Trans Fatty Acids (TFA’s)

(NaturalNews) There is so much media hype from the mainstream media and leading health authorities, including the naturopathic community, suggesting the many ill effects of consuming Trans Fatty Acids (TFA’s) that the topic of the Great Fat Debate deserves a closer look for the sake of our heath and understanding.

Whilst there is unanimous agreement that TFA’s are problematic and are to be avoided at all costs, some explanations are confusing at best or misleading at worst. It is time for more clarity so we can all choose the fats that are good and avoid those that are bad.

Let’s look at some of these warnings:
Rekha Balu, writing for the Wall Street Journal, states that TFA’s are like saturated fats “which raise bad cholesterol, causing a build-up of fatty deposits in the arteries.” That is incorrect as saturated fats raise both the good and the bad cholesterol and they do not cause fatty deposits in the arteries. An under-active thyroid coupled with stress and a diet high in polyunsaturated oils cause a build-up of fatty deposits in the arteries.

Lynn Roblin, writing for the Toronto Star, advises consumers to avoid TFA’s by consuming more vegetable oils, such as olive oil and canola oil, in preference to butter and coconut oil. Let’s remember that vegetable oils such as canola and safflower are rich in omega-6 fatty acids which have now been proven to cause oxidation of our cells. This reaction leads to inflammation which in turn promotes degenerative conditions and premature aging.

Harvard nutritionist Frank Hu, featured in an article for the Washington Post, says butter is better than margarine, but tub or liquid margarine made from commercial vegetable oils is “a more healthful choice than butter.” What Mr. Hu is promoting is the omega-6 fatty acids which have been hydrogenated and these are technically TFA’s. Quite confusing indeed!

Why is there so much confusion amongst health authorities in relation to fats?
This is because in 1961, the American Heart Association published its first dietary guidelines aimed at the public. The authors, Dr. Ancel Keys, Irving Page, Jeremiah Stamler and Frederick Stare, called for the substitution of polyunsaturated oils for saturated fat. This was put forth even though Keys, Stare and Page had all previously noted in their published papers that the increase in Heart Disease was due to increasing consumption of vegetable oils. The 1961 report did not publish this fact, even after a 1956 paper by Dr. Keys suggested that the increasing use of partially hydrogenated vegetable oils (which is what TFA’s technically are) is one of the culprits in the heart disease epidemic.

Why was Dr. Keys report ignored?
For obvious economic reasons the vegetable oil industry then squashed the reports on the dangers of vegetable oils and stealthily began their phony attack on making saturated fats - meat, eggs, cheese, butter and coconut oil responsible for heart disease.

In actuality, saturated fats are shown to help in preventing heart disease. If we examine the health statistics along with the research on saturated fats consumption from the nations that consume large amounts of saturated fats in their diet, we find that they are among the healthiest nations /tribes/cultures in the world. Herein lies the big ‘fat’ confusion.

Let’s look closer at the FAT debate:
TFA’s are typically found in processed foods such as cookies, margarine, fried foods, fried potatoes, potato chips, crackers, breaded chicken, and fast food. McDonald’s has admitted its french fries contain a third more TFA’s than they had thought. In New York City, there are hefty fines imposed upon restaurants if they are not compliant with avoiding TFA’s in their cooking; this ordinance took effect as of July 2007.

Polyunsaturated Fats Defined
Polyunsaturated oils are liquid at room temperature. Polyunsaturated fats such as Safflower, Corn, Sunflower, Soybean and Cottonseed Oils all contain over 50% omega-6 fatty acids. Safflower oil contains almost 80% omega-6. Researchers have now discovered there are dangers in consuming more of omega-6 oils in our diet then we need. The ideal ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 (the essential fatty acid) is 1:1. This is easily achieved if one avoids the use of vegetable oils as omega-6 is far more abundant in our diet then omega-3 essential fatty acids, which is found in cold water fish - salmon, sardines and mackerel.

