receive comments and discussions from the readers regarding this issue....

Introduction

Using cholesterol free butter or partially hydrogenated vegetable oil was a healthy choice, as one might think. But its advised to reconsider that decision. These contain unsaturated fatty acids known as trans fatty acids. Trans fat is a by-product of processing fat and are formed during the process of partial hydrogenation. The process is undertaken when cheap vegetable oils are made into solid fat to resemble animal fat. Examples of hydrogenated fats include vanaspati, dalda, margarines, shortenings and butter substitutes. Hydrogenation improves stability and palatability of oils. Trans fatty acids (TFA) are also formed when the same oil is used for frying repeatedly.

How is it a Health Hazard?

TFA can seriously damage the health. They elevate the risk of the much chronic degenerative diseases like Coronary Artery Diseases (and thereby increasing chances of Myocardial ischaemia and hence infarction), Atherosclerosis, Nephrosclerosis, Clotting abnormalities (and even Disseminated Intravascular Coagulopathy-DIC) etc.

How TFA work?

Human body possesses an enzyme called Lipase (more specifically, Lipoprotein Lipase) comming under the esterase sub-family and Hydrolase family of enzymes. This enzyme has the property of cleaving and hydrolysing only cis-bondings appearing in Unsaturated Fatty Acids. However, TFA possess trans configuration in unsaturated fatty acids, and hence not cleaved easily in the blood. This results in its retention as it was, in the blood and tends to get deposited over endothelium of blood vessels and lead to secondary health complications as stated above.

Occurance

TFA occur in most of packed and fried food items, as stated already. Commercially prepared foods like biscuits, cakes, chocolates, breakfast cereals, fried namkeens and French fries contain an appreciable quantity of TFAs. Even refining of oils uses hydrogenation as a process and contains TFAs.

Tolerance

An intake of 5 grams of TFAs per day is associated with an increase of 25 % in the risk of Ischaemic Heart Disease (IHD). There is zero tolerance to these fats and there is no safe level. Legislation for specifying TFA content on food labels has been made mandatory from Jan 2006 in US; But this hasn't happened in India.

How to avoid TFAs?

1) Cook and bake with olive oil or butter.

2) Spread chutneys or preserves on Toasts.

3) Use olive oil, herbs and seasonings on breads vegetables and in sauces.

4) Avoid deep fat fried items such as french fries, namkeens, sweet dishes (mithais) etc. from commercial food places.

5) In restaurants, ask for low fat preparations or those made with olive oil.

6) Avoid reheating oils.

Conclusion

An effort yet has been made by the food manufacturers and food industry in India to decrease TFA content in food products by modifying the types of fats used in their manufacturing. The west has come out with margarines without TFAs but these aren't available in India yet.