Our task at LAND-LEBEN is to produce foods containing natural ingredients of value.The media are currently addressing the topic of trans fatty acids and we would like to provide you with more data on this.
Official analyses confirm: the share of trans fatty acids in all LAND-LEBEN products is below the
detection threshold.
Ever since LAND-LEBEN products were produced, only unhydrogenated vegetable fats have been used.
Trans fatty acids are a typical by-product of fat hardening.
To the human being, the main source of trans fatty acids is in hardened fats; especially margarine, shortening and products produced from these.
For example, the average trans fatty acid contents is:
Shortening and cooking fats <30 %, Margarines 0-20 %, Milk fat 3 - 6 %, Soups/ sauce powders 9 %,
Sweets < 15 %, Pastries < 15 %
Source: www.bkk.de
It has meanwhile been scientifically proven that trans fatty acids, in its effects on the human body, behave like saturated fatty acids. This means that they increase the cholesterol level, thereby abetting atherosclerosis. Trans fatty acids settle in the cell walls, making them porous; encourage inflammations, narrowing of the coronary arteries, increase the blood lipids and hasten adult-onset diabetes as well as obesity. Of course, it all depends very much on the quantity of trans fatty acids consumed.
Surveys in 1999 (Journal for Nutritional Medicine 1999; 1 (1) (edition in Austria), 7-11) revealed that the average intake of less than 5 g trans fatty acids/head/day (in Austria, 4-6 g trans fatty acids/head/day and declining) in industrial countries is insufficient, to our present knowledge, to significantly increase the cholesterol level.
But beware: depending on individual nutrition, the differences in intake may vary significantly. In the USA, for instance, approx. 12-15 g of these fatty acids are, on average, taken in. There may thus be vast differences, depending on nutrition.
Risk groups: One of the largest risk groups are children and juveniles of the fast-food generation. By eating foods such as chips, nut-nougat spread, cookies, crisps etc, 4-6 year-olds may take in more than 7 g trans fatty acids.
Babies seem to be an even higher risk group. Depending on the trans fatty acid content in mother's milk, as a result of nutrition, they are particularly at risk.
If you are interested in tables on the occurrence and the effects in foods:
http://www.lebensmittel.org/lebensm/transfs.htm
http://www.cardiovasc.de/index.htm?/hefte/2001/02/55_1.htm