TFA’s Defined
In order to have polyunsaturated fats last longer and make them look more appealing, food manufacturers use a process called "hydrogenation". Hydrogenation is a process that takes unsaturated liquid fat (usually some kind of vegetable oil) and adds hydrogen. The result is a TFA.

During hydrogenation, oil is heated to an extremely high temperature; this causes the oil to rapidly oxidize and create free-radicals. In basic chemistry 101, free radicals cause prolific cell damage and is responsible for premature aging.

Even using the so called "healthiest" organic vegetable oils, which includes olive oil, in baking and frying creates free radicals. This is because all vegetable oils oxidize; especially when used in cooking. They not only produce TFA’s but form free radicals - lethal combination for our bodies. The only oil that does not oxidize, even at 170 degree Celsius, is Organic Virgin Coconut oil which is a saturated fat. Amazing!

Avoiding TFA’s at all costs is a must according to the WHO (World Health Organization). This is because TFA’s are injurious to the heart and have been linked to cancer, atherosclerosis, diabetes, obesity, immune system dysfunction, birth defects, difficulty in lactation, and problems with bones and tendons. So we want to exclude them from our diet, yet it is difficult when some of the most tempting foods such as commercial cakes, biscuits, chocolates, and potato chips are laden with TFA’s.

Why Saturated fats are not TFA’s
TFA’s have similar properties to saturated fatty acids when used in baked goods, but the claim that TFA’s are like saturated fatty acids is incorrect in view of their molecular bonding/structure and their biological effect in our bodies. This is the area that has been mostly ignored by mainstream media and even among the naturopathic community according to lipid and nutritional expert Dr. Mary G. Enig. Enig campaigned against TFA’s back in the late 1970’s after completing her most extensive research on the analysis of all fats. For more extensive information, see Mary G. Enig’s PhD Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition (www.newtrendspublishing.com)

So which oils do we use now? A good option is Organic Virgin Coconut oil. This is a saturated fat that is unlike any other fat and truly deserves a classification of its own. With all the research and studies on saturated fats to date, health authorities still group TFA’s with healthy saturated fats like coconut oil. Coconut oil is not only the healthiest saturated fat but is one of the healthiest foods we can consume on a daily basis. Let’s examine the most misunderstood fat that is actually a super food.

Why is Coconut oil unique and unlike any other fat?
Coconut oil is made up of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA’s). Two-thirds of the saturated fat in coconut oil is a medium-chain saturated fat. This important fact deserves clarification as MCFA’s actually helps us to lose weight, lower cholesterol, improve diabetic conditions and reduce the risk of heart disease.

One of the most outstanding benefits of consuming MCFA’s is that they do not require the liver and gallbladder to digest and emulsify them. This means instant energy and increased thermogenesis (increased metabolic rate in the body) which leads to more heat production as well as improved circulation. For anyone with impaired fat digestion or a removed gallbladder, coconut oil is the only oil to consume as it is very easily digested.

MCFA’s are also known for having antimicrobial and anti-fungal properties, so they are beneficial to our immune system. In addition, coconut oil assists people with under-active thyroids by increasing the metabolic rate of the body and creating more energy.

Ray Peat Ph.D., a physiologist who has worked with progesterone and related hormones since 1968, says that the sudden surge of polyunsaturated oils in the food chain post World War II has caused many changes in hormones. He writes:

Their [polyunsaturated oils] best understood effect is their interference with the function of the thyroid gland. Polyunsaturated oils block thyroid hormone secretion, its movement in the circulatory system, and the response of tissues to the hormone. When the thyroid hormone is deficient, the body is generally exposed to increased levels of oestrogen. The thyroid hormone is essential for making the ‘protective hormones’ progesterone and pregnenolone, so these hormones are lowered when anything interferes with the function of the thyroid. The thyroid hormone is required for using and eliminating cholesterol, so cholesterol is likely to be raised by anything that blocks the thyroid function (http://www.efn.org/~raypeat/efatox.rtf)

It is very interesting to note that high cholesterol is not a sign of eating too much saturated fat. High cholesterol in a lot of the cases is due to an under-active thyroid which affects the liver as well as the many loops and feedback systems within the endocrine system. Stress and the over consumption of carbohydrates/sugars also form high levels of cholesterol.

