Nexus - 0402 - New Times Magazine-pages

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tion and inflammatory response, to name just a few. Many of these problems with trans- fats have been known or suspected for 15 to 20 years, but have been largely ignored in the US. In Europe, trans- fats are restricted in food products, and some countries allow no more than 0.1 per cent trans- fatty acid content. In contrast, margarines in the US may contain up to 30 to 50 per cent! Of course, the food industry denies there is any problem with t Meanwhile, scientific evidence continues to mount that trans- fats contribute to heart disease and possibly other conditions as well. Even the conservative Harvard Health Letter referred to them as "the new enemy". tion and inflammatory response, to name just a few. each other. In fact, the essential fatty acids (mentioned earlier) Many of these problems with trans- fats have been known or help control the types of cholesterol made by the body and help suspected for 15 to 20 years, but have been largely ignored in the prevent heart disease. So, reducing saturated fats and unnatural US. In Europe, trans- fats are restricted in food products, and trans- fats in our diets, while increasing the essential fats, would some countries allow no more than 0.1 per cent trans- fatty acid be a more prudent policy. Many scientists are now advocating content. In contrast, margarines in the US may contain up to 30 this shift in emphasis. to 50 per cent! Of course, the food industry denies there is any Edward Siguel, M.D., Ph.D., is an award-winning researcher problem with this. who was invited to investigate fatty acids in the Framingham Meanwhile, scientific evidence continues to mount that trans- Cardiovascular Offspring Study. He recently authored a book, fats contribute to heart disease and possibly other conditions as Essential Fatty Acids in Health and Disease.‘ Dr Siguel has well. Even the conservative Harvard Health Letter referred to developed a sensitive test to determine the amounts of the various them as "the new enemy".? fatty acids found in humans, and has found a definite correlation with trans- fats and heart disease. He has also found that many VESTED INTERESTS people with heart disease have low levels of EFAs. In a presenta- According to Russell Jaffe, M.D., a noted medical researcher, tion at the Second Annual Symposium on Functional Medicine in hog farmers will not feed trans- fats to their animals because the 1994, he stated that insufficiency of EFAs may underlie many of pigs will die if they eat them. When Dr Jaffe contacted the US the chronic diseases prevalent in Western societies. He also cau- Department of Agriculture, he found that it knew all about this but tioned that low-fat diets not based on whole foods might be haz- was not interested in the possible human effects since this area ardous: "Individuals who maintain normal or low body-weight by was not under its jurisdiction. The US Food & Drug eating low-calorie, low-fat, processed foods, such as supermarket Administration (FDA) hasn't done anything about it, either. The cereals, breads and pasta, are at high risk for EFA fact that the food industry has succeeded in keeping a lid on pub- insufficiency...compounded by the use of hydrogenated oils, lead- lic awareness of these facts is testimony to the political power it _ing to elevated levels of circulating trans- fatty acids..." wields in governmental and scientific circles. The breast milk of many US mothers also shows an excess of The food industry funds a great deal of research. People in the trans- fats and low omega-3 fatty acid content. Dr Donald Rudin, research community know that you can often predict the outcome in his co-authored book, The Omega-3 Phenomenon, stated: of a study if you know who is funding it. In that light, it's unwise "American mothers produce milk that often has only one-fifth to to accept blindly the press releases on 'the one-tenth of the omega-3 content of the latest research’ without considering who milk that well-nourished, nut-eating aid for it. There are some rather scien- Nigerian mothers provide their tific-sounding foundations out there that . . infants." are basically ‘front’ organisations for the Margarine isa non-food! A revealing study was recently pub- food industry.’ lished by the Nutrition Research * It would appear that only Division of Health Canada. The FATS IN OUR DIETS humans are foolish enough to researchers analysed the milk of 198 Margarine isn't the only grocery store eat it! lactating mothers across Canada and item with a significant amount of trans- u found that trans- fatty acids averaged fats. Any ‘food' that lists "hydrogenated" 7.2 per cent of total fatty-acid content, or "partially hydrogenated" on the label with a range of 0.1 to 17.2 per cent. contains trans- fats and should be avoid- Further analysis of these trans- fats ed. You may be surprised to discover showed that their major source was ow many products in your kitchen contain trans- fats. They partially hydrogenated vegetable oils (that means margarine). include most baked goods such as bread and crackers, shortenings They also noted that elevation of these trans- fats occurred at the like margarine and Crisco, refined vegetable oils and most brands expense of the EFAs, thus placing the infant in double jeopardy of peanut butter. Most peanut butter brands contain sugar or corn during a crucial period of development.’ syrup which stresses the pancreas and is easily converted to fat by Both types of EFAs are necessary for proper development of the body. foetal and infant tissues, especially the nervous system. So be sure to read the labels on packaged foods and avoid According to John Finnegan, in The Facts About Fats, the omega- those with hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oil! 3s in particular affect the parts of the brain that relate to learning Also avoid products containing cottonseed oil. Cotton is not ability, anxiety or depression, and auditory and visual perception. considered a food crop and is heavily sprayed with highly toxic They also aid in balancing the immune system.’ A 1991 Mayo pesticides—some of which wind up in the oil. According to Dr _—_Clinic study of 19 'normal' pregnant women, eating ‘normal’ diets, Jaffe, cottonseed oil also contains toxic fatty acids similar to those showed that all of them were deficient in the omega-3 fatty acids present in rape seed oil about 30 years ago and suspected of caus- and, to a lesser extent, the omega-6s. These researchers recom- ing several deaths before being taken off the market. These fatty mended that the omega-3 fatty acids be supplemented in every acids caused illness when fed to dogs and pigs. Cottonseed oil is pregnancy, and that women avoid refined and hydrogenated fats commonly used to fry potato chips, and is found in numerous during pregnancy.* processed foods. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition Currently, the dominant medical opinion is that fats are bad for showed a dramatic difference between the heart-disease rates of us and should be restricted in our diets. Given the types of fats populations in northern and southern India.’ The northerners were usually consumed in America, this is probably a good idea. But —_ meat-eaters and had high cholesterol levels. Their main source of several studies have shown that the quantity of fat is not as impor- dietary fat was ghee (clarified butter). The southerners were veg- tant as the quality of fat and the balance of the fats in relation to etarians and had much lower cholesterol levels. Present-day 'wis- eat it! NEXUS - 41 FEBRUARY - MARCH 1997