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Understanding Trans Fats |
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Overview
Fats are part of a healthy diet. Not only do they provide essential fatty acids and energy (calories), but they also help your body absorb Vitamins A, D and E. There are four types of fatty acids in foods:
- Polyunsaturated fatty acids
(e.g., soybean, corn, and sunflower oils, various fish oils, flaxseed, walnuts) Polyunsaturated fats are made up of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids. - Monounsaturated fatty acids
(e.g., olive, canola, and sunflower oils, avocados, cashews, pecans, almonds) - Saturated fatty acids
(e.g., coconut and palm oils, various animal fats, butter, cheese, dairy items) - Trans fatty acids
What are Trans Fats, and where do they come from?
Trans fats are found naturally in small amounts in certain foods (e.g., dairy, and animal products) and also in the refining of liquid vegetable oils (canola and soybean oils). Trans fats are also created by man through the process of ‘Partial Hydrogenation’. This process turns liquid oil into a semi-solid form, such as margarine or shortening. Fats and oils that are solid or semi-solid at room temperature have advantages for food production because they are less likely to spoil and break down under conditions of elevated heat – providing a longer shelf life for many foods. These properties are also ideal for frying.
Most of the Trans fat in a typical Canadian diet comes from margarines (especially hard margarines), commercially fried foods and bakery products that are made with shortening, margarine or oils containing partially hydrogenated oils and fats. These products include crackers, cookies, donuts, cakes, pastries, muffins, croissants, snack foods and fried foods, such as French fries and breaded foods. In these products, up to 45% of the fat content may be Trans fatty acids.
Trans fatty acids are also present at low levels (2 to 6% of the fat) in such foods as dairy products, beef and lamb. Some refined liquid oils may contain small amounts of Trans fatty acids (0.5 to 2.5% of the oil).
Why are Trans Fats an issue?
While Polyunsaturated and Monounsaturated fats tend to be the healthier fatty acids, science shows that consuming either Saturated or Trans fats raises the blood levels of the so-called 'bad' cholesterol (serum LDL-cholesterol). LDL-cholesterol is a risk factor for heart disease. In addition to raising 'bad' cholesterol, Trans fat also reduces the blood levels of the so-called 'good' cholesterol (HDL-cholesterol). HDL-cholesterol protects against heart disease. The best way to minimize these health risks is to reduce your intake of foods that contain Trans fatty acids.
While Canadians have reduced their total fat intake over the last two decades, we are still consuming too much saturated and Trans fat. In fact, Canada has one of the highest consumption rates of Trans fatty acids in the world.
What’s being done?
Since November 2004, Health Canada has been working with the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, through a multi-stakeholder task force to develop recommendations and strategies for reducing Trans fats in Canadian foods to the lowest level possible.
Trans Fatty Acid Claims
Due to the adverse effects that Trans fatty acids have on heart disease, the amended regulations allow claims on the content of these fatty acids in foods. Three nutrient content claims can be made on a label or in an advertisement for a food product with respect to its Trans fatty acid content:
- Free of Trans fatty acids
- Reduced in Trans fatty acids
- Lower in Trans fatty acids
Note that claims for Trans fatty acids are linked with requirements for the saturated fatty acids content of foods. Foods with a ‘Zero Trans Fat’ claim must adhere to strict CFIA regulations which specify the food must contain less than 0.2g of Trans fat and contain 2g or less of Saturated fat per serving size.
If these new claims for Trans fatty acids are made, the label of that food must comply with all of the requirements of the new regulations and must include a Nutrition Facts table [Section 38 of the amending Regulations]. Note: Only the claims listed in the table below are permitted. Claims such as "Low in trans" are not permitted.
Summary Table of Trans Fatty Acid Claims
Note: The claims in quotation marks in column 1 are those which are permitted by the Food and Drug Regulations. The reference amounts are found in Part D, Schedule M of the Food and Drug Regulations
Claim |
Conditions - Food |
Conditions - Label or Advertisement |
||
a) Free of trans fatty acids "free of trans fatty acids" Note: "trans fatty acids" may be substituted with "trans fat" or "trans" in the above claims "contains no trans fatty acids" |
The food
|
Must comply with the general requirements for nutrient content claims Nutrition Facts table required on products otherwise exempted by B.01.401(2)(a) and (b), [B.01.401(3)(e)(ii)] When used in an advertisement, must comply with the requirements for advertisements |
||
| b) Low in saturated fatty acids "low in saturated fatty acids" "low saturated fatty acids" "low source of saturated fatty acids" "little saturated fatty acids" "contains only (number) g of saturated fatty acids per serving" "contains less than (number) g of saturated fatty acids per serving" Note: "saturated fatty acids" may be substituted with "saturated fat" or "saturates" in the above claims |
(1) The food contains 2 g or less of saturated fatty acids and trans fatty acids combined per
(2) The food provides 15% or less energy from the sum of saturated fatty acids and trans fatty acids. |
See conditions set out for item a) of this table. |