Researchers with the ongoing Nurses’ Health
Study measured the amount of trans fat stored in red blood cells.
Among the 32,000 middle-aged women participating in the study, 166
had heart attacks or died of heart disease during a six-year period.
Their red blood cells had slightly higher loads of trans fat than
did red blood cells of 327 women of the same ages and
characteristics who remained free of heart disease.
Artificial trans fats are found in hard
margarines, many commercially baked goods, and the fried foods in
many restaurants, and research has consistently shown they aren’t
good for the heart and blood vessels. Across the board, the more
trans fat in red blood cells, the greater the chances of having a
heart attack. Women with the highest trans fat load had triple the
risk of women with the lowest. This study, published in the April
10, 2007, Circulation, strongly supports recommendations by
the Institute of Medicine and the USDA’s Dietary Guidelines for
Americans to cut back - or better yet, cut out - trans fats in the
diet. Eliminating them from the food supply could avert as many as
264,000 heart attacks and heart-related deaths each year in the
United States alone.
A prime source of trans fat is partially
hydrogenated oil, which many fast-food restaurants continue to use
for deep frying. To see if this differed by country, three Danish
doctors determined the trans fat content of French fries and chicken
nuggets bought in 24 McDonald’s and KFC restaurants on four
continents. A large fries-and-nuggets combination delivered 10 grams
of trans fat in New York City but less than a gram in Denmark, which
limits the use of trans fats. A similar serving of fries and chicken
nuggets in a KFC in Hungary delivered a whopping 25 grams of trans
fat. Remember too, there is NO SAFE amount of trans fats permitted
in the diet.
