Trans Fat

Ban Trans-Fat

Although fats are considered to be a part of our health, there are certain types that should be ignored. One of which has drawn controversial issues is trans-fat. Trans-fat is mostly found in many food sources such as vegetable oil, crackers, cookies and margarine. It increases blood levels of low density lipoprotein that is considered to be bad cholesterol, and decreases level of good cholesterol, high density lipoprotein. Trans-fat is created when oils are partially hydrogenated, "Partial hydrogenation is an industrial process used to make a perfectly good oil, such as soybean oil, into a perfectly bad oil. The process is used to make an oil more solid; provide longer shelf-life in baked products; provide longer fry-life for cooking oils, and provide a certain kind of texture or "mouthfeel" (Ban Trans Fat, 2006). Considering the risks that are found in trans-fat, many studies have been done worldwide and have raised questions to health and government officials to ban trans-fat. New York City, one of the leading cities in the United States have considered the banning of trans-fat which have already caused uneasiness with restaurant associations, " 'We don't think that a municipal health agency has any business banning a product that the (federal) Food and Drug Administration has already approved,' said Dan Fleshler of the National Restaurant Association" (Edwards, 2006). Many health officials believe that outlawing trans-fat will be beneficial to our health, and hopefully eliminate health threats.

The health risks that trans-fat have an effect on are serious. One of which is the leading cause of deaths in the United States is coronary heart disease (CHD). "According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health, more than 12.5 million Americans have CHD, and more than 500,000 die each year. That makes CHD one of the leading causes of death in the United States" (Revealing Trans Fat, 2006). Other risks involve effect on type 2 diabetes, obesity, and other serious health problems.

Not only is trans-fat said to be banned from many food eating places, but the Food and Drug Association has required that all food companies to include the percentage of trans-fat in their nutrition facts labels. But this won't be effective until 2006. This being the case, those of whom are educated about trans-fat will know their trans-fat intakes, "This revised label will be of particular interest to people concerned about high blood cholesterol and heart disease" (Revealing Trans-Fat, 2006) while those who have absolutely no idea what trans-fat are, may well likely would careless, or may even think that the product containing less trans-fat is healthier, when in fact it's only stating the percent or amount of trans-fat it is presented in the product. While the percentage will appear, the amount of intake, however, is not indicated, "Although the updated Nutrition Facts panel will list the amount of trans-fat in a product, it will not show a Percent Daily Value (%DV). While scientific reports have confirmed the relationship between trans fat and an increased risk of CHD, none has recommended an amount of trans fat that the FDA could use to establish a Daily Value or a %DV" (Revealing Trans Fat, 2006).

Although there are benefits to banning trans-fat, there are also drawbacks that are likely to happen. It is likely that banning trans-fat will provide beneficial results to consumers, but will also likely to hurt manufacturers. Consumers will have to switch their regular "trans-fat" containing products, such as Crisco products, to other alternatives that contain free trans-fat, such as olive oil. These consumers will eventually come to senses that not only are olive oils healthy versus Crisco products, but will also realize that olive oils are quite costly.

Of course trans-fat provides disadvantages to our health, but other factors should also take into consideration when stating risks to our health. Elizabeth Whelan from the American Council on Science and