# Low fat this, low fat that, hydrogenated and trans fats...



## everydayupsanddowns (Dec 6, 2011)

Hi All

For as long as I can remember we've been using a variety of 'low fat' versions of various products in an attempt to 'be good'. 

Semi-skimmed milk, low fat yoghurt, low fat spread and so on.

I posted something in a thread running at the mo about diabetic-friendly adaptations for various desserts and mentioned Elmlea as an alternative to double cream. Cherrypie then alerted me to the fact that Elmlea has a bit of a reputation for containing that nastiest of nasties 'hydrogenated vegetable oil' (trans fats). 

Now I know from earlier internet noodling that hydrogenated/partially hydrogenated veg oils are worse for cholesterol and CHD than saturated fats, but hadn't made the 'Elmlea' connection. We had some 'Elmlea Double Light' in the fridge, and also some 'Flora Light' both of which we have been using for some time. I've checked the ingredients list for both and neither admit to containing any hydrogenated oils at all.

Does this mean that they don't? Are these 'safe' as long as the ingredients do not list partially or fully hydrogenated oils or can they still be hidden among the listed 'vegetable oil'? Do you lot use low fat alternatives? Should we revert to butter and double cream?


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## Caroline (Dec 6, 2011)

My understanding of it is if an ingredient is not listed it shouldn't be there. I am aware that there are loopholes thoe.

I was also told that things listed as low fat had more water in them and things like chicken were plumped up with water to make them heavier...


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## Mark T (Dec 6, 2011)

Apparently Flora doesn't contain Trans Fat's these days

Apparently you don't have to list Trans Fat's on the ingredient label either according to http://www.florahearts.co.uk/Consumer/Article.aspx?Path=Consumer/HealthyHeartLiving/EatingWell/UnderstandingProductLabels


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## everydayupsanddowns (Dec 6, 2011)

Mark T said:


> Apparently Flora doesn't contain Trans Fat's these days
> 
> Apparently you don't have to list Trans Fat's on the ingredient label either according to http://www.florahearts.co.uk/Consumer/Article.aspx?Path=Consumer/HealthyHeartLiving/EatingWell/UnderstandingProductLabels



Thanks for the link Mark. Do you know if the hydrogenation (or otherwise) of vegetable oils has to be declared?


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## Mark T (Dec 6, 2011)

everydayupsanddowns said:


> Thanks for the link Mark. Do you know if the hydrogenation (or otherwise) of vegetable oils has to be declared?


I always assumed that hydrogenation and trans fat were the same thing.


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## everydayupsanddowns (Dec 6, 2011)

Mark T said:


> I always assumed that hydrogenation and trans fat were the same thing.



Yes I think you are right... but I'm usure as to whether the labels *have* to list hydrogenated (or partially hydrogenated) vegetable oils if they are present. Listing trans fats in the breakdown is optional, but can you trust 'low fat' products (eg Elmlea Double Light) that just state vegetable oil for example:

*Elmlea Double Light*
Buttermilk (75%)
Vegetable fat (21.5%)
Vegetable oil (1.5%)
Buttermilk powder
Emulsifiers E435 E322(from soya)
Stabilisers E412 E410 E407
Colour E160a

Does that mean it's full of trans fats or not?


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## Ellie Jones (Dec 6, 2011)

If it's got vegetable fat in which is solid then it's been hydrogenated it's the only way that vegetable fat will solidify... 

Me I've never brought into the low fat idea, still have my full milk and my roast taddies are roasting in Beef Dripping and I prefer butter..

I know that places such as Holland has actually banned Trans Fat quite a few years ago as it was linked to T2 diabetes!  Not sure if they know if and what difference it as made to Dutch health though


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## cherrypie (Dec 6, 2011)

This might help.  Below a certain level it does not have to be listed in the USA.  It is possibly the same in the U.K. Sometimes you see "vegetable shortening" listed.  This is a clever way of not saying trans fats included.
I do not eat lite or light products as usually there is a long list of chemicals that would need a science degree to decipher.  
http://www.livescience.com/10395-trans-fat-food-labels-deceive-public-researchers.html

You should have included the video I sent you.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzzezDYvIFU


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## Mark T (Dec 6, 2011)

You could always email the manufacturers of Elmlea and ask if it still contains trans fats?  But yes, it seems that they don't have to list the information.

The other thing I heard was that some "good" oils apparently become saturated if you heat them to higher temperatures, such as in a pan.  Olive oil was one of those I recall was mentioned.

Yes, yes, I know - we aren't supposed to fry things


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## everydayupsanddowns (Dec 6, 2011)

I think this is my confusion...

I've only ever opted for any of these to try to help my chol levels etc (currently not too bad, and no pressure to take statins and very low level of trigs). 

Semi skimmed milk is fine as far as I'm concerned, but I have no interest in pandering to the fat police (either anti or pro).

Mono and diglycerides seem to be another possible (but inconclusive) source, though I think they are likely to be only small additions to a product.

I can't be sure but don't think vegetable fat is necessarily hydrogenated Ellie - The pack for Trex vegetable fat clearly states 'No hydrogenated vegetable oil, no E numbers' and the website states 'No hydrogenated fats or artificial additives'. Having said that, I have no idea what it actually is


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## everydayupsanddowns (Dec 6, 2011)

I think I'm just going to carry on carrying on. 

There seems no way of actually getting any reliable information


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## HelenM (Dec 6, 2011)

Elmlea has changed. (still don't like it!)
The nutrition label  for elmlea  which is I assume an old label
on the Occado site , says quite clearly hydrogenated oil.
Buttermilk (85%), Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil (9%), Vegetable Oil (4%), Buttermilk Powder (0.5%), Stabilisers (E412, E410, E407), Emulsifier (E475), Colour (e160a).

I found this 
Written evidence from Unilever UK and Ireland, House of commons health commitee.


> Unilever has removed the partially hydrogenated vegetable oil (p-HVO) from Elmlea, which in turn has removed the artificial transfat from the product. This was technically very challenging and consequently we have made a substantial investment to overcome this challenge. The reformulation process began in 2009 and the product was re-launched in mid 2010


http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201012/cmselect/cmhealth/1048/1048vw177.htm


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## everydayupsanddowns (Dec 6, 2011)

Thanks Helen!

I don't know how you do it but you *always* seem to come up with the right info. Now *why* don't they say that more clearly on the Elmlea site, rather than just making a general 'Ooooh trans fats are not good you know, we do our best not to use them' statement!

M


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## trophywench (Dec 6, 2011)

LOL @ Mike - you know very well why!

OK they've changed the recipe.  But they can just change it back again at the drop of a hat if they think they will!


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## heasandford (Dec 6, 2011)

There are a couple of vegetable fats which are naturally hard and therefore do not need to be artificially hydrogenated, from my memory one of them is palm/coconut oil. It is obviously a saturated fat.
This is a very complex topic! It is all to do with the molecules which make up fats and the percentage of them in various fats, both naturally occuring and otherwise. When we didn't know that fat was bad for us (it kept us warm, my mum's grandma used to take a bit of butter and roll it in sugar to give to my mum, she came from the far north of Scotland, my mum is 88!) they invented hydrogenation to solidify liquid fats for convenuence, and it had some prevention of rancidity. Now the manufacturers are promoting anything to help sell their products
I stuck with butter, just don't eat a lot, but have converted to skimmed milk. I think it's more to do with quantity and BALANCE!!


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