I have been eating trans-fats!!!

I'm getting really nervous, and started to stop eating those nasty chips and crackers..

ST Online Forum, 20 Jan 07
THE World Health Organisation recommends that the intake of saturated fat should not exceed 10 per cent of total calories, while that of trans fat should not exceed 1 per cent.

There is an important difference between these two numbers. Ten per cent saturated fat is the healthy level - because saturated fat is needed for many body functions.

By contrast, 1 per cent trans fat is a compromise level. Trans fats are extremely harmful and not needed at all. The healthy level for trans fat is essentially zero.

If we compare like with like - which is more meaningful - we will realise that all Singaporeans exceed the healthy level of zero trans fat. And we all exceed that level infinitely.

Both saturated and trans fats are believed to cause heart disease. But, historically, heart disease sky-rocketed whenever saturated fat consumption fell and trans fat consumption rose.

In many other ways, the two are exact opposites.

Saturated fat raises HDL or 'good' cholesterol, whereas trans fat lowers it.

Saturated fat enhances immunity. Trans fat weakens immunity.

Saturated fat does not inhibit insulin binding. Trans fat inhibits insulin binding, leading to diabetes.

Probably the biggest difference is this: Saturated fats are widely perceived to be harmful, while many people still do not know about trans fats - and think that products like margarine, which contains trans fat, are healthy.

When strong scientific evidence emerged during the 1990s to show that margarine was harmful, the industry came up with soft margarine, which contains less trans fat.

This detracts from the fact that margarine is produced by a highly unnatural industrial process.

In its original state, margarine is grey and smelly. It needs to be bleached, deodorised, artificially coloured and artificially flavoured before we eat it.

How can such a product be healthier than natural butter? Just because it has less total trans fat and saturated fat?

It ignores, among many things, the fact that butter contains CLA, or conjugated linoleic acid - a natural trans fat which protects against cancer, whereas margarine contributes to cancer.

Lawyer Stephen Joseph started the BanTransFats campaign in America because his stepfather, who was considered health conscious, had diabetes and died from a heart attack. Mr Joseph's stepfather 'ate margarine by the tonne'.

Readers who wish to understand trans fat at a deeper level are invited to visit my website, www.stop-trans-fat.com

Richard Seah Siew Sai