American Heart Association dietary recommendations: avoid trans fats

[eppur_se_muova]

dietary recommendations for 2006:
makes "high-priority recommendation" that
food manufacturers and restaurants replace
partially hydrogenated oils

On June 19, 2006, the American Heart Association (AHA) issued its "2006 Diet and Lifestyle Recommendations." The recommendations contain a balanced approach to maintaining a health diet. The full recommendations are well worth reading as they represent the "state of the art" on nutrition.

On the subject of trans fat, the AHA recommends that your daily intake of trans fats be limited to 1 percent of total calories, which is equivalent to roughly 2 to 2.5 grams of trans fat per day.

To give you a sense of what 2 to 2.5 grams per day means, let's look at some popular food items sold in the United States.

One McDonald's large fries contains 8 grams of trans fat.
A McDonald's apple pie contains 4.5 grams of trans fat.
Four Girl Scout shortbread cookies contain 1.5 grams of trans fat.
A large order of KFC Popcorn Chicken contains 7 grams of trans fat.
KFC's Chicken Pot Pie contains 14 grams of trans fat.
A typical 3-piece KFC Extra Crispy combo meal, with a drumstick, two thighs, potato wedges, and a biscuit contains 15 grams of trans fat.
All of these products contain partially hydrogenated oil.

to read more, check out: http://www.bantransfat.org/

Lots of recent news on that site. Good: Wendy's, Cheesecake Factory(!), Oreo cookies. Needs work: Girl Scout cookies. Bottom of the barrel: KFC, McDonald's

[CountAllVotes]

1. Lots of great info. - Thank you!

>> The researchers also found that the trans-fat monkeys had higher blood glucose and were much more insulin resistant, suggesting that they are headed toward becoming diabetic.

The finding echoes studies in people, which have hinted that a diet rich in trans-fats could contribute to diabetes and weight gain. But it has been difficult to pin down the effects of trans-fats compared with other elements of our diets.

The trans-fats may directly stimulate the pancreas to make more insulin, which in turn makes the body resistant to the excess of this hormone. Another possibility is that trans-fats, when inserted into cell membranes, may somehow prevent cells from reacting to insulin normally. But Kavanagh says it is not clear how this leads to a spare tyre around the middle. <<

I just mentioned this in a post a few minutes ago. I was turning into a diabetic! I knocked out ALL trans fats from my diet a few years ago. I did not lose a lot of weight but my blood sugar is now 85, not 115.

These trans fats are dangerous I am convinced! Best way to avoid it to eat organic foods as much as possible and be sure to read labels on all packaged foods you buy and consume. It is not difficult, it just takes time.

Just say no to trans fats!

:kick:

[eppur_se_muova]

2. It was that same thread that reminded me of this Web site.

I hoped a thread of its own in Health might get more eyeballs. Can't hurt.

[CountAllVotes]

3. I was warned about trans fats luckily

It was after my younger brother was suddenly dx'd with metastasized cancer. He was in his early 40s and he basically lived on junk food and was a daily customer of McDonald's, etc.

He was very overweight as well even though he had a fairly demanding job physically.

After I knocked out the trans fats I had the blood work done again. I found out the blood sugar dropped 30 points in about 6 months. That is A LOT!

I've told other people (diabetics mostly) about this but they never listen to me and what I have to say about my own experience with slowly turning into a diabetic. Maybe now they will listen I hope.

I did not lose any weight and that was not my goal to begin with. My goal was to simply eliminate trans fats from my diet which was not that difficult. Method: Stop eating junk foods loaded with trans fats and don't eat at McDonald's or Kentucky Fried Chicken, etc. and learn to read labels. Buy and consume as much organic food/products as you can afford.

Today I am about the same weight I've been at for the past 10 years or so and my blood work I was told is very good. I have high cholesterol however but I'm not sold on the idea of the statin drugs so I don't take them.

The lower number on my cholesterol was elevated to a rather dangerous level prior to eliminating the trans fats from my diet. That number is now normal but the upper number is still very high. I attribute this to genetics personally as high cholesterol runs in my family.

I eat very little meat and consume very little cholesterol so I can't blame it on diet (I watch cholesterol in foods as well).

Oh well - at least I'm no longer turning into a diabetic!

Thanks again for posting this very important information. I hope many diabetics and those fighting elevated levels of blood sugar pay attention to this.

Trans fats should be banned IMO.

:kick:

[Warpy]

4. Try whole oats to get that cholesterol down

It's one of those dietary things that has worked well for a lot of people, and the evidence isn't all anecdotal. It doesn't have to be hot oatmeal. My whole oats in the summertime are handfuls of Oatios (the bulk Cheerios knockoff at the health food store) that I eat when I want a crunchy snack.

It's a cheap thing to try that won't do you any harm and just might knock that cholesterol number down a few points.

[sgxnk]

5. dietary vs. serum cholesterol

generally speaking, you don;'t need to be as concerned with consuming cholesterol as you do with consuming (too much) saturated (and trans) fats

contrary to the moronic AMA claims for the last few decades, the issue is NOT dietary cholesterol

for example, eggs have LOTs of cholesterol, but are very healthy

it's nice to see the "powers that be" have finally turned on to trans-fats

about 2 decades late, but better late than never

also note that too little cholesterol (and fats) in a diet can have deleterious effects, including lowered T levels