Food Products and Trans Fat - Staying on Top of Recent Changes

Food Products and Trans Fat - Staying on Top of Recent Changes

Title of Topic:
 Food Products and Trans Fats: Staying on Top of Recent Changes
Claim of Topic:
 Coconut/palm oil and fully hydrogenated oils are being used as a replacement for partially hydrogenated/trans fats in some food products and cooking. How do these fats fit the recommended guidelines?

Discussion of Topic: Food companies are reformulating some food products to meet 2006 Food Label regulations that allow the claim of  “0 trans fat.” Products can carry this claim if they contain less than .5 grams of trans fat per serving. In some cases, reformulation is resulting in the replacement of trans fat with saturated fats, such as palm and coconut oils, to meet acceptability criteria for taste and product quality. In other cases, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats are being used to replace trans fat. While companies strive to manufacture products that are both healthy and tasty and ones that consumers will buy, registered dietitians need to be aware of the implications of changes in product composition. The 2005 Dietary Guidelines recommend that all Americans keep trans fatty acid consumption as low as possible as part of a total diet that limits the intake of fats and oils high in saturated and/or trans fatty acids. The recommendation is based on evidence that trans fatty acids raise total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol. In addition, unlike saturated fatty acids, trans fatty acids may decrease high density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol which leads to increases in the total cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol ratios. Evidence from studies indicates that high trans fat intake increases the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). However, studies of American diets show that intake of saturated fat is more excessive than intake of trans fat and cholesterol. Therefore, it is most important for Americans to decrease their intake of saturated fat.

According to the Dietary Guidelines, healthy adults are advised to consume less than 10 percent of calories from saturated fats and less than 300 mg/day of cholesterol, and keep trans fat consumption as low as possible. Careful reading of food labels helps consumers select foods that are lowest in saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol.

Bottom Line: Trans fat in some food products is being replaced with saturated fat so that products can carry the food label claim of “0 trans fat.” This replacement may provide acceptable tasting products to consumers while negating some of the health improvements associated with lower trans fat content.

Opportunities for Dietetics Professionals: During nutrition education and counseling, registered dietitians have the opportunity to impact consumer knowledge about food labels and the cardio-protective diet, including recent changes in food product composition. They can also be informed sources of information for the public through their presentations and media communications.

Resources/References:

  1. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2005. 6th edition, Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, January 2005. Available at: www.healthierus.gov/dietaryguidelines/. Accessed August 10, 2006.

  2. American Dietetic Association Evidence Analysis Library Web site. Disorders of Lipid Metabolism Evidence-Based Nutrition Practice Guideline. Available at: www.adaevidencelibrary.com/default.cfm?library=EBG Accessed August 1, 2006.

  3. Tarrago-Trani MT, Phillips KM, Lemar LE, Holden JM. New and Existing Oils and Fats Used in Products with Reduced Trans-Fatty Acid Content. J Amer Diet Assoc. 2006;106:867-880.


Written by Chris Biesemeier, MS,RD,LDN,FADA, Chair of WM Dietetic Practice Group (October 2006)