How much trans fat is in the foods we love?
Canadians already know about the dangers of eating too much fat and sugar, but many of us are not aware of the dangers of trans fat and how to avoid them. Parents may be surprised to find out how much trans fat their children are already eating. CTV News looked into the lunch boxes of Canadian kids to see just how much trans fat is in the foods they love.
Maureen deBarra knows about the challenges of getting kids to eat healthy. When she packs lunch for her three children, her nine-year-old daughter Kathleen is particularly picky. If she doesn't like the food, she just won't eat it.
"So I end up throwing things in the bag that I know she'll eat from 9 to 3.30, so she's got something in her stomach," says deBarra.
But some of that food that Kathleen and other kids are eating is loaded with trans fats, the man-made fat that Canadians are eating in record quantities.
Research shows trans to be twice as risky as saturated or animal fats. Over the short term, there are no known effects. But over the long term, the fat will lead to heart disease, perhaps even diabetes and Alzheimer's.
"There is no so called safe level of trans," says Prof. Bruce Holub of the University of Guelph. "Two of these crackers, for example, would give you one gram of trans. The average Canadian consumes 10 times that much -- 10 grams per day."
Trans fats appear on food labels as hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils, vegetable oil shortening, or vegetable oil margarine. The trouble is that trans lurks in many of our packaged foods -- many of them marketed to children.
CTV randomly selected 14 foods popular with kids and sent them to be analyzed for their trans fat content. Here are some of the results:
- One frozen, breaded fish fillet, contained about 2 grams of trans fat per serving;
- Two frozen waffles contained 2.11 grams;
- Corn chips contained 1.09 grams of fat for every 12 chips eaten;
- A peanut butter and crackers snack had 1.75 grams of trans per individual package serving;
- Four cups of popped microwave popcorn (about half a bag) contained about 5.72 grams of trans.
- See the chart on 14 randomly selected foods popular with children and teens.
We asked some parents to look at our results.
"I'm mad, very angry. I have two children in school, and two babies at home. Knowing they are growing up on this," responded Patty Yeretsian
"This is what my daughter in Grade 7, who is turning 13, has been eating this stuff for almost 13 years?" wondered deBarra.
deBarra says the results will change the way she shops. She'll buy less packaged food and more fruits and vegetables.
"I'll tell people they are poisoning their kids and I'll tell them to watch this. It's not fair that we don't know this, it's not fair," says deBarra.
In two years, new laws will mandate that a food's level of trans fat be included in the labelling. The new labelling rules will also allow food makers to say that "a diet low in saturated and trans fat reduces risk of heart disease."
But until then, parents need to read ingredient lists and keep an eye out for hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oil, vegetable oil shortening, or vegetable oil margarine.
With a report from CTV's Avis Favaro
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Chart with estimates of trans fat content of five popular take out foods
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Chart on 14 randomly selected foods popular with children and teens.
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Answers to your questions and tips on how you can avoid trans fat.
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What exactly is hydrogenated fat? An explanation here.
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CTV News contacted some food companies to ask them their position on trans fat
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Avis Favaro on the fight to ban the use of trans fats in processed food
Avis Favaro on the move to get restaurants to reveal trans fat content in meals
Avis Favaro reports Trans fat isn't listed on any restaurant or takeout menu -- but it's there
Medical specialist Avis Favaro looks at healthy alternatives consumers can use to replace trans fat
Avis Favaro finds children under age two may be most vulnerable to trans fat
Avis Favaro looks at the pros and cons of labelling for trans fat ingredients in foods
Avis Favaro with results of trans fat food tests
Avis Favaro explains how trans fats may be playing havoc with our health
Jennifer Tryon on new rules for labelling of trans fats
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