About Trans Fats

By t he American Heart Association

.....Trans fat is a specific type of fat formed when liquid oils are chemically processed into solid fats like shortening and hard margarine. It is typically found in products that contain “partially hydrogenated vegetable oils,” such as some salty snacks and commercially baked and deep-fried foods, although some also occurs naturally in products such as meat and dairy products that contain fat.

....Trans fats are used in the restaurant industry primarily because they add desirable taste and texture, have a long shelf life, and can be used many times reducing cost, the fats are nonetheless detrimental to health.

.....Trans fats are unhealthy because, like saturated fats, trans fats raise bad cholesterol (LDL) levels in your blood, which increases fatty buildups in arteries and raises the risk of heart attack and stroke. They are also associated with a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

.....The American Heart Association Recommends that you limit the amount of saturated fats to less than 7 percent of your total daily calories, and trans fats to less than 1 percent of total daily calories.

.....Any food made with partially hydrogenated oil contains trans fat. The only way to know for sure if the oil you use contains trans fat is to read the food labels and choose products that are free of partially hydrogenated oils.

.....The American Heart Association has a Web site dedicated specifically to educating the public, especially children, on the issue of trans fats at www.americanheart.org

.....The American Heart Association applauds Gov. Schwarzenegger’s signing of AB 97 into law and the Assemblyman Tony Mendoza’s who bold action in authoring a bill that makes California the first state in the nation to ban trans fats in restaurants and who refered the bill's signing "A call to action". This trans-free law, will impact the health of all Californians, reducing healthcare costs and saving lives.

......On Jan, 1, 2010, the legislation took effect for oil, shortening and margarine used in spreads or for frying. Restaurants were able to continue using trans fats to deep fry yeast dough and in cake batter until Jan. 1, 2011, only. This timeframe gave restaurants ample time to comply and formulate healthier alternatives. Fines for non-compliance range from $25 to $1,000.

.....The Governor's leadership has also banned trans fat and food fried in school meals, banned junk food and sugary sodas off school campuses and have put in place some of the nation's most innovative and successful strategies such as Convened a Summit on Health, Nutrition and Obesity where leaders of public and private organizations who made significant commitments to change core business practices to help achieve a healthier California, Have invested millions of dollars in fresh fruits and vegetables in school meals, Adopted the first-ever physical education standards, Proposed a comprehensive health care reform plan that emphasizes prevention and wellness.

....For more information on Governor Schwarzenegger Health Issues and Statements please visit http://gov.ca.gov

Salud+HealthInfo is for information and educational purposes only. You should not rely on this information as a substitute for personal medical attention, diagnosis or hands-on treatment. If you are concerned abut your health or that of a child, please consult your family's physician or health provider immediately and do not try to diagnose yourself. Salud+Health Info is published and distributed free of charge by Info Option Network (ION) Publishing Company. Copyright © 2001-2006 Info Option Network

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