Nutrition Information |
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Focus on Trans Fat
There's no doubt--carbohydrates have taken center stage in public discourse about dietary practices. You can't turn on the TV, open a newspaper or walk past the office water cooler these days without hearing a debate about this nutrient du jour. Recently, however, increasing attention is being given to an all but forgotten part of our diet. Move over, carbohydrates: fat is making a comeback in the headlines. More specifically, trans fat. Of the four types of dietary fat (monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, saturated and trans), the focus recently has been on trans fat. Abundant in margarine, shortening, packaged baked goods and French fries to name a few, trans fat is a widely used ingredient for food manufacturers because it is cheap and contributes to increased shelf life. It is listed as "partially hydrogenated vegetable oil" and "vegetable shortening" on product ingredient lists. Hydrogenation is the process of heating an oil and passing hydrogen bubbles through it. The fat's density is increased, and food manufacturers use it frequently because it gives products a richer butter flavor. Saturated butter is much more expensive to use, so manufacturers reduce costs by using partially hydrogenated oils. Partially hydrogenated oils, however, have a much different effect on the body than even the demonized saturated fats. We all know that we need to limit saturated fat in our diets, but specific amounts, although small, have been deemed acceptable, and even help to facilitate a variety of processes for the body. Trans fat, however, provides no positive effects whatsoever. Studies have consistently shown that trans fat raises LDL (bad) cholesterol and lowers HDL (good) cholesterol. It contributes to clogging of the arteries and type 2 diabetes. Trans fat has also been linked to an estimated 30,000 or more premature heart disease deaths each year. In March 2004, the Food and Drug Administration updated their website pages concerning trans fat and regulations concerning labeling laws. Although the FDA first proposed trans fat labeling in 1999, it wasn't until July 2003 that Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson announced the new trans fat ruling. Even then, the guidelines proved to be less than acceptable to health experts who were pushing for immediate regulations: the ruling gave manufacturers until January 1, 2006 to comply. Some food manufacturers, however, have already started listing the ingredient on their nutritional labels, and the FDA has responded to these changes for consumers with trans fat info and guidance to understanding the new labels. See the FDA website at http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/transfat.html#unhide). Issues of further contention exist, most notably because the FDA is choosing not to list a % Daily Value (%DV) for trans fat. Although it admits that scientific reports show a link between trans fat and coronary heart disease, the FDA states that none of these studies have provided a specific reference value. This has enraged anti-trans fat advocates, who consider the decision not to list daily values a cop-out due to pressure from the food industry, not to insufficient evidence of harm (check out http://bantransfats.com/ for a comprehensive and excellent review of the latest trans fat advocacy issues). Unlike the FDA's specific daily requirements for both saturated fat and cholesterol already in place, some experts feel this lack of specificity for trans fat allotment in our diet is akin to allowing the consumer to believe that any amount is acceptable. Thus, the possibility of a veritable free-for-all on trans fat consumption is feared. The race is now on for food manufacturers to produce foods free of trans fat In April 2004, Kraft Foods announced the introduction of three new brands of the popular Oreo cookie containing zero grams of trans fat. Other manufactures will surely follow suit and it is likely that we will be seeing an explosion of trans fat-free (although not necessarily nutritious) products, particularly snack foods. Since we have a while to wait until all manufacturers are required to change their product labels, consumers need to know how to recognize trans fat in products to reduce intake. Read every ingredient label before a product is purchased. If the list contains the words "partially hydrogenated," you know it contains trans fat. Shortening and margarine almost always contain trans fat. This knowledge is particularly important with regard to processed foods, since they usually contain a large amount of ingredients, most with long, odd looking and hard to pronounce names. For further guidance on how to avoid trans fat in products, check out Dr. Gabe Mirkin's website (http://www.drmirkin.com/nutrition/N185.html), an excellent resource on nutrition and trans fat info. Conflicting as it may be, we'll always be inundated with media attention on the latest focus on nutrition. But we still need to be aware of the facts concerning our health. Coverage on fats was all the rage in the 80's, for the last decade all we've heard about is carbs. What's next? Well, there's always protein. About The Author Jon Gestl, CSCS, is a Chicago personal trainer and fitness instructor who specializes in helping people get in shape in the privacy and convenience of their home or office. He is a United States National Aerobic Champion silver and bronze medalist and world-ranked sportaerobic competitor. He can be contacted through his website at http://www.jongestl.com.
