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Trans Fats Under Attack
Target’s Archer Farms brand has become the first national store brand to go trans fat-free. Several restaurants, schools, cities and towns have employed, or are considering, similar measures.
30-Second Summary
On January 11, 2008, Target announced that Archer Farms would eliminate foods with added trans fat from its line of more than 2,000 food products.
Target and Archer Farms join a list of stores, schools and even cities that have banned trans fat.
Tiburon, California became the first trans fat free city in the United States, and in 2007, New York City banned trans fats in restaurants.
Kentucky Fried Chicken announced in Oct. 2006 that it would start frying its poultry products in trans fat-free soybean oil.
So why are so many people racing to rid themselves of foods that contain these fats?
Although the Food and Drug Administration defines trans fat as “a specific type of fat formed when liquid oils are made into solid fats like shortening and hard margarine,” that does little to explain their loathsome status.
However, an October 2006 study by the Harvard Medical School found that trans fats actually make you fatter faster.
After examining data collected from 41,518 women, the study showed that each increase of one percent of calories from trans fats translates to a two-pound gain over eight years.
“In other words,” reports USA Today, “a woman who was consuming six percent of calories from trans fat would be 12 pounds heavier after eight years than a person eating no trans fat.”
Trans fats also act like saturated fats in that they raise LDL cholesterol—the “bad” cholesterol.
Headline Link: ‘Target's Archer Farms Brand Goes Trans Fat Free’
On January 11, 2008, Target announced that Archer Farm would eliminate foods with added trans fat from its line of more than 2,000 food products.
Source: Reuters
Background: ‘Trans Fat Adds More Pounds Than Other Fat, Research Indicates’
An October 2006 study by the Harvard Medical School found that trans fats actually make you fatter faster. After examining data collected from 41,518 women, the study showed that each increase of one percent of calories from trans fats translates to a two-pound gain over eight years. “In other words,” reports USA Today, “a woman who was consuming six percent of calories from trans fat would be 12 pounds heavier after eight years than a person eating no trans fat.”
Source: USA Today
Related Topics: Fighting trans fats across the country
First trans fat free town in the United States
Tiburon, Calif. became the first trans-fat-free city in the United States after Ban Trans Fats, an organization committed to doing just that, worked with Tiburon's restaurant owners to switch to cooking oils without trans fats.
Source: Ban Trans Fats
KFC switches from trans fat oil to soybean
Kentucky Fried Chicken announced in Oct. 2006 that it would cook using soybean oil that contains no trans fats. KFC was sued in June 2006 by the Center for Science in the Public Interest to stop using trans fats.
Source: The New York Times
Disney gets healthy
Disney has announced that any product that wants to license the Disney name will now have to adhere to limits on calories, fat, saturated fat and sugar. Disney's theme parks will also begin to establish nutritional guidelines. Some consumer products that meet the new nutritional guidelines include instant oatmeal featuring "The Incredibles.”
Source: The Street
Trans Fats Eliminated from School Menus
The School Nutrition Association provides an overview of all school districts that have eliminated, or are in the process of eliminating, trans fats from their school menus. The site also provides state-by-state information on legislation concerning healthy school lunches. The association's stated mission is to provide healthful school meals and nutrition education.
Source: School Nutrition Association
Employers Encourage Fitness
Florida's secretary of Corrections has proposed that all 19,000 correctional officers pass mandatory fitness tests. Several businesses including General Motors and Pfizer have similar "wellness incentive" programs in which their employees are encouraged and rewarded for leading a healthy lifestyle.
Source: Christian Science Monitor
Reference Material: Trans fats defined and healthy alternatives
According to the Food and Drug Administration “trans fat is a specific type of fat formed when liquid oils are made into solid fats like shortening and hard margarine.” In addition, trans fats act like saturated fats in that trans fats raise LDL cholesterol—the “bad” cholesterol.
Source: The Food and Drug Administration
Healthy options
Shape magazine examines the healthy fats that it says are safe to consume.
Source: Shape magazine
Good Housekeeping offers tips on which margarines to use and when to use them.
Source: CBS affiliate in Chicago
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