This week the Food and Drug Administration announced that it is finally ready to ban trans fats from American foods.
You might have assumed that trans fats had already disappeared, since there is strong evidence that trans fat consumption contributes to heart attacks. Although many food manufacturers have removed this man-made fat, it can still be found in some baked goods, frostings, margarines, non-dairy creamers and snack foods such as chips or microwaved popcorn. In addition, some fried foods and refrigerated dough for biscuits, cookies or frozen pizza contain trans fats, also referred to as partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
Health Benefits of Banning Trans Fats
The FDA asserts that a complete ban on trans fats should prevent 20,000 heart attacks annually and as many as 7,000 deaths. That’s certainly a desirable goal.
Given such statistics, one might assume the ban would go into effect immediately. In actuality, the Food and Drug Administration is giving the food industry three years to implement the total ban. Seriously? That means thousands more heart attacks and deaths are likely to occur until trans fats completely disappear from the food supply.
How can the FDA congratulate itself on this long-overdue public health effort? Knowing that the food supply still contains these dangerous and unnecessary ingredients, we’d think the agency would want to act more swiftly.
Concerned consumers may wish to check labels to avoid trans fats or hydrogenated vegetable oils over the next few years until the ban is complete.
