Amazing how one announcement from the FDA can provoke dramatically different responses from the news media. As I’ve written over the past few days, we employ cholesterol as an indicator of heart health. How well that surrogate works is more dependent upon how close that surrogate matches the health of the patient.
The banning of trans-fats is a little different. Because we know that trans-fats are not good for us. And, that artificially created trans-fats are actually bad for us- even though they may make the food we eat taste better. These trans-fats are produced from partially hydrogenated oils- and while there are less of them in our foods, they are plentiful in our cookies and frostings, just to name two junk food items.
For nearly a decade, their presence in food means they must be listed on the Nutrition Facts labels. That- and the fact that we are aware of their “non-benefit”- have reduced our consumption of trans-fats by 80% or so (from 4.6 g to less than 1 per day).
Dr. Fred Kummerow (University of Illinois, but retired now at the age of 100) began his quest to ban trans-fats nearly 6 decades ago. His research shows that trans-fats were the primary culprit in our backed-up plumbing- our clogged arteries.
By the 1990s, we knew the presence of trans-fats in our food was related to increased levels of heart disease. The Institute of Medicine had declared that no safe level of trans fatty acids exists- and began calling for their removal from foodstuffs in 2002. In 2013 (after being sued by Kummerow, because his 2009 petition to ban the trans-fats was pushed aside), FDA proposed removing trans-fats from the GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) list- and that proposal became the regulation now.
The regs note (there is always some sort of “cost-justification” accompanying a published regulation) that it will cost the food industry some $ 6 billion- but health care costs [medical care AND drugs] will drop by more than 20X that level- by about $ 130 billion. Obviously, the cost-benefit balance is clearly tipped in the consumer’s favor, here.
But, before we go giving those kudos to FDA, let’s read the fine print a little more carefully. This is NOT a ban. Instead, food purveyors can “seek approval” to put the trans-fats in microwave popcorn (now you know why I don’t eat that kind of popcorn), frozen pizza, and other semi-junk or junk foods.
Consumers need to speak by not buying foods with transfats. But since this is America, land of microwave popcorn, that’s not going to happen en masse.
Yeah, Marie, that microwave popcorn junk is really the pits! One itme I won’t be sad to disappear from the grocery store shelves!
Thanks for the visit- and the comment.
I understand that trans fat is bad for us… but despite what many people say I always notice that the food tastes different and takes on a different texture without it.
I used to love KFC chicken but when they moved away from it everything seemed to change. It’s happened with so many other foods as well. I know it has to be done but it’s like when someone mentioned taking sugar out of everything we like to eat or drink because someone said some people get diabetes from it… at least that’s how it feels… 🙁
Mitch Mitchell recently posted..Are You As Popular As You Think You Are?
Yes, trans-fats are the CHEAP way to make things taste better, Mitch. But, there are other ways. It will take the food purveyors a little time to include them in their recipes- and they will probably charge more for their concoctions, but we will be better off.
Thanks for the visit- and the comment. It was great to meet you.