[BREITBART] Heart-clogging trans fats were once a staple of the American diet, plentiful in baked goods, microwave popcorn and fried foods. Now, mindful of the health risks, the Food and Drug Administration is getting rid of what's left of them for good.| Like the health risks of salt. Oh wait -- after a generation of screaming about salt ingestion, they finally admitted the excess washes out like all water soluble substances. Or that food pyramid we all studied in health class, the one that had a small amount of meat at the top and a large layer of grains... only that has led to the current obesity and metabolic syndrome health crisis. The FDA really needs to concentrate on certifying that prescription meds work -- our prescription costs would fall significantly if they just did the job they're supposed to do. |
Manufacturers already have eliminated many trans fats, responding to criticism from the medical community and to local laws, Even so, the FDA said getting rid of the rest _ the average American still eats around a gram of trans fat a day _ could prevent 20,000 heart attacks and 7,000 deaths each year.
It won't happen right away. The agency will collect comments for two months before determining a phase-out timetable. Different foods may have different schedules, depending how easy it is to find substitutes.
"We want to do it in a way that doesn't unduly disrupt markets," said Michael Taylor, FDA's deputy commissioner for foods. Still, he says, the food "industry has demonstrated that it is, by and large, feasible to do."
Indeed, so much already has changed that most people won't notice much difference, if any, in food they get at groceries or restaurants.
Scientists say there are no health benefits to trans fats. And they can raise levels of "bad" cholesterol, increasing the risk of heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States. Trans fats are widely considered the worst kind for your heart, even worse than saturated fats, which also can contribute to heart disease.