All Fats Should Be Listed on Food Labels, British Experts Claim

In an article published in the British Medical Journal two professors at the University of Oxford in England claim that food labels should comprise all fats - saturated, unsaturated and trans fats. Robert Clarke and Sarah Lewington who wrote the article argue that food labels should not contain only saturated fats amount in the alimentary products, but also the trans fats in the specific food. This would help people make healthier choices and prevent the risk of cardiovascular disease.

"Mandatory addition of the content of saturated fat and trans fatty acids to nutrition labels would enable consumers to make healthier food choices that could lower LDL concentrations and reduce the risk of coronary heart disease and other vascular events," the two Oxford scholars say in their article.

The fats found in foods are divided into four groups; therefore there are four types of alimentary fats: saturated, monounsaturated, polyunsaturated and trans-saturated fats. Each group of fats is differently assimilated by our organism, having good or bad effects upon our health.

Saturated fats are "unfriendly" fats, as they increase cholesterol levels in the blood and, consequently, lead to heart disorders. The "friendly" fats are the monounsaturated and polyunsaturated ones, as they lower the "bad" cholesterol levels in the blood.

Trans saturated fats are the most dangerous fats for our health. They are hydrogenated vegetable oils used in processed foods that contain shortenings, which tenderize the dough. Therefore, trans fats are vegetal, hydrogenated fats used in margarine, pastry and fast-food products.

Trans fats are also used to solidify margarine. That is why the most liquid margarines are the healthiest ones, as they do not contain high amounts of trans fats to solidify them. Always keep in mind that these fats are the most harmful for our health. They lead to obesity and a wide range of cardiovascular disorders.

This rule has already been adopted in the US, but not in UK and other European countries. "The UK Food Standards Agency is currently pressing for revision of the European directive that governs the content and format of nutrition labels on foods marketed in the United Kingdom and other European countries, so that these fats are labeled," the editors pointed out.