[Excerpt from "Health World" Issue 431, November 2011]

If trans fats consumed by the body are not promptly expelled, the consequences may resemble rotting, foul-smelling garbage—except the polluted environment becomes the internal body, and pests like mosquitoes and ants are replaced by harmful substances such as cancerous cells. In this way, physical health is gradually eroded and destroyed.

[By Hsiao Chien-Yu, Lecturer, Department of Health and Nutrition, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology]

Why Ban Trans Fats?

In recent years, the public in Taiwan has only begun to recognize the dangers of trans fats. In fact, as early as four years ago, the New York City Department of Health announced a gradual ban on trans fats in the food service industry, even equating the harm of trans fats with that of tobacco and planning to extend the ban nationwide.

This news inevitably raises concerns and questions: Just how dangerous are trans fats?

According to estimates by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the average American consumes as much as 2.35 kilograms of trans fats per year. A single fast-food meal alone can contain up to 10 grams of trans fats, while nutrition experts recommend limiting intake to no more than 0.5 grams per meal.

Supermarket and retail products are already required to label trans fat content on their packaging. However, restaurant foods lack such labels, leaving consumers unaware of how much trans fat they are consuming.

Trans fats are used in everyday foods far more extensively than we realize, leading to unintentional consumption of these health-damaging substances. For the sake of public health and longevity, the New York City government took the lead in announcing the ban on trans fats.

Currently, in Taiwan, commercially sold packaged foods are required to disclose trans fat content, with levels not exceeding 2%. However, restaurants are only advised—not legally mandated—to avoid using ingredients with trans fat content exceeding 2%. Some fast-food chains have already stopped using trans fats.

Where Do Trans Fats Come From?

Although trans fats rarely exist in nature, they can be broadly categorized into two sources: natural and artificial.

1. Natural Trans Fats:

Generally, natural unsaturated fatty acids mostly exist in a cis configuration. Only ruminant animals like cows and sheep, due to the action of unique gut bacteria, produce trans fatty acids. Thus, small amounts of trans fats can be found in beef tallow, mutton fat, and related dairy products.

Additionally, due to feed composition, some pork or poultry may also contain small amounts of trans fatty acids.

Among natural trans fats, there is a component called conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which has benefits such as preventing obesity, arteriosclerosis, and even exhibiting anti-cancer properties.

2. Artificial Trans Fats:

In today’s climate where trans fats are widely avoided, it may be hard to imagine that artificial trans fats were originally created—ironically—in pursuit of health!

The initial goal was to reduce the intake of saturated fats, which are abundant in animal oils, to mitigate health risks from excessive consumption. While vegetable oils contain less saturated fat, they are less stable at high temperatures. Thus, vegetable oils were modified through partial hydrogenation to address the shortcomings of animal fats while also improving plasticity for use in food and snack production.

Unexpectedly, later research revealed that the hydrogenation process produced trans fats, which posed even greater health risks than saturated fats. This was an unforeseen consequence of modifying natural oils with health in mind.Which foods contain trans fats?

Although the term "trans fats" has only gained public attention in recent years, they have long been a hidden part of our daily diets, more prevalent than most people realize. Apart from naturally occurring trans fats, harmful artificial trans fats are found in the following major food categories:

1. **Snacks**
Potato chips, cookies, candy, chocolate, popcorn, etc.

2. **Desserts**
Cakes, donuts, bread, pineapple cakes, ice cream, puff pastry, and other baked goods. Ingredients like shortening, margarine, and some pre-mixed powders used in these treats are loaded with trans fats, making desserts a major source.

3. **Instant Noodles**
Various instant noodles, instant soups—especially those made by deep-frying.

4. **Fast Food**
French fries, fried chicken, burgers, etc.

5. **Frozen Foods**
Such as frozen chicken, frozen pizza, frozen fries, etc.

6. **Condiments**
Sauces, salad dressings, non-dairy creamer, creamer balls, frosting, bread spreads, margarine, etc.

7. **Fried Foods**
Popular street foods like fried chicken cutlets, popcorn chicken, fried tempura, and fried dough sticks.

8. **Restaurant and Street Stall Dishes**
Restaurants and food stalls use large quantities of oil, often sourced directly from suppliers. Even chefs may not know how much trans fat is hidden in the cooking oil they use.

In reality, it’s not necessary to use trans fats to make the foods listed above. However, alternatives are much more expensive, so most businesses opt for trans-fat-laden oils due to cost considerations.

**Can trans fats be eliminated from the body?**

Most trans fats found in everyday foods are artificially produced and harmful—they don’t exist in nature. As a result, the human body struggles to metabolize and eliminate them efficiently.

Worse, most people consume trans fats in quantities and at rates far exceeding the body’s ability to process them. It’s like continuously dumping new trash into an already overflowing bin.

When a trash bin overflows, the waste rots, emits foul odors, and attracts pests, polluting the environment. Similarly, if trans fats aren’t expelled from the body in time, they contaminate the internal environment. Instead of pests, harmful substances like cancer cells may emerge, gradually eroding health.

From now on, it’s crucial to reduce trans fat intake.

Source: http:/ / mag. udn. com/ mag/ newss……torypage. jsp? f_ART_ID=352811