Trans-fat Oils and Canola

I’m trying to blow the whistle on Canola oil but I want to give you some background first.  Going into effect in the new year is the bill Governor Arnold signed in July ’08 to ban trans-fat containing cooking oils in restaurants.  What are trans-fat oils? 

They are fats created through a chemical process of oil hydrogenation.  It has been known for a while that they hurt the body’s ability to regulate cholesterol.  By 2005, the FDA had ruled that package labels must indicate the presence of trans-fats.

A recent SFGate article (link below) does a good job reporting on how many restaurants and bakeries have long since abandoned those oils, even before they got wind of the new law.  By the way, bakeries have until 2011 to comply with this law.   The article leaves you feeling like the switch to other oils came for other reasons.  I’d like to think those reasons were for health, but I wonder what the price of bulk oils for commercial use is these days?  And what are the varieties available?

While its great that we can feel a little safer eating out, the problem still remains in the supermarkets, and at home!   Where are trans-fats found?

• So called Canola oil, derived from rapeseed, is almost always refined. Why? Because in its unrefined state it is extremely bitter and nobody would buy it.   The process of refining it damages its much touted Omega-3 content and actually converts some of the Omega 3 into trans-fats!  Some people who know this are ok with this oil because they say such a tiny percentage actually gets converted to the bad fats.  If you must use it, get the organic variety.  Another problem is this oil is used when making a lot of confections.  When the manufacturers of everything canned, boxed, and frozen usually say ‘vegetable oil’ on the contents, they usually mean Canola oil.  They might hydrogenate it, which creates trans-fats, or just plain heat it too much.Also consider that canola oil use is new.  Oils like olive oil and sesame oil have been around and used in traditional cultures for some time.  Humans have had some generations of experience with them.  That should makes it easier to decide to just pass on canola oil.

• The Frying Pan – High heat can cause small amounts of trans-fats over time.  The problem is especially true when you re-use oils, as in the case of deep-fryers, or many restaurants practices.  Definitely fast food chains are a culprit.

• Candy bars, cakes, biscuits – I think you can still find trans-fats in Mars, Twix, Milky Way, Snickers, …

• Margarine and Shortening contain hydrogenated polyunsaturated oils.  Again, hydrogenation creates trans-fatties.  Most margarines made from soy and safflower oils and marketed as “natural” are also hydrogenated.   Margarine made from other processes are becoming available, but getting into manufactured oils is not the right direction to go.

More than anything, I think the new law reflects the general understanding that trans-fatty oils are bad for us, but doesn’t seem to address the reality of its omni-presence.

Here is the link to the referenced SFGate article about the ban on trans-fats.

What do you think?  I’d love to hear your comments.