Getting Trans Fats Out of Your Diet
Reducing heart risk with healthy habits

By Tamara E. Holmes

November 27, 2006--New York City officials and fast food chain KFC Corp. have made headlines recently because of steps they are taking to reduce the amount of trans fats Americans eat. KFC Corp. announced that it would stop using cooking oil that contained trans fats. New York City has also made news with a proposal to ban trans fats in restaurant food.

While nutritionists and health advocates are applauding the KFC and New York City efforts, they are quick to add that African Americans in particular should take the initiative to get the harmful oils out of their diets. Heart disease disproportionately affects blacks. In 2002, heart disease-related deaths were 30% higher among African Americans than among whites, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

When hydrogen is added to vegetable oil it enhances the flavor and shelf life of foods, but what might be good for your taste buds or a food manufacturers’ bottom line isn’t good for your health. Trans fats have been shown to increase the levels of low-density lipoprotein, or what’s known as "bad cholesterol" in the body. When you eat trans fats on a regular basis it can elevate cholesterol and may lead to heart disease, says Keith C. Ferdinand, M.D., chief science officer for the Association of Black Cardiologists."It’s a big step in the right direction but it’s clearly not enough," says nutritionist Rovenia Brock, Ph.D., author of Dr. Ro’s Ten Secrets to Livin’ Healthy about the efforts of KFC and New York officials. "The onus is on the consumer to manage his or her own health and to manage their food choices. That should not be left up to the food industry or the restaurant industry."

The first step to getting trans fats out of your diet, says Brock, is to know whether it’s in the foods you buy. The Food and Drug Administration made that easier by mandating that the amount of trans fat in foods be listed on labels starting in 2006. According to the American Heart Association, trans fats should make up no more than 1% of total calories.

"Read labels because you normally will find trans fats not only in fast foods like french fries and things that they fry in fast food restaurants, but you will find them mostly in prepared and boxed foods," says Brock. "You’ll find them in baked goods, cakes, pies and cookies. Anything that has that language ‘hydrogenated oils’ in its ingredient panel should be avoided at all costs."

When visiting fast food restaurants, opt for the healthier choices. "You can make healthful selections in the fast food lane," says Brock. For example, most chains now offer salads and other healthy fare.Ferdinand urges African Americans to take a proactive role in planning their diets. "Diets perceived as healthy are those that use large amounts of fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats, fish, whole grains and low-fat dairy products," he says. "If a person makes their diet conform to that general pattern, they will have a healthy diet."

For more information on trans fats go to:www.fda.gov/fdac/features/2003/503_fats.html

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