Should margarine be banned?

[Halibut]

 

Citation please?

 

I'm pretty sure that was meant to amusing. It made me smile anyway.

[Cyclone]

They're a consequence of the partial hydrogenation processes used in many processed foods, including margarine.

 

They do also occur naturally in some animal products, but the majority of trans fats consumed are those from partial hydrogenation.

 

They are now known to be highly toxic and responsible for a lot of deaths- they're illegal in several countries, and, will likely end up banned in the others in the near future.

 

Why would you imagine that if the food industry were forced to remove them, that they'd substitute them with something else? They're an unwanted by-product of the process of hydrogenation. A chemically identical, but geometrically different molecule to that produced by natural processes.

[anywebsite]

But is the Lurpak spreadable really butter? I don't think it is.

 

It's a mix of marge & butter.

[onewheeldave]

Yes but do you know what they are?

 

I gave my answer already- what kind of answer are you looking for?

 

If you're after the chemistry it's all on the wiki page I linked to earlier-

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans_fat#Chemistry

 

If that's not good enough then maybe you could simply tell us yourself? Or make whatever point you're building up towards?

[Cyclone]

You described how they are made, not what they are.

 

I suspect the L hand R handed geometrical issue would be the key one that indicates someone has at least done their basic research.

[onewheeldave]

Why would you imagine that if the food industry were forced to remove them, that they'd substitute them with something else? They're an unwanted by-product of the process of hydrogenation. A chemically identical, but geometrically different molecule to that produced by natural processes.

 

The food industry is patently incapable or unwilling to churn out food that doesn't cripple health- I have zero faith and trust in them.

 

When trans fats are banned for good, obviously they won't directly substitute something for them- they will either have to use a different processing, or, alter the current one in some way.

 

Given their history, I see no reason to suppose that either of those won't result in toxins of a different kind.

 

If people want to be healthy, they need to cut to a bare minimum, or, eliminate, processed foods, especially those containing fats/oils.

 

(In an effort to head off some trolling, I'll emphasise that there are obviously degrees to processing- it can be argued that the act of picking fruit is a form of processing, but, I think we can all see the difference in a picked apple, and a supermarket concoction ready meal that's been shredded, powerderised, mixed with slaughterhouse floor sweepings, packed, packaged, shipped, dosed with preservatives, dodgy chemical flavourings and industrialy deodourised to fool the consumer into thinking it's some kind of food)

[Guest sibon]

 

Citation please?

 

Margarine is well known for making floors slippery.

 

That can often lead to damaged knees.

[Cyclone]

http://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/2145.aspx?CategoryID=51

 

However, in recent years many food manufacturers have removed trans fats from their products....

However, most people in the UK don't eat a lot of trans fats.

We eat about half the recommended maximum of trans fats on average, which is why the more commonly eaten saturated fat is considered a bigger health risk.

 

I'm sure it's just some sort of NHS conspiracy to trick you into not eating butter though.

 

---------- Post added 10-06-2014 at 17:58 ----------

 

http://www.nutrition.org.uk/attachments/045_Facts%20about%20trans%20fats.pdf

What is the current intake in the UK?

Over the past decade, population intakes of trans fatty acids have fallen and are

now, on average, well below the recommended 2% of total energy set by the

Department of Health in 1991, at 1.2% of energy (Henderson et al. 2003). This is

not to say that intakes of trans fatty acids are not still a problem, and dietary advice

states that those individuals who are in the top end of the distribution of intake

should still make efforts to reduce their intakes.

 

Recognising the adverse health effects of trans fatty acids, many food manufacturers

and retailers have been systematically removing them from their products in recent

years. For example, they have been absent from major brands of fat spreads for

some time, which are now manufactured using a different technique.

 

Oh, will you look at that!

 

---------- Post added 10-06-2014 at 18:00 ----------

 

And if you're still concerned.

 

Cereal products Biscuits (9%), buns, cakes and pastries

(retail) (8%), made using partially

hydrogentated fats and oils.

26

Meat and meat

products

Burgers, kebabs, meat pies and pastries.

Naturally present in beef and lamb at low

levels.

21

Fat spreads

 

Butter, margarines and spreads made

using partially hydrogenated oils

18

Milk and milk

products

Naturally present in milk and milk

products, at low levels.

16

Potatoes and

savoury snacks

Chips (retail) (4%), some savoury snacks

(1%).

