| |
|
| |
Man-made trans-fats are found in foods containing hydrogenated oils and to a lesser extent deodorised oils.
Margarines are reducing the levels of trans-fats but are still a considerable source in the modern diet. Sunflower and canola oil based margarines may have as little as 0.4% trans-fats, but this is the exception, and there is no reason to suggest that even these "relatively" low levels are safe.
Typically the margarines contain up to 5% trans-fats among those labelled and is almost certainly higher for cheaper table-margarines which don't label trans-levels. Avoiding all margarines is generally advised, even those which are low. Butter contains natural trans-fats so there is no need to consider this as an issue, using butter is the safest way of avoiding man-made (unhealthy) trans-fats.
Cooking oils are generally low in trans-fats. Typically levels between 0.4% to 1% occur in oils that are deodorised. The trans-fat created in deodorised canola oil is apparently the most dangerous, so it should still be avoided despite it being quite low.
Many soybean oils found on the supermarket shelf still contain a significant proportion of hydrogenated oil (to give it stability). Refined Soya-bean oil in New Zealand is generally 1-5% trans-fat. Avoid soybean oil at all cost.
Fried snacks are an unknown quantity for trans-fats. Hydrogenated oils are commonly used to give biscuits and chips shelf life and mouth-feel. Typically these goods provide no information on trans-fat levels. Hydrogenated fats used for these purposes are generally about 30% trans-fat, so the product mentions vegetable oil or especially hydrogenated vegetable oil, one should assume unless given more information that the product contains about one third of its fat content as trans-fats. To avoid this source of trans-fat look for products that use palm oil or animal fat instead. Potato chips occasionally mention trans-fat levels and where they do they are not too high, generally about 1% (or about 3% of the constituent oil). When not mentioned, look for the type of vegetable oil used, typically chips cooked in sunflower oil, cotton-seed oil or palm oils are not as high in trans-fats as chips cooked in soybean oil or even canola oil. These foods are always a risk, so eating fried foods from the supermarket shelf is a good habit to get out of.
Cakes, Pastries and Donuts
The use of hydrogenated vegetable oils in supermarket and bakery goods is widespread, and definitely under-labelled. Many bakers use vegetable shortening in their products and rarely discern between hydrogenated fats and the far more acceptable palm oil. Where a product has 'vegetable shortening' listed, it is worthwhile asking the vendor if they know what this means. Any product that uses hydrogenated oils as shortening can be assumed to have about 30% of it's constituent oil as man-made trans fats.
Mayonnaise
Another under-labelled product on our supermarket shelves. Many list soybean oil as a constituent so we may assume that man-made trans-fats are inside. The hydrogenated soybean oil in mayonnaise and salad dressings is probably higher than the trans-fat levels in soybean oil for cooking, but probably not as high as in hydrogenated shortenings, so I would very roughly place it as between 5-20% of the constituent oil. Mayonnaise and dressings that use canola are perhaps a little better, but not safe in my opinion.
Making your own salad dressings from safe oils is a very good idea.
Dried Fruit and nuts.
I don't want to put people off healthy products, but unfortunately even sultanas and nuts can have hydrogenated vegetable oil added. I think it is added as a preservative and to stop dried fruit sticking together. The amounts are low, but it is not good nevertheless. Beware also that peanut butter, may have hydrogenated oil added to it. This is quite a common practice in USA, but hopefully not so common here. Labelling on peanut butter jars does not however give us much clue.
Chocolates
Avoiding chocolate with trans-fats in it is easy. Chocolate with 'vegetable oil' listed in the ingredients should be avoided. Cadbury and Whitakers chocolate uses only cocoa butter and milk fats, so these are the safest, however sometimes the non chocolate ingredients may contain trans-fats. In general only cheap chocolate contains hydrogenated vegetable oil. Chocoholics do well to go for quality not quantity, the more you spend on it the slower you eat it, and the more you enjoy it.
Labelling Required
Given that the foods that potentially have the highest levels of man-made trans-fats don't have any information about trans-fat levels it is extremely important that New Zealand and Australia introduce compulsory labelling of man-made trans-fats. Until consumers are given more information it is almost impossible to avoid trans-fats. |
|
3 Comments
|
|
Comment By: ivor shorts |
12:37PM 11/12/2006 |
| maybe I am a complete idiot, but I cannot see the trans fat content listed on Flora's Pro-Active margarine. Could anyone tell me what amount it contains, and whether it is actually "safer" to eat plian butter instead. |
|
|
Comment By: Gordon Rouse |
3:09PM 30/1/2007 |
| Flora pro-active is a low trans-fat margarine, but it is still a margarine, containing deodirised/refined/solvent extracted vegetable oils and artificial emulsifiers. It is also high in plant sterols that supposedly reduce cholesterol absorption. While the company has studies that show cholesterol levels will drop in the short term, this does not give any assurance of protection against heart-disease. So the answer is, butter every time, nothing beats a natural unrefined fat! and unlike Flora Pro-active, there are actually studies to prove its benefits, even protecting against heart disease! |
|
|
Comment By: Raewyn Gee |
10:20AM 5/7/2007 |
I have followed for years low fat diets like Weight watchers, but still put on weight. Now I belong to a Curves Gym and follow a high protein/low carb diet and have lost over 10kgs. I am back eating butter. While i have always had low colesterol my last test showed that my good fats had increased and the bad fats (trans-fat) had halved and I was still below the recommended level.
We need good fats, proteins, fruit, vege and kj to run our bodies. While you should still eat low fat not all fat is bad. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Current Poll Results
|
|
The milk I consume most is: |
Naturalea 4% unhomogenised (
12 %)
|
Farmhouse (4%) unhomogenised (
4 %)
|
Standard (3.3%) homogenised (
9 %)
|
Low Fat Milk Homogenised (
31 %)
|
Real Farm Milk - non pasteurised (
43 %)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Email To A Friend
 Print This Page
|
|
|
