Nutrition Labels
Why is There Hydrogenated Oil in My Zero Trans Fat Product?
Ever wonder if zero trans fats really means zero trans fats? Consumers should take the time to read the entire food nutrition label before purchasing a product.
Just a few years ago trans fats were all the rage in the news on the internet and magazine articles. However, over a period of time it seems that the fervor has died down. Just because trans fat is no longer front-page news doesn't mean that consumers should relax when it comes to trans fat.
Don't let your guard down.
As long as there are still trans fats a.k.a partially hydrogenated oils in food products, we need to keep our guard up. Don't be fooled if the nutrition label states '0 grams' next to the trans fat content. Consumers must continue reading down the nutritional label until they reach the listing of ingredients. If one of the ingredients listed is hydrogenated oil of any type, the product contains trans fats.
How can product manufacturers get away with such labeling practices?
A quick letter to one of the better-known cake mix manufacturers inquiring about the trans fat/hydrogenated oil discrepancy precipitated a rather interesting response. If a product has less than .5 grams of hydrogenated oil per serving, the manufacturer can claim that the product has 0 grams of trans fats.
Now, here's where basic math comes in. On the cake mix in question, the manufacturer's recommended serving is 1/12 of a piece of cake. Let that sink in for a minute. How often does anyone eat 1/12 of a piece of cake? More often than not, conservatively speaking, a slice of cake is usually twice the recommended serving amount. After all, the obesity epidemic did not occur as a result of eating 1/12 of a slice of cake.
Let's take a look at it from another angle. That very same box of cake mix, if prepared and entirely consumed in 1/12 serving sizes contains 6 grams of trans fat. No matter which way you slice it, putting 0 grams next to the trans fats on the nutrition label is misleading.
The consumer must be aware
Unfortunately, having the nutritional labels on products only lulls some consumers into a false sense of security. They stop reading once they see '0 grams' next to the trans fat content. Consumers must be diligent in reading the nutritional labels no matter how small the fine print.
One more thing to keep in mind
The ingredients listed on the nutrition label are not listed alphabetically. They are listed in order of predominance. Consumers should ask this one question before buying a 0 gram trans fat product: How can a product that claims to have 0g of trans fat list hydrogenated cottonseed oil as the fourth of fifteen ingredients?
Education is key and consumers must remain diligent.
Additional reading: High Fructose Corn Syrup Does This Sweetener Deserve its Bad Reputation?