6

Stop eating biscuits, buns, cakes and pastries... And select a margarine (most major brands) that does not contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oil.

 

Like I've been saying. Scaremongering and FUD. Do some research.

[onewheeldave]

http://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/2145.aspx?CategoryID=51

 

 

 

I'm sure it's just some sort of NHS conspiracy to trick you into not eating butter though.

 

---------- Post added 10-06-2014 at 17:58 ----------

 

http://www.nutrition.org.uk/attachments/045_Facts%20about%20trans%20fats.pdf

 

 

 

 

Oh, will you look at that!

 

---------- Post added 10-06-2014 at 18:00 ----------

 

And if you're still concerned.

 

 

Stop eating biscuits, buns, cakes and pastries... And select a margarine (most major brands) that does not contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oil.

 

Like I've been saying. Scaremongering and FUD. Do some research.

 

I'm really unclear on what point you're trying to make.

 

Presumably you're not denying that scientific studies and analysis have established that eating trans fats have caused hundreds of thousands of deaths over the past few decades?

 

You seem to stress that food companies have and are reducing trans fats levels in foods, but, we all know that- I pointed it out in a previous post myself.

 

Indeed, any who lives in Iceland, Denmark and the other places where transfats in food are illegal, is pretty safe from the stuff.

 

The US and the UK will also have to ban the stuff soon, though the dodgy food labelling in the US means that if oil/fat contents are below a certain level, they don't have to appear on the ingredients list.

 

In the meantime, consumers who read ingredients when buying food, can avoid transfats (in the UK)- but, as you surely know, most don't read ingredients, and, of those who do, the different terms used mean they miss stuff.

 

Like I said before, as a good general guideline, avoid processed foods if you want to be healthy- the more processed it is, the more it's worth avoiding.

 

That guideline would have saved a lot of lives over the past few decades, wouldn't it?

 

It would have saved a lot of people from eating the trans fats riddled toxic sludge sold as margarine- the stuff scientifically shown to have killed them.

 

Maybe this new "trans fats free" margarine will turn out to be safer, maybe it won't.

 

By avoiding using margarine people can remove themselves from that particular lottery.

[anywebsite]

http://publications.nice.org.uk/prevention-of-cardiovascular-disease-ph25/recommendations

 

Recommendation 3 Trans fats

 

Industrially-produced trans fatty acids (IPTFAs) constitute a significant health hazard. In recent years many manufacturers and caterers, with the encouragement of the Food Standards Agency and other organisations, have considerably reduced the amount of IPTFAs in their products. However, certain sections of the population may be consuming a substantially higher amount of IPTFAs than average (for instance, those who regularly eat fried fast-food). It is important to protect all social groups from the adverse effects of IPTFAs.

 

In some countries and regions (for instance, Denmark, Austria and New York), IPTFAs have been successfully banned. A study for the European Parliament recently recommended that it, too, should consider an EU-wide ban. In the meantime, some large UK caterers, retailers and producers have removed IPTFAs from their products.

 

Policy goal

 

Ensure all groups in the population are protected from the harmful effects of IPTFAs. To achieve this, the evidence suggests that the following are among the measures that should be considered.

 

What action should be taken?

 

Eliminate the use of IPTFAs for human consumption.

 

In line with other EU countries (specifically, Denmark and Austria), introduce legislation to ensure that IPTFA levels do not exceed 2% in the fats and oils used in food manufacturing and cooking.

 

Direct the bodies responsible for national surveys to measure and report on consumption of IPTFAs by different population subgroups – rather than only by mean consumption across the population as a whole.

 

Establish guidelines for local authorities to monitor independently IPTFA levels in the restaurant, fast-food and home food trades using existing statutory powers (in relation to trading standards or environmental health).

 

Create and sustain local and national conditions which support a reduction in the amount of IPTFAs in foods, while ensuring levels of saturated fat are not increased. Encourage the use of vegetable oils high in polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids to replace oils containing IPTFAs. Saturated fats should not be used as an IPTFA substitute.

 

Develop UK-validated guidelines and information for the food service sector and local government on removing IPTFAs from the food preparation process. This will support UK-wide implementation of any legislation produced on IPTFAs.

 

Maybe margarine can be made without trans-fats? Then the health problems are more debatable, but it still tastes horrible.