The hidden danger of dietary Trans-fats
Great article from Suppversity , well worth your time.
This article makes a really good point...most dietary advice is bogus and it's even more so when it comes from a government agency. However, they have it right on the wide spread use of Trans-fats.
These are partially hydrogenated vegetable oils are everywhere in our food supply . I prefer the name "Industrial seed oils" . These oils have a hydrogen atom added to change the storage and cooking characteristics so that the can be stored for longer periods of time. What must be realized is that these oils, aside from the severe detrimental effects of the high omega 6 content, become incorporated in cell walls causing abnormal permeability and function. New studies have determined that Trans fats also cause an increase in the LDL-p (number of circulating LDL particles). The LDL or Low Density Lipoprotein is a blood component that carries cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood stream. When inflammation is present these LDL particles cross through the inflamed vessel wall and become trapped within the vascular layers. The cholesterol carried by the LDL particle then sets up a reaction where the body sends inflammatory cells to the site to fix it in place, thereby causing plaque formation. The essential point is that it is a combination of inflammation and high circulating LDL particle number that leads to coronary artery disease and NOT cholesterol or the LDL-c that is typically measured. Most people don't have the LDL-p measured but should and can do so very easily with several websites and private labs available. A great one is Direct Labs . With this company you can request the lipo science Lipid NMR test and they will send you an actual count of your LDL particles as well as their size and your potential risk of heart disease.
Now with all that said, how do Trans Fats play into this equation? What has been shown is that trans fats increase the number of LDL particles and the industry is cleverly hiding in their products by downsizing them in a way that "one serving"contains less than 0.5g of transfats - that's the magic loophole in the FDA regulations according to which transfats don't have to appear on the label, as long as the total amount per serving is less than 0.5g. So how much Trans fat is is the food you may be eating? Take a look at the following chart for the % of trans fats found in french fries and chicken nuggets.
So what effect does the hidden or "Unreported" 0.5 grams of trans fats that are not reported on food labels doing to our LDL-p numbers....well it cant be good. "If we assume that there is a linear relationship between LDL-P and
trans-fat intake (obviously this is a gross simplification) and make a
rough and scientifically highly questionable estimate of the
consequences, we will find that those unlabeled 0.5g of transfats could
boost your LDL levels from the first into the third tertile of LDL-P
values in the Prado study (+by 675nmol/L).... that this would also mean
that a daily dose of only 0.5g of hidden trans-fats could triple your
likelihood of arteriosclerotic plaque should be obvious, right?" Now that should get your attention.
LDL-P Drops by 27nmol/L With Every 1% Reduction in Trans Fat Intake. Plus: "Trans-Fat Free" Does Not Mean Risk Free!
This article makes a really good point...most dietary advice is bogus and it's even more so when it comes from a government agency. However, they have it right on the wide spread use of Trans-fats.
These are partially hydrogenated vegetable oils are everywhere in our food supply . I prefer the name "Industrial seed oils" . These oils have a hydrogen atom added to change the storage and cooking characteristics so that the can be stored for longer periods of time. What must be realized is that these oils, aside from the severe detrimental effects of the high omega 6 content, become incorporated in cell walls causing abnormal permeability and function. New studies have determined that Trans fats also cause an increase in the LDL-p (number of circulating LDL particles). The LDL or Low Density Lipoprotein is a blood component that carries cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood stream. When inflammation is present these LDL particles cross through the inflamed vessel wall and become trapped within the vascular layers. The cholesterol carried by the LDL particle then sets up a reaction where the body sends inflammatory cells to the site to fix it in place, thereby causing plaque formation. The essential point is that it is a combination of inflammation and high circulating LDL particle number that leads to coronary artery disease and NOT cholesterol or the LDL-c that is typically measured. Most people don't have the LDL-p measured but should and can do so very easily with several websites and private labs available. A great one is Direct Labs . With this company you can request the lipo science Lipid NMR test and they will send you an actual count of your LDL particles as well as their size and your potential risk of heart disease.
Now with all that said, how do Trans Fats play into this equation? What has been shown is that trans fats increase the number of LDL particles and the industry is cleverly hiding in their products by downsizing them in a way that "one serving"contains less than 0.5g of transfats - that's the magic loophole in the FDA regulations according to which transfats don't have to appear on the label, as long as the total amount per serving is less than 0.5g. So how much Trans fat is is the food you may be eating? Take a look at the following chart for the % of trans fats found in french fries and chicken nuggets.
So what effect does the hidden or "Unreported" 0.5 grams of trans fats that are not reported on food labels doing to our LDL-p numbers....well it cant be good. "If we assume that there is a linear relationship between LDL-P and
trans-fat intake (obviously this is a gross simplification) and make a
rough and scientifically highly questionable estimate of the
consequences, we will find that those unlabeled 0.5g of transfats could
boost your LDL levels from the first into the third tertile of LDL-P
values in the Prado study (+by 675nmol/L).... that this would also mean
that a daily dose of only 0.5g of hidden trans-fats could triple your
likelihood of arteriosclerotic plaque should be obvious, right?" Now that should get your attention.
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