Healthy Kids: FDA’s final trans fat ruling

FORT MYERS, Fla. –  This week the FDA gave it’s final ruling on artificial trans fats — the food industry can no longer add them to food. Those trans fats, or partially hydrogenated oils, are added to food to increase shelf life and enhance flavors.
Joining us this morning Dr. Annette St.Pierre-Mackoul to explain what this ruling means to you and your next meal.

FDA bans Trans Fats Statement:
Food industry has 3 years to remove trans fats.
There are no safe levels of trans fats in foods.
Substitutes have been found for trans fats.
There is no need for trans fats in foods.

Trans Fats Facts:
Increases risk of heart disease
Trans fats are in processed foods
Increases LDL (bad cholesterol)
Decreases HDL (good cholesterol)
Extends the shelf life of processed foods.

Goal of Trans Fats Elimination:
Save many thousands of lives.
Cutting fat in diet could:
prevent 20,000 heart attacks/year
prevent 7000 heart disease deaths/year
Recommendations:
2003 = 4.6 gms fat/day
2012 = 1.0 gm fat/day
FDA wants to improve the health of Americans

Things you need to know:
Food Industry can petition FDA to allow usage.
Usage will occur in limited quantities.
Need to carefully read labels.