What are saturated fats and why do we need them?
Saturated fats are semi solid at room temperature and are found in animal products such as meat, poultry, lard, poultry skin, whole milk, cheese, eggs, butter and tropical oils such as coconut and palm oil.

Our body actually needs saturated fats to stay healthy. Why?
1) Saturated fats constitute at least 50% of our cell’s membranes - the phospholipid component of every cell. Saturated fatty acids are what gives our cells structural integrity, so the cell walls are not weak and can protect the inside of the cells.

2) Saturated fatty acids play a vital role in the health of our bones. For calcium to be effectively utilized by the bones, at least 50% of the dietary fats should be saturated.

3) Saturated fatty acids actually lower Lipoprotein (a), a substance in the blood that leads to heart disease, whereas excess consumption of vegetable oils increases it.

4) Saturated fatty acids protect the liver from alcohol and other toxins, including Tylenol, a pain reliever.

5) Saturated fatty acids are needed for the proper utilization of omega-3 essential fatty acids because omega-3’s are better retained in the tissues when the diet is rich in saturated fats (particularly organic virgin coconut oil)

6) Saturated stearic acid found in beef and cocoa, and palmitic acid found in coconut oil are the preferred foods for the heart; which is why the fat around the heart muscle is highly saturated. The heart draws on this reserve of fat in times of stress.

7) Saturated fatty acids such as caprylic acid found abundantly in coconut oil, is anti fungal and helps combat candida (yeast overgrowth that is common in our society).

8) While saturated fats raise both the bad and the good cholesterol, TFA’s as well as excess consumption of omega-6 fatty acids raise the bad Low Density Lipo-protein (LDL) and suppress the good High Density Lipo-protein (HDL) cholesterol, making it even worse.

In conclusion, avoiding TFA’s is a must. There are no tolerance levels. They are serious culprits of degenerative conditions disguised in some of the most tempting foods to date. Avoiding over consumption of polyunsaturated oils (omega-6 fatty acids) such as flax oil and completely avoiding corn, soy, safflower and canola is a great start, as polyunsaturated oils have been shown to contribute to heart disease, inflammation, under-active thyroid and weight gain.

Use virgin organic coconut oil. I stress the importance of using only virgin organic coconut oil because the refined version of coconut oil no longer has the same structure and same health benefits as the virgin organic coconut oil. In fact, consuming plain coconut oil can even give someone a headache or nausea.

The food manufacturers will not willingly return to using naturally saturated fats such as coconut oil, palm oil, butter and lard because they are more expensive. Only a concerted demand by educated consumers will bring traditional healthy fats back into our commercial food supply and restaurant cooking.

Using organic coconut oil in all cooking and baking is the best choice for a healthy alternative. Because virgin coconut oil is completely saturated and no TFA’s can be made from it, it is therefore harmless. In addition, it does not oxidize, even at 170 degrees Celsius.

Virgin Coconut oil is the fat of fats as it also helps us burn body fat for energy because of its unique molecular structure of medium chain fatty acids. So do enjoy eating more organic virgin coconut oil, drinking organic coconut milk/crème in your teas as well as pouring it over your porridge and munching on macaroons made from organic cocoa and desiccated organic coconut for health and longevity.

