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VOLUME 8 NUMBER 4 • NOVEMBER 2011
NUTRITION FOCUS
SA JOURNAL OF DIABETES & VASCULAR DISEASE
Fig. 1.
Food labels give the breakdown of carbohydrates, fats and proteins in
the food.
Nutrition Facts
Serving size 1 cup (200 g)
Amount per serving
Calories
260
% Daily value
Fat 13g
20%
Saturated fat 3 g
25%
+ Trans fat 2 g
Cholesterol
30 mg
10%
Sodium
660 mg
28%
Carbohydrate
31 g
10%
Fiber 0 g
0%
Sugars 5 g
Protein 5 g
Vitamin A 4%
Vitamin C 2%
Unhealthy fats
baked products. Pressure from health authorities and consumers
to decrease the amounts of saturated fats in foods prompted the
food industry to replace some of the saturated fats with a stable
form of unsaturated fats, resulting in an increase of trans fatty acids
in foods.
Why do we need to reduce the amount of trans fatty
acids in our diets?
Trans fatty acids are not essential and have no proven health ben-
efits. A large consumption of trans fatty acids leads to increased
weight gain. The overweight or obesity associated with trans fatty
acid consumption, as well as the actual intake of trans fatty acids
lead to an increase in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) (bad) cholesterol
and a decrease in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) (good) cholesterol.
Higher LDL cholesterol and decreased HDL cholesterol is a major
risk factor for chronic diseases of lifestyle such as heart disease, the
metabolic syndrome and diabetes mellitus.
The most recent South African demographic and health survey
from 2003 showed that the self-reported prevalence of heart dis-
ease was 2.7% for men and 4% for women; 2.6% of men reported
having diabetes, while the prevalence was reported as 3.9% in
women. Elevated levels of serum trans fatty acids have been associ-
ated with increased risk of breast and prostate cancer.
How much fat can you consume daily?
Recent evidence indicates that diets with adequate energy, providing
less than 30% of energy from fat, are sufficient to promote normal
growth and normal sexual maturation but protect against chronic
diseases of lifestyle. Most of the fat in the diet should come from
foods that are sources of poly- and/or mono-unsaturated fatty acids
such as fish, nuts and vegetable oils, with less fat that is derived from
animal products, processed foods and snacks (Table 1).
How much trans fatty acids can you safely
consume?
According to goals set out for South Africans, trans fatty acids
should make up no more than 1% of one’s total daily energy
intake. For example, a moderately active 30-year-old woman,
1.65 m tall with a healthy body weight of 61 kg, requires 8 828 kJ
Conclusion
Trans fatty acids occur naturally in some foods, but the majority of
trans fatty acids consumed come from foods that are baked, fried or
prepared with hydrogenated fats. Trans fatty acids are not essential
and a high intake is dangerous to our health. Consumers should read
food labels when purchasing food for themselves and their families,
and look out for the term ‘partially hydrogenated vegetable oil’ in
the ingredients list, as this shows that the product contains trans
fatty acids. Choose products that are free or virtually free (≤ 0.1 g per
100 g) of trans fatty acids. A healthy diet that includes foods low in
fat and trans fatty acids should be a priority for all South Africans in
order to reduce health risks and increase quality of life.
For further personalised and more detailed information, please
contact NICUS or your specialist.
Source:
Selected extraction from Facts about trans fatty acids, the NICUS
2011. Available at
.
per day. She can therefore consume a maximum of 2.3 g trans fatty
acids per day.
How can you reduce the amounts of trans fatty acids
in your diet?
Reducing total fat intake is important and will in effect reduce your
trans fatty acid intake. Opt for liquid vegetable oils such as canola,
olive and sunflower oils instead of animal fat such as lard, ghee and
butter. Choose soft margarines that are sold in tubs over butter,
brick margarine and baking shortening. Soft margarines are high
in polyunsaturated fatty acids and typically contain no or very low
levels of TFA.
Read product labels and choose products free or virtually free
(≤ 0.1 g per 100 g) of trans fatty acids. Limit your intake of snacks
and confectionary products. Be aware of the term ‘partially hydro-
genated vegetable oil’ on ingredients lists of food products and
avoid those foods (this refers to trans fatty acids) (Fig. 1).