Look For
MORE RESOURCES: Holmes Beach enacts vacation rental moratorium The Anna Maria Island Sun Newspaper Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis talks about Anna Maria Island vacation rental conundrum Sarasota Herald-Tribune New study finds 1 in 12 vacation rentals have hidden cameras ConsumerAffairs Challenges For Hotels, Gains For Short-Term Rentals – 3 Charts Skift Travel News Citing housing crisis, Santa Cruz County supervisors take aim at vacation rentals Lookout Santa Cruz Help! My $1,988 Spring Break Rental Was Canceled at the Last Minute. The New York Times Are short-term rentals good for Providence? What about Block Island? Why the answer differs The Providence Journal VROCNJ – Rental of the Week: 2948 Asbury Ave., OCNJ breakingac.com WATCH: Nick Saban lists down harsh rules for his vacation rental guests in latest commercial Sportskeeda Green Bay area Airbnb NFL draft prices have started to moderate. Why that's a good thing Green Bay Press Gazette DeSantis announces executive actions related to Helene during stop on Anna Maria Island Sarasota Herald-Tribune Tripadvisor Shutters Vacation Rental Direct Bookings in Favor of Third-Party Providers Skift Travel News Beaches remain closed. Visitors advised to rethink trips to Sarasota or Manatee beaches Sarasota Herald-Tribune Gov. DeSantis vetoes vacation rental bill News 13 Orlando 'It's pervasive': Palm Coast locals say vacation rentals have become their nightmare in paradise Palm Coast Observer and Ormond Beach Observer Newsom signs consumer protection bills on vacation rentals, overdraft fees and credit scores Capital Public Radio News Summit County officials can now ask platforms like Airbnb to remove listings for unlicensed short-term rentals Summit Daily Vacation Rentals Florida Trend Vacasa Founder Knocks Pacaso’s Fundraising as Deceptive Skift Travel News Vacasa Lost 9% of Its Vacation Rentals in the Last Year, Doesn’t See Profitability in 2024 Skift Travel News Vacation rentals among new offerings along Columbia River | Provided by Crescent Ridge The Seattle Times Vacation Rentals: How to Shrink Your Carbon Footprint The New York Times Florida Gov. DeSantis vetoes vacation rental bill that gave state more authority Tallahassee Democrat Maui County’s vacation rentals at 49.3% occupancy in June, down double-digits from last year Maui Now Park District forced to end vacation rentals at historic Belle Baldwin house Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber DeSantis vetoes short-term vacation rental bill Florida Phoenix DeSantis vetoes bill over vacation rental regulation Tampa Bay Times Letter: Vacation rental vs. low to middle-class housing | Opinion Newport News Times Buckingham Vacation Rentals Visit Lake Tahoe Honolulu Has Been Fighting Over Illegal Vacation Rentals Since The 1970s Honolulu Civil Beat Maui County’s Move Against Vacation Rentals Likely To Bog Down In Court Honolulu Civil Beat West Michigan beachfront town works to ban short-term vacation rentals Detroit Free Press Vacation Rentals and Luxury Trips: Travel Startups Raise $106 Million Skift Travel News Amid housing crisis, Maui commission votes to phase out thousands of short-term rentals Hawaii News Now Lee Cataluna: Phasing Out 7,000 Vacation Rentals On Maui Would Be A Sea Change - Honolulu Civil Beat Lee Cataluna: Phasing Out 7,000 Vacation Rentals On Maui Would Be A Sea Change Honolulu Civil Beat Want a Bargain on Your Beach House Rental? These Are the Cheapest—and Priciest—Months Realtor.com News Indian Rocks Beach prepares for legal fight after rejecting vacation rental compromise ABC Action News Tampa Bay Vacation Rental Prices Come Down From Pandemic High The Vineyard Gazette - Martha's Vineyard News Maui Council Budgets $300,000 To Study Impacts Of Eliminating 7,000 Vacation Rentals Honolulu Civil Beat Florida’s Vacation Rental Bill awaits Gov. Ron DeSantis' review. St. Augustine Record Decherd adding hotel/motel tax for temporary lodging Winchester Herald Chronicle Maui County weighs phasing out vacation rentals West Hawaii Today Can you still get a rental this summer on Cape Cod? Yes, but here's what you should know. Cape Cod Times Counties differ in approach to regulating vacation rentals West Hawaii Today Short-Term Dwelling and Vacation Rental Licensing Boulder County (.gov) Maui Mayor Richard Bissen announces bill to phase out vacation rentals in apartment districts Maui Now Vacation rental crackdown may lower condo prices in Maui County University of Hawaii System Hawaii’s vacation rentals total nearly 6% of housing supply Hawaii Tribune-Herald A Statewide Ban On Vacation Rentals? The Idea Is Gaining Steam After The Maui Fires Honolulu Civil Beat New era of policing vacation rentals in Santa Cruz County pushes complaints, violations into public view Lookout Santa Cruz Amid housing crisis, Maui commission considers phasing out thousands of vacation rentals Hawaii News Now How to Avoid Paying Vacation Rental Fees The New York Times Tybee officially passes ban on vacation rentals. Here's what that means for the island WJCL News Savannah Vacation rental bill divided lawmakers. Now it's drawing calls for DeSantis to veto it Tallahassee Democrat City Considers Tightening Vacation Rental Ban outlooknewspapers.com Governor signs measure giving counties authority to convert vacation rentals into housing Hawaii News Now Maps of vacation rentals in San Diego are fueling a fiery debate about the city's housing crisis — here's why Yahoo Finance Best Mattress for Vacation Rentals (2024) Mattress Clarity Indian Rocks Beach poised to battle in court after scrapping proposed changes to vacation rentals WTSP.com DeSantis vetoes vacation rental bill Fort Myers Beach Talk As vacation rentals eat up housing in South Florida, controlling them might become harder | Opinion Miami Herald |
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