Trans fats are becoming less common of an ingredient due to its notoriety as an artery-clogger. Not only does it turn to sludge in your veins and promote bad (LHL) cholesterol, but it also eats away at your good (HDL) cholesterol. Trans fats can commonly be found in many cookies, crackers, breads, and frozen pizzas. They add a pleasing flavor and texture to the foods, and also add to its the shelf life by preserving processed foods for longer. In 2006 the FDA made it mandatory by law for every food manufacturer to include trans fats in their product’s nutritional information. A little known limitation of the law also states that small amounts (under .5 grams) of trans fats do not need to be reported in the health facts section. Due to this, many products that advertise that they contain “0 Trans Fats!” may actually be failing to mention the trace amounts that can build up over the course of your day.
The Food and Drug Administration has announced today that their efforts to eliminate trans fat consumption could potentially prevent 20,000 heart attacks and 7,000 deaths due to heart complications. Initially, food companies began adding artificial trans fatty acids to their foods years ago because they thought that they were a healthier, flavor-preserving substitute than saturated fats, such as butter. However, over years of study, it has been concluded that trans fats are essentially poison to your body and should be limited to under 2 grams a day.
No single person is to blame for the significant presence of trans fats, but in many cases companies knowingly distribute a harmful product. If you or someone you know is harmed by a defective product please contact the professionals at Crowe, Arnold and Majors for help.
