According to a fresh study, Trans Fat Ban saved lives in New York City.
What are trans fats?
Trans fats are found in oils that are used for baking cookies, microwave popcorn, crackers and for frying fast food. They stay fresh much longer than liquid fats due to the chemical process used to solidify them. The process is called hydrogenization and it makes these fats extremely unhealthy. The worst part is that they clog your arteries, causing heart attack and stroke.
Trans Fats Ban
Some New York counties have already banned trans fats in restaurants and fast-food outlets, and this resulted in 6% less cardiovascular problems.
A national ban on trans fats is scheduled to begin in 2018, and a study conducted by researchers at Yale University showed that cutting trans fats from our diets will also cut heart attacks, strokes and even deaths. The scientists’ conclusions have been published in the Journal of the American Medical Association JAMA Cardiology.
Trans Fats’ Effects on Health
Dr. Eric Brandt from the Yale University School of Medicine and his colleagues compared counties where trans fats were banned to others where they weren’t. The results are striking, as the risk for heart attack and stroke was reduced by 6.2% among the population living in areas with trans fat restrictions. Dr. Brand believes that “a nationwide trans fat ban is a win for the millions of people at risk for cardiovascular disease”.
The FDA has ruled that partially hydrogenated oils are no longer being recognized as safe and, as a result, after 2018, food manufacturers are going to have to ask the FDA for permission if they want to use them.
Trans fats can clog arteries and inflame the blood vessels, and it has already been proven that even the smallest amount – 2 grams of trans fats – will lead to higher risks for heart disease and sudden heart death.
There are healthy substitutes we can replace trans fats and saturated fats with such as liquid oils: olive oil, safflower oil and canola oil.
