With the use of partially hydrogenated oils — a major source of artificial trans fats in foods — to be banned from July 2018, the John Tung Foundation yesterday said people should also be aware of excessive saturated fat intake, which can lead to a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
The non-governmental organization warned that people who do not change their diet and continue to frequently eat deep-fried food, baked pastry and pizza would damage their health by eating too much saturated fat.
John Tung Foundation Food and Nutrition Center director Hsu Hui-yu (許惠玉) said the hydrogenation of vegetable oils enable it to withstand high temperatures, such as those useed in deep frying, and makes food more resistant to oxidation, extending a food product’s shelf life.
While partially hydrogenated oils can cling to arteries and blood vessels, creating a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease, fully hydrogenated oils become saturated fats, she said, adding that for each 1 percent rise in calorie intake from saturated fat, there is a 2.7mg/dL increase in serum cholesterol, which also leads to higher risks of developing cardiovascular disease.
The center said the 2015-to-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, announced in January this year, suggested that a person’s intake of saturated fats should be limited to less than 10 percent of their total calorie intake per day.
The WHO also suggested that reducing saturated fat intake to less than 10 percent of total daily calorie intake can lower the risk of developing non-communicable diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke and cancer.
The center has urged the government set a recommended dietary allowance of saturated fats of no more than 10 percent of a person’s total calorie intake.
The foundation recommended consumers read nutrition facts printed on food product labels and avoid trans fats and saturated fats.
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