References
Keys, A., "Diet and Development of Coronary Heart Disease", J. Chron. Dis. 4(4):364-380, October 1956
Rekha Balu, “Trans Fat: Taste Buds Cry ‘Yes!’ but Arteries Demur,” The Wall Street Journal, June 8, 1998
Lynn Roblin, “Not all fats are created equal,” The Toronto Star Health Talk, June 24, 1998
Fred Tasker, “A Churning Controversy,” The Washington Post Health, June 2, 1997
Mary G. Enig PhD. Know Your Fats: The Complete Primer for Understanding the Nutrition of Fats, Oils and Cholesterol(Bethesda Press 2000)
Sally Fallon and Mary G. Enig, PhD Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats (NewTrends Publishing 2000, www.newtrendspublishing.com
www.mercola.com/2006/dec/26/the-health-harming-confusion-about-saturated-fats.htm
The Healing Miracles of Coconut Oil, by Bruce Fife (Piccadilly Books, 2001).
Eat Fat Look Thin by Bruce Fife (Piccadilly Books, 2002).

About the author
Teya Skae M.A. ATMS
Corporate Wellness Presenter/Researcher and Author
As the founder of Empowered Living Teya has developed a results based I.D.E.A.L Solutions for increasing your energy, focus and personal Success!
Teya is also a QUIT smoking specialist with proven results in one session guaranteed.
For Tangible Results and Solutions to Fat Loss, Physical, Emotional and Mental Fitness visit
http://www.empowered-living.com.au/
Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/022313_fat_oil_coconut.html#ixzz1QfkXpFgA

EWG's 2011 Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce

EWG just released its 2011 Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce -- an update to the handy guide that helps you avoid the Dirty Dozen, conventional fruits and vegetables that are highest in pesticide residues -- and choose items from the Clean 15 list instead. Eat healthier and save money at the same time!

What's new? The popular apple is now at the top of the Dirty Dozen as the fruit or veggie highest in pesticides. And for the first time, cilantro is also on the list. Testing by federal scientists found 33 unapproved pesticides on 44 percent of the cilantro samples tested -- the highest percentage of unapproved pesticides recorded on any item since EWG started tracking the data in 1995. Mushrooms also make their first appearance on the Shopper's Guide as part of the Clean 15.

What else is new? Click here to see EWG's 2011 Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce!

Pics from the Raw Vegan Potluck at Tara's

Here are some of the pics from the raw vegan potluck at Tara's house on Saturday, June 11th. Thank you to all who attended!

Tara's Cucumber Tomato Date Dill Sliders

Fred's Guacamole

Chris's Tomatoes with Crackers & Garlic from her garden!

Angela's Parsnips, Fruits, & Veggies

Tara's Smoothie Sampler Bar

Tara's Low Fat Raw Vegan Cherry Pie

The spread.

Thanks for viewing! We hope to see you at the next potluck! Cheers.

Tara's Low Fat Raw Vegan Cherry Pie

Super yummy & healthy... Easier to make and just as tasty as the real thing!

Adapted from Low Fat Raw Vegan Chef Megan Elizabeth (www.meganelizabeth.com)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups pitted chopped medjool dates

1/3 cup shredded raw coconut

2 cups frozen cherries (thawed)

4 to 6 extra cherries

Directions:

Place 1 1/2 cups of chopped dates and only 1/4 cup of coconut in food processor.

Mix until the dates and coconut are spread evenly throughout.

Press into the bottom of a 6 to 8 inch wide bowl or pie pan, or into 4 to 6 molds from a cupcake pan, to make the piecrust.

Blend the 2 cups of thawed cherries until creamy.

Pour the filling into the crust.

Freeze for 2-3 hours. Wrap with plastic wrap if freezing overnight.

When the filling is hard, garnish with a few cherries and the left over coconut.

Serves 4-6 people.

Bon Apetit!

