Beware of baked, oily snacks

MUSCAT, JAN 13 - While munching on your favourite cookies, frozen pizza or fried snack, remember, you’re risking your health by allowing trans fat oil to clog your arteries. Hydrogenated vegetable oil and trans fat, which is also known as unsaturated fatty oil, is used in the baking industry to increase the products’ shelf life and retain taste.
It is highly harmful to health and can cause bad fat and bad cholesterol, leading to heart diseases.
Most commercial food products are made using hydrogenated vegetable oil. “Hydrogenated fats are poisonous. Even small amounts of it can cause damage to the human body, which might result in illness or premature death,” said Dr Mahmud al Rahbi, Al Nahda Hospital. According to a World Health Organisation (WHO) report, “The artery-clogging fats kill half a million people each year; they’re completely unnecessary.”
WHO has urged all countries to get rid of trans fats in their food supply, with laws banning them if necessary. Diets high in trans fat increase heart disease risk by 21 per cent and deaths by 28 per cent. “Hydrogenated oils or partially hydrogenated oils are vegetable oils whose chemical structures have been altered to prevent rancidity in foods in order to increase their shelf life,” says Dr Paul Joseph, a paediatrician. “Trans fat increases bad cholesterol, which is LDL, and decreases HDL, which is good cholesterol. This blocks the chemicals that combat inflammation and promotes immune system over activity that is linked to early diabetes, stroke and cardiovascular diseases,” he said.
There have been government efforts on the implementation of WHO recommendations to work on reducing the consumption of hydrogenated and saturated oils.
“Oman has included in its Future Vision of Emerging Needs/Activities a clause to accelerate the national plan of action by reducing salt and saturated fatty acids in collaboration with related sectors,” said a representative from the Ministry of Health.
The US Food and Drug Administration too had proposed the banning of artificial trans fats in processed food ranging, citing risk of heart disease. Reducing use of trans fats could prevent 20,000 heart attacks and 7,000 deaths from heart disease a year. New York City has banned the use of trans fats in restaurants, including their use for deep-frying foods. Many restaurants and some fast-food chains have eliminated their use. Denmark, Switzerland and Iceland have regulations in place for sale of many foods containing trans fat.
“Although one’s cholesterol is under control, people using these products are at high risk of diseases, including cardiac problems. Their LDL will shoot up, leading to other health issues,” said Mini Padikkal, clinical dietician.
Health specialists advise self-censoring by keeping off hydrogenated oils by checking ingredients of products that use them. “One should always check the percentage of hydrogenated vegetable oil/ trans fat of the product.” One should avoid products that contain trans fat, especially doughnuts, cookies, biscuits and chips and use oils such as coconut oil or olive oil. Also, make sure to use low fat milk and milk products. Avoid hydrogenated butter or margarine in order to prevent/ reduce intake of trans fat in your diet.