When is a ban, not a ban? Well, apparently, when it’s done by the federal government.
A couple of years back, the food industry was reeling after a series of studies revealed just how dangerous the trans fats in processed foods are for the heart.
In fact, over the long term, they could be DEADLY.
The FDA pulled it’s “We Are Very Concerned” act. And that was soon followed up with their other favorite, the “We Are Taking This Very Seriously” act.
Then, after some hemming and hawing, they announced a ban. And just like that, all the bad press magically went away.
But I’m sorry to have to report the trans fats didn’t.
They’re STILL out there – and I’ll tell you how to spot them in a moment. And trust me, you’re going to want to know so you can AVOID them. Because new research reveals, they’re even worse than we thought.
The TRUE TOLL of trans fats
There’s an excellent reason these ugly fats are banned… or, rather, are supposed to be banned. They’ve been linked to artery damage, heart attack, stroke, inflammation, diabetes, heart disease, and more.
Now, the new study adds one more shocking risk to that growing list.
Folks with the highest blood levels of elaidic acid – the most common trans fat – are 50 percent more likely to develop dementia in general, and 39 percent more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease specifically.
And despite that so-called ban, there are several places you can still find these hidden fats.
Some will point out that meat and dairy have trans fats, but those are a different kind and haven’t been linked to the same health problems.
It’s the OTHER kind of trans fats that are responsible for the risks. Specifically, trans fats in partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
How to spot hidden dangerous fats
Partial hydrogenation is a little chemistry trick performed on those oils to make them stable at room temperature. And that’s where the trouble comes in.
Trans fats are a byproduct of the process, and the “ban” didn’t change that.
See, there’s a big catch in the new rules. If a food item has less than a half-gram of these fats per serving, it gets rounded down to ZERO.
So it HAS trans fats… yet the package claims it’s “TRANS FATS FREE” and isn’t considered a violation of the ban.
In other words, it’s still possible to load up on dangerously high levels of these unhealthy oils eating foods labeled “trans fats free.”
No wonder the food industry went along with this “ban” so readily.
The easiest way to spot those hidden trans fats is to break out your reading glasses and check the label. If you see the phrase “partially hydrogenated” in the ingredients, you can bet these dangerous fats are in there no matter WHAT the label claims.
Common culprits include vegetable shortening, vegetable oil, microwave popcorn, processed baked goods, frozen pizza, fried fast foods, and nondairy coffee creamer.
Yes, all stuff you probably shouldn’t be eating anyway. So you can use your news trans- fat knowledge for motivation to get back to a diet based on natural foods. Dump the processed junk to protect your heart AND your brain.
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