Do you know food manufacturers are hiding trans fats within food products, in particular, 3-in-1 coffee beverage – and still labeling them as zero grams trans fats!
People are busy. They’re trying to make the best decision for themselves and their families in the grocery store. They’re often trying to make the healthy choice. And trans fats have been in the news a lot recently. So even if our regular shopper doesn’t know exactly why trans fats are bad, when she’s faced with a product choice in the grocery store, she’s likely to think:
“Oh, I remember something about avoiding trans fats on the news. So I should choose this product labelled with the big red “zero grams trans fats” on the front!”
And who would blame her? It’s a sensible choice to make.
Except when the food companies are intentionally misleading the consumer to increase sales and still including trans fats in their products.
What are trans fats & why are they used?
Trans fats are a manufactured fat that is included in processed foods to extend their shelf life. They are listed on ingredients labels as hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated vegetable oil.
Most producers of coffee formulations utilize a "hydrogenation" process that modifies the molecular structure of fats, so that the vegetable oil used could become more tolerant to high temperature and resistance to turning rancid. However, this process generates the production of "trans fat", which has no benefit but cause harm to the human health.
Why should I avoid eating trans fats?
Trans fat tends to build up in the body and cannot be broken down easily. Its long-term intake can bring about a high risk of various cardiovascular diseases, such as coronary arteriosclerosis, as it causes an elevation in the level of the "bad" cholesterol and a decline in the level of the "good" ones.
Trans fats have been banned in Denmark and New York City.
The Great Trans Fats Deception
According to US FDA, if a product has less than half a gram of trans fats per serving, they must write zero grams on the Nutrition Facts label.
But when was the last time you ate exactly one serving of any product?
Let's look at our beloved Coffee Mate
But now let's look at their ingredient list:
Looking at the ingredients list we have “Vegetable Oil (Partially Hydrogenated Coconut or Palm Kernel, Hydrogenated Soybean)”.
"Hydrogenated" oils ARE trans fats!
So even though the label says zero grams trans fats, and zero grams trans fats are highlighted on the front of the package – reading the ingredients list clearly shows us that this product contains trans fats!
Ignore the marketing on products and packaging. Turn the package around and read the ingredients. It’s the only way you’ll know what you’re eating!
So how can you avoid hidden trans fats in your coffee?
If a coffee contains hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils of any kind, it contains trans fats. Don’t eat it.
