Trans Fatty Acid: The Frankenstein Food You Should Avoid At All Costs

Whether you know it or not, you're probably getting plenty of trans-fatty acid (TFA) in your diet. And in case you haven't heard: a little trans-fatty acid (TFA) is way too much.

A little is a lot
Trans fats are created by the hydrogenation of vegetable oil; a process that gives the oil a longer shelf life and makes it less... well, oily. These qualities also make hydrogenated vegetable oil an appealing choice for 'quick service' restaurants and snack foods such as biscuits, crackers and crisps. But many studies over the past decade have shown trans-fatty acids to be associated with artery damage and a high risk of heart disease.

And that's only part of what makes trans-fatty acid (TFA) dangerous.

In a review article published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, nutritionists at the Harvard School of Public Health wrote that trans fats inhibit the natural process by which alpha-linolenic acid is converted into EPA and DHA, the omega-3 fatty acids that are critical to so many facets of good health.

And in a study of more than 800 subjects conducted at Chicago's Rush
University Medical Centre, elderly people who had a high trans fat intake were found to be twice as likely to suffer from Alzheimer's disease compared to those with the lowest intake.

But how high is a high intake?

Bruce Holub, a professor of nutritional sciences at Canada's University of Guelph, told the Toronto Globe and Mail that ingesting a daily gram of trans fat over several years is enough to significantly boost your risk of heart disease. And professor Holub points out that as few as two crackers can contain an entire gram of trans-fatty acid (TFA).

Working out the maths
There's a relatively simple way to figure out the trans-fatty acid (TFA) content of processed foods.

First check the list of ingredients. If the product contains hydrogenated oil or partially hydrogenated oil, that's obviously your first trans-fatty acid (TFA) tip-off.

Next go to the Nutrition Facts panel where you'll see grams of 'Total Fat' listed. Below that, the fats will be broken down into saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fats. If the 'Total Fat' number is higher than the other three combined, the difference between the two totals equals the grams-per-serving of trans-fatty acid (TFA).

Some products, however, aren't required to list monounsaturated and
polyunsaturated fats. In that case, if the grams of 'Total Fat' are higher than the grams of 'Saturated Fat,' it's time to go back to the list of ingredients. If 'hydrogenated' appears high on the list of ingredients, you're definitely getting some trans fat. If 'hydrogenated' appears lower on the list, the trans fat content is probably low.

Let's take a look at a popular brand of microwave popcorn. Total fat is 5 grams, saturated fat is one gram, and no other fats are listed. So with 4 fat grams unaccounted for, we check the ingredients and find only three items, in this order: popcorn, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, and salt. That's a pretty good indication that you're getting at least a gram or two of trans-fatty acid (TFA), and maybe even four.

But be sure to also check the serving size. This 3-ounce bag of popcorn claims to be 2.5 servings. So if you sit down and eat the whole bag, you might end up getting well over 4 grams of trans-fatty acid (TFA).

And because trans-fatty acid (TFA) is present in so many food products, it's easy to see how you could pick up a dozen or more grams every day without even trying.

Zip, nada, goose egg...
In a 2002 report from a National Academy of Sciences panel, that attempted to set a safe intake level for trans-fatty acids, it confirmed previous findings about the relationship of trans-fatty acids and the risk of heart disease, and concluded with this recommendation: 'The only safe intake of trans-fatty acid (TFA) is zero.'

The bad reputation of this dangerous fat is on the rise, and every day we're seeing more and more products claiming to be 'trans-fatty acid (TFA) free.' I'm sure this trend will probably continue, and the result could be better health for millions.

But what about restaurants? You'll know we've officially entered the Trans-Fatty Acid (TFA) Free Era when menus start boasting, 'No trans-fatty acid (TFA).'