Biscuits contain trans fats (Photo : YouTube/Page Hall )
The US Food and Drug Administration has officially banned trans fats in the United States. The agency said that it will require food firms to phase out the use of artificial trans fats over the next three years. It further said that the move will decrease coronary heart disease and prevent several fatal heart attacks each year.
According to researchers, there are no health benefits to trans fats. Trans fats are used in restaurants and in processing food to improve flavor, shelf life or texture. They can increase levels of bad cholesterol and lower good cholesterol, raising the heart disease risk, according to The Independent. Heart disease is the major cause of death in the US.
The trans fats are formed when hydrogen is added to unsaturated vegetable oil to make it more solid, which is why they are frequently known as partially hydrogenated oils.
Over the years, trans fats have been used in foods that require flavor enhancement or a longer shelf life or in those that require solid fat for texture. Stick margarines, vegetable shortenings, refrigerated dough, frozen pizza, coffee creamers, microwave popcorn, biscuits and pie crusts are some of the foods that contain trans fats.
Dr. Steven Stack, president of the American Medical Association (AMA), said that with sufficient scientific research linking the intake of trans fat to harmful health effects, including stroke and heart attack, they believe that removing trans fat from their nation's food supply will help decrease the risk of preventable diseases and save lives, Healthline reported.
