Not too long ago, my husband, Larry Scherwitz (who is also an EmpowHer writer, expert, and provider) bought a package of crackers he sometimes enjoys. Knowledgeable about nutrition and health, Larry told me he “checked the label, and it doesn’t list `partially hydrogenated oil’ or `trans fat’ like the other brand I used to buy.”
Harmful Fat for the Female Body
As many of you know, both the scientific community and media have “outed” these two “ingredients” as serious threats to women’s’ and others' health. Not only are women who consume these artificial and synthetically produced fats more—much more—likely to develop heart disease than women with lower intakes, too much trans fat consumption also may increase the risk of infertility in women. In response, health-savvy consumers, like Larry, read labels to avoid purchasing food products that list either ingredient on the label. After all, food products that are free of trans-fat are healthier, right? Well…not always.
Meet “Terified” Fake Fat
To protect the consumer against the health dangers of trans fats, food production firms have been given the directive to eliminate this health-robbing substance from their food products. And so they did. But due to the creativity of some scientists and food manufacturers, more and more processed and packaged foods may contain a replacement “fake fat” that could be even more harmful to your health. Meet interesterified fat! It is similar to trans fat, but through a process called interesterification, it is closer to hard, artery-hardening saturated fat (found, for instance, in the white “marbling” in beef) chemically.
For food manufacturers, interesterified fat is a blessing, because its chemical composition differs from trans fat, while at the same time, it provides the same “benefit” for food manufacturers—especially an increased shelf life. So what’s the problem? Early scientific studies revealed that interesterified fat may be equal or even more harmful to your health than the partially-hydrogenated fat it was created to replace.
A sampling of studies:
• Like trans fat, it increases levels of “bad” (LDL) cholesterol, while decreasing “good” (HDL);
• It raises blood glucose levels as much as 20%, making you more susceptible to pre-diabetes or diabetes itself;
• Interesterified fat has a somewhat weaker impact on “bad” cholesterol levels than trans fat, but within a month, may raise blood glucose levels even more than trans fat.
Become a Savvy Sleuth
When I scanned the ingredients section on the label of Larry’s crackers, I didn’t see the abolished trans fat and partially hydrogenated oil; instead, a new, mystical (to me) fatlike ingredient (actually, it was a rather lengthy explanation that submerged the true fat story) emerged: “vegetable oil (contains one or more of the following oils: interesterified soybean, canola, palm)." Call it “defensive dining” or “smart selection,” if you see the word “interesterified” or any other unfamiliar ingredient on a label, opt instead for a product with familiar, fresh ingredients. Your heart will be glad you took the time to be a savvy ingredient sleuth.
Deborah Kesten, MPH, was the nutritionist on Dean Ornish, MD’s first clinical trial for reversing heart disease through lifestyle changes—without drugs or surgery, and Director of Nutrition on similar research in cardiovascular clinics in Europe. She is the award-winning author of Feeding the Body, Nourishing the Soul, The Healing Secrets of Food, and The Enlightened Diet. Call her at 415.810.7874, or visit her at www.Enlightened-Diet.com to take her FREE What’s Your Eating Style? Quiz, and to learn more about her Whole Person Nutrition Program for wellness, weight loss, heart-health, coaching, and books.