Germany gets his fat

Little Time? At the end of text there is a summary.


The Problem scientists have known for decades. Already in 1957, a U.S. researchers showed the connection between TRANS-fat and clogged blood vessels. The current canadian scientists warn of the substances. For their study, they summarized the results of 50 studies. Your conclusion: Anyone that takes a lot of artificial TRANS fats, falls ill more frequently on the heart and often dies earlier than people who only cover a percentage of your calorie needs or less with you.

In your conclusion in the “British Medical Journal” ask the researchers to take into account the effect of TRANS fats on health and the nutritional recommendations carefully. The world health organization (WHO) does not go far enough. Calls to ban TRANS-fats, largely from the food. Legal prohibitions, such as they exist in five EU-countries, had proved to be “highly effective” to reduce the consumption of industrially-produced TRANS fats, says the WHO.

In the EU, will be discussed for years on the subject, however, to a ceiling or even a complete ban on the member States could not agree so far. The Americans are already a step further.

USA: TRANS fats should disappear within three years

The U.S. food and drug administration decided in June that, within three years, all of the artificially partially-hardened fats from foods need to disappear. “The measure could prevent thousands of heart attacks in the year,” said the Director of the Agency Stephen Ostroff. How dangerous is the fats are for the people, made the FDA already clear: Without TRANS fats in the United States annually, about 20,000 heart attacks and 7,000 Deaths could be avoided, stated in a communication to the authority of 2013.

Artificial TRANS fat if the Oil is only hardened in part. For food manufacturers this is ideal: The partial curing power products, spreadable, creamy and durable. At the same time a dangerous arrangement of double bonds in the fatty acids.

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“TRANS fatty acids in the soft cell wall and make you hard as a bread-and-butter of paper,” says the nutrition scientist Gerhard Jahreis from the University of Jena. This prevents the exchange of important nutrients and gases. A further peculiarity of TRANS fats: they not only increase the bad LDL cholesterol, the Doctors with Alzheimer’s and heart disease, they also lower the good HDL-cholesterol. This mechanism is considered to be the reason for the increased risk for coronary heart disease and atherosclerosis, so clogged blood vessels.

Protection: On the use of hardened fat eighth

The last comprehensive examination of the content of industrially produced TRANS fats in German food dates back to the year 2011. At the time, the Jena research team found to Gerhard Jahreis some of the products with a TRANS fat content of 30 per cent in the proportion of fat. For comparison of The nutrition experts recommended maximum value is two percent. In the case of the supermarket-articles this is observed mostly. A Problem leaves, however, are dough-Croissants, Donuts and other baked goods. Every second of the tested products exceeded the guideline value.

Natural TRANS Fats

    In addition to artificial, there are also natural TRANS-fatty acids in the rumen of ruminants caused, and therefore, especially in milk and Butter contain . Organic milk from cows that were long on the Meadow, contain fatty acids in many TRANS. However can be processed, these natural TRANS-fats, thanks to the enzymes from the body. Yet it is not clear how harmful they are compared to the artificial TRANS-fats.

However, not only in the back plug in the TRANS were fat, but also in Breakfast cereals, biscuits, ready-made sauces, bread spreads, or soups. To protect yourself from them is difficult. “Consumers are not able to find the TRANS fat content of their food themselves,” says Jahreis. In Germany there is no duty of Declaration, only on infant food and dietary food must be provided TRANS-fats. The inscriptions “contains hydrogenated fats” or “fat part” may indicate hardened, at least on TRANS-fats.

An accurate idea of what products and TRANS fats are included, have often not even the manufacturers themselves. After your Croissants questioned, must fit the company’s spokesman for the bakery chain Le Crobag: “I’d have to ask our manufacturer”. Also, the statutory gap will be used. “What must be declared, according to lawmakers, is to be found in the ingredient lists on the spot,” says back works-managing Director Knut Pauli. If the clueless seller “on the spot” hervorkramt a list of ingredients under the counter, in the subject.

Especially young men are eating too many TRANS fats

German consumers cover fats in the funds of 0.66 per cent of their daily calorie needs on TRANS. In order to be below the guideline value by a percentage, up to which the substance as a health is safe. The Federal Institute for risk assessment (BfR) considers TRANS fats this is the reason for a large health risk. A closer look at the data, however, shows that approximately ten percent of the German population regularly include too much TRANS fat. In young men aged 14 to 34 years, according to the BfR almost every third.

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&11nbsp; Images diet tips: From Breakfast to a festive feast In Denmark, Austria, Hungary, Norway and Switzerland, the policy responds, and a legal limit is introduced. So, may be sold in Denmark since 2004, the only food their fat, less than two percent TRANS-fats. In Germany, however, there is, since 2012, a voluntary commitment of the industry with the Federal Ministry of food, agriculture and consumer protection.

The manufacturers are aware of the harmful effects of TRANS fats, big food corporations such as Unilever and Nestlé have already been changed years ago. “To avoid TRANS-fatty acids, you can mix completely hydrogenated fats and Oil,” says the fat, researchers Bertrand Matthäus from the Max Rubner-Institute. Fully hydrogenated fats do not contain artificial TRANS fats. “This process is, however, associated with costs.”

The EU is still being discussed

“So all join in, we need a legal requirement”, and therefore calls for the SPD-consumer politician Elvira Drobinski-and-White. She thinks nothing of the non-binding self-commitment of the food industry. “Such schemes reach only exemplary companies that are willing to change something, all the others continue with business as usual.”

Actually, the EU wanted to send to the Commission by mid-December 2014, a report with figures about how much artificial TRANS consume fats, consumers in the 28 member States. Depending on the result, it was planned to formulate a legislative proposal. However, the publication of the text is postponed due to the ongoing discussions on an unspecified date. “At the Moment, no formal opinion of the Commission is available,” said a spokeswoman on request.

“In the EU there are massive differences in the TRANS-fat content,” explains Pauline Castres by the EU consumer organisation BEUC, which advocates a Europe-wide upper limit. Particularly in Eastern Europe, the burden was still high. The WHO has found out that in Eastern Europe, for part of a day 30 grams of TRANS fats are consumed, 5 grams could increase the risk of coronary heart disease by more than a fifth.

The high TRANS-fat is a Problem, levels but for all EU consumers Castres says. “Because we live in an open market, everyone can be affected.”

Summarized: mainly used in baking can be to get artificial TRANS fats, whose consumption of the heart and circulatory system harm to the goods, such as Croissants. While, for example, the US requires that the TRANS fatty acids to replace in the future, is missing in Germany. The TRANS fat content is not on the packaging. Therefore, not only protects, to eat as varied as possible.