Dear MEL School’s Topic Readers,
FDA to ban
artery-clogging trans fats.
What are trans
fats? They’re also called partially hydrogenated oils that are created when
hydrogen is added to vegetable oil to make it more solid. They’re used to help
give a more solid texture and richness to certain foods, like baked goods,
biscuits, and ready-to-eat frostings, or to fry food.
Why is the FDA
banning the use of trans fats? They raise bad cholesterol while lowering the
good one, and therefore they could contribute to clog artery and cause heart
disease, which is the leading cause of death in the United States. They are
considered even less healthy than saturated fats like cheese or meat fats.
What about the
rest of the world? No such strict ban has been applied yet but requirements to
label the amount of usage of trans fats have been seen in some countries like
saturated fat.
Enjoy reading and
thinking how much trans fats you might be taking in each meal or snack.
