Many people like sweets in winter. And during the celebrations, there are many baked goods on the tables of Ukrainians.
However, you should be aware of the health risks that trans fats can carry.
Trans fats are a type of unsaturated, so-called harmful, fats found in baked and fried foods, industrial pastries, snacks, cooking fats and other processed foods.
Unfortunately, delicious baked goods can be high in trans fats. There are many of them in cakes, cookies, biscuits, cooking oils and spreads.
Trans fats contained in cookies, cakes and processed foods can negatively affect the quality of memory.
According to the WHO, every year half a million people in the world die from cardiovascular diseases caused by excessive consumption of trans fats. Consumption of trans fats can cause coronary heart disease, increases the level of "bad" cholesterol and lowers the level of "good", can cause obesity, cancer, diabetes, disorders of the immune system.
All margarine-based products contain a large amount of trans fats. Also, this ingredient helps to keep cookies looking attractive, pies with a golden glow, and store-bought cake creams to keep their shape. The usefulness of such desserts is doubtful.
Be sure to read the label before buying confectionery.
In the product composition, trans fats are usually listed as cooking, hydrogenated, saturated, modified, vegetable, combined, deep-frying or margarine.
According to WHO recommendations, the human body should receive no more than 2-3 g of trans fats per day. It is easy to exceed this limit by eating only natural animal foods that also contain trans fats.
And if you also consume prohibited purchased products, then the norm will be exceeded several dozen times.
WHO has developed and supports the implementation of the REPLACE action plan to phase out trans fats worldwide and calls on governments around the world to eliminate industrial trans fats from food by the end of 2023.
Therefore, the removal of trans fats from food products can save the lives of an entire generation of Ukrainians.
Prepared by: Olga Gushcha — public health specialist of the Lviv Regional Center for Disease Control and Prevention
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