EWG's Sunscreens to Avoid

Good information. Don't avoid the sun, we all need our Vitamin D but be smart about your sun exposure. There is some research that the toxic sunscreens may be responsible for some of the skin cancer. I personally use Pure Emu Oil as my sunscreen. Like with any sun protection product, build up a base slowly by starting out your time in the sun for minutes a day and gradually increase your time. I have very fair skin that burns in just minutes and I can build a tan and not get burnt with Emu Oil. In my opinion, better than putting chemicals on my skin. Janis

..By Lori Bongiorno and Sarah B. Weir

Shopping for sunscreen? The Environmental Working Group's (EWG) newly released 2011 sunscreen guide can help you make smart decisions.

This research and advocacy group recommends a mere 20 percent of the 600-plus beach and sport sunscreens it evaluated. To score high marks in the rankings, a product must be effective -- adequately protect skin from both UVA (which causes premature aging, skin cancer, and other skin damage) and UVB (which causes sunburn) rays. It must also be safe, meaning free of potentially harmful chemicals.

The 2011 products to avoid list contains some popular brands.

EWG's Sunscreens to Avoid:

•Aveeno Active Naturals Hydrosport Sunblock Spray, SPF 85

•Aveeno Sunblock Spray, Continuous Protection, SPF 70

•Banana Boat Kids UltraMist Sunscreen, SPF 110

•Banana Boat Kids UltraMist Sunscreen, SPF 85

•Banana Boat Sport Performance Active Max Protect Continuous Spray Sunscreen, SPF 110

•Banana Boat Ultra Defense UltraMist Sunscreen Continuous Clear Spray, SPF 85

•CVSExtreme Sport Clear Mist Sunscreen Spray, SPF 70+

•CVS Sheer Mist Sunscreen Spray, SPF 70

•Neutrogena Fresh Cooling Sunblock Lotion, Body Mist, SPF 70

•Neutrogena Spectrum+ Sunblock Spray, SPF 100

•Neutrogena Ultimate Sport Sunblock Spray, SPF 100+

•Neutrogena Ultimate Sport Sunblock Spray, SPF 70

•Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Body Mist Sunblock Lotion, SPF 100+

•Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Body Mist Sunblock Lotion, SPF 70

•Neutrogena Wet Skin Kids Sunblock Spray, SPF 70

•Neutrogena Wet Skin Sunblock Spray, SPF 85+

•Walgreens Sheer Body Mist Sunscreen, SPF 70

How did EWG come up with this list? Each of the products to avoid meets all of these criteria:

•SPF values above 50-plus. Higher SPF products are not necessarily best. In fact, the Food and Drug Administration says these numbers can be misleading. There's a concern that high SPF products may give people a false sense of security and encourage people to stay out in the sun for too long without reapplying sunscreen. It's also important to note that the SPF is based solely on UVB protection.

•Sunscreen sprays. They can fill the air with tiny particles that may not be safe to breathe in, according to EWG.

•Contains oxybenzone and vitamin A. Oxybenzone is a concern because it penetrates the skin, is associated with allergic reactions, and is a potential hormone disruptor. Retinyl palmitate is a form of vitamin A that may not be safe when exposed to sunlight. EWG recommends choosing products with one of these ingredients instead: zinc, titanium dioxide, avobenzone, or Mexoryl SX.

Which products does EWG recommend? Here's a list of its best beach and sport sunscreens.

Unfortunately, some of the safest and most effective sunscreens on store shelves can be expensive so it's worthwhile to shop around for deals. Here are the most affordable products that performed well in EWG's ratings (calculated by Yahoo! based on price per ounce).

Safer, Affordable Sunscreens:

