Travel nursing professionals: What’s new with trans fats?

On travel nursing jobs, you might find that the best way to ensure a quality meal for yourself is to opt for make-ahead dinners and lunches. However, it's always best to double check the ingredients label on the products you're tossing into a slow cooker. Although trans fats have long been known to be an unwanted ingredient in foods, we can still find it in many grocery store items – especially those that are processed. Soon, we may find that these hydrogenated oils (PHOs) are banned from some of our favorites.

FDA movements
On November 7, 2013, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration released a statement indicating that they are taking the first steps in removing trans fats from foods like microwave popcorn, frozen pizza and coffee creamers. A 60-day comment period has been opened, in which the FDA will collect information regarding scientific evidence and other information from expert panels to potentially ban PHOs from use by manufacturers.

Over the last several years, a number of food makers have limited and even eliminated their use of trans fats. In fact, according to the FDA, Americans went from ingesting 4.6 grams of trans fat daily in 2003, to only 1 gram per day in 2012. In addition to manufacturers reducing the use of PHOs, the public has also been made aware of how dangerous it can be for health, and most specifically cholesterol levels.

Once this comment period has ended, the FDA will then finalize its decision. It is likely that this food additive will be banned from use, unless otherwise authorized by the agency. Food manufacturers would then have time to adjust the formulas of their products and reassess market distribution. These new and improved foods won't be healthy due to their lack of trans fats, but they will be less dangerous for human consumption. It is highly unlikely that consumers will notice a difference in the taste of products affected by this potential ban.

Why not PHOs?
Trans fats are hydrogenated vegetable oils that increase the shelf life of processed foods, making them less likely to spoil. Although medical professionals are unsure why, PHOs are extremely bad for cholesterol. It's likely that as a travel nurse, you have advised patients suffering from high cholesterol to stay away from products containing PHOs, but did you ever wonder why? Well, this product increases bad cholesterol and lowers good cholesterol – a double-edged sword. This can put patients at risk of heart disease, as high levels of LDL lead to fatty deposits within the arteries.

That's not the only health concern related with trans fats. These have been seen to increase triglycerides, which are a type of fat located in the blood. This can lead to a hardening of the arteries, which puts individuals at risk of stroke, heart attack, diabetes and heart disease. According to the Mayo Clinic, PHOs may increase inflammation cause by injury due to damage done to cells that line blood vessels. In some cases, trans fats may also promote a build-up of plaque in the arteries, which is caused by the thickening of Lp(a) lipoprotein – a type of LDL cholesterol.

Until the FDA officially bans trans fats from processed foods – which is likely – you can easily avoid the ingredient. All you have to do is check the product labels and stay away from items that list it. While out to eat, stay away from fried foods, as the oil used in kitchen fryers often contains the unhealthy hydrogenated oils. You may also want to share this information with patients who you work with on travel nursing assignments. Remember, a healthy diet consists of just 25 percent to 35 percent of daily caloric intake from fat. Although this may hard to track in the beginning, once you get into the habit and know how, it will be easy.