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| An easy snacks |
First: What is Trans-fat and what is its effect on our body?
Trans-fat-
Trans fat is the common name for unsaturated fat with trans-isomer (E-isomer) fatty acid(s). Because the term refers to the configuration of a double carbon-carbon bond, trans fats are sometimes monounsaturated or polyunsaturated, but never saturated. Trans fats are rare in living nature, but can occur in food production processes.
Effects-
Trans-fats clog arteries when they get deposited on the walls of the arteries making the passage narrower, while large amounts of salt leads to increase in blood pressure making the heart work overtime.
What is the standard norm?
The National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) and the World Health Organization (WHO) prescribe benchmarks of how much salt, sugar, carbohydrates and fats every individual can have on a daily basis to stay healthy.The NIN benchmark for maximum salt for one person is 6 gram, while the WHO puts it at 5 gram. The WHO says that in a balanced diet, a maximum of 1 per cent of total energy should come from trans fats. Therefore, an adult male can have 2.6 gram of trans fats per day, while an adult female can have 2.1 gram and a child (10-12 years) can have 2.3 gram.
What is the reality?
Delhi-based NGO, Centre for Science and Environment, has alleged that leading food manufacturers are guilty of "large scale misbranding and misinformation" by showing that their food contained zero trans-fats even though tests showed that they have heavy doses of it.
CSE found that Top Ramen Super Noodles (Masala) which claims to have no trans-fats actually contains 0.7 gram of it per 100 gram. No trans fats, Haldiram's Aloo Bhujia has found 2.5 gram per 100 gram. PepsiCo's Lays (Snack Smart) was sold through advertisements that these chips are healthy because they have zero trans fats, but every 100 grams of it has 3.7 grams of trans fats.If a child takes one MacDonald's Happy Meals that filles up 90% of all his daily requirement of trans fats. The packet of Happy Meal makes absolutely no mention of this massive dosage of trans fats. As per FSSAI rules, a product can claim to be trans fats free if it contains less than 0.2 gm of trans fats per serving but CSE found several brands flouting the norm and yet calling themselves trans fat free.
As per CSE report
Maggi Noodles |Single pack contains 3.5g of salt; daily recommended intake is 6g. Negligible fibres ; 70% just carbohydrates
Top Ramen Super Noodles (Masala) |0.7g trans fats/100g though company claims zero trans fats
PepsiCo's Lays (Snack Smart) |3.7g trans fats/ 100g. Earlier sold as zero trans fats chips but claim knocked off later
KFC's Chicken Zinger |16.9% fats; McAloo | 8.3% fats. 35% calories in veg burger come from fats; 47% in non-veg
Source from "Times of India"
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