•Alba Botanica Sun: Mineral Sunscreen Fragrance Free, SPF 30

•Alba Botanical Sun: Mineral Sunscreen Kids, SPF 30

•Aubrey Organics Natural Sun Saving Face Sunscreen, SPF 15

•All Terrain Aquasport Performance Sunscreen, SPF 30

•All Terrain KidSport Sunscreen, SPF 30

•BabyGanics Cover Up Baby Sunscreen for Face & Body, Fragrance Free, SPF 50+

•Carribean Solutions Natural/Biodegradable SolGuard, SPF 25

•Carribean Solutions Sol Kid Kare Natural Sunscreen, SPF 25

•Earth's Best: Sunblock Mineral Based, SPF 30+

•Goddess Garden Kids Natural Sunscreen, SPF 30+

•Goddess Garden Natural Sunscreen, SPF 30+

•Jason Natural Cosmetics Sunbrellas: Mineral Natural Sunblock, SPF 30

•Johnson & Johnson's Baby Daily Face & Body Lotion, SPF 40

•Mexitan Products Sunscreen Lotion, SPF 50 and SPF 30

•MelanSol Natural Sunscreen for Face and Body, SPF 25

•Nature's Gate Mineral Sportblock, SPF 20

•Purple Prairie Botanicals SunStuff, SPF 30

•Solbar Zinc Protection Cream, SPF 38

•Sunbow Dora the Explorer Pink Sunscreen, SPF 30

•Tropical Sands All Natural Sunscreen, SPF 50 and SPF 30

•Vanicream Sunscreen for Sensitive Skin, SPF 30

•Vanicream Sunscreen Sport, SPF 35

It's worth noting that using sunscreen is only one part of smart sun protection. Limit your time outside in the middle of the day when the sun's rays are most intense. Wear a hat, sunglasses, and protective clothing (dark and tightly-woven). Get more sun safety tips from EWG.

This is Disheartening

I knew that cosmetic and personal care products were often falsely misrepresented and that is why I never trust the label, I read the ingredients for myself. But now to read this article about eggs, I feel very disheartened and angry because with eggs, there are no ingredients, we only have the advertising on the box and to learn we can't trust that! I have been buying only organic, cage free eggs and how sad to know that it is probably a lie. I feel so sorry for those poor chickens. I hate corporate greed! I guess I will have to raise my own chickens for the eggs after all.

(NaturalNews) Are the supposed "humanely-raised" eggs you buy from the grocery store really "natural" and "free-range"? What about the all-too-common claim made that eggs come from "cage-free" chickens? And what do all these terms actually mean in practical, legal terms? In a new study, Sheila Rodriguez from the Rutgers University School of Law asserts that many of these claims are both unsubstantiated and deceptive, and that consumers need to be aware of the dirty truth behind the eggs they buy.

"Most hens are packed eight or nine hens to a cage ... [and the cages are] so small that [hens] are unable to stretch a wing," she says in the report, which has been published in the Temple Journal of Science, Technology & Environmental Law. "The overcrowding causes them to fight, so their beaks are cut off to prevent them from injuring other birds. The fewer than 5 percent of eggs in the US that are not produced under these conditions are from hens that were not even allowed outside."

Many of the eggs produced in these horrific conditions, of course, are later sold in cartons blanketed with nice-sounding animal welfare language, which gives consumers the false impression that such eggs are superior to conventional eggs. Even "cage-free" eggs can come from birds that have lived in factory-farm hatcheries, and that continue to be confined in indoor pens where they never see the natural light of day -- and this all occurs because of the dubious laws that govern the issue, as well as lax enforcement of existing laws.

"[M]any of the production method claims made by egg producers cannot be accurately verified," adds Rodriguez. "Industry standards are factory farmed standards. Federally-verified claims made under the National Organic Program, though comprehensive, are problematic because of lax enforcement."

And yet many producers continue to make glowing claims on their cartons, which in turn allows them to charge consumers more for them. Even organic eggs, which typically bear the highest price tags, often come from hens that, while fed organic feed, still live in confinement or get little-to-no outdoor access.

True pasture-raised, free-range hens on the other hand produce eggs with solid shells, deep-yellow yolks, and superior overall taste. Many backyard and small-scale family farms produce and sell genuine pastured eggs from hens that are allowed to roam and peck freely, and anyone who has tried or that regularly eats eggs from such hens will be able to discern an obvious difference.

Sources for this story include: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_relea...