Trans Fatty Acids are Public Health Hazard, Says Author of 'Poison in the Food'

Author of a popular book warning consumers of the harmful health effects directly related to the consumption of trans fat applauds New York City's initial efforts to limit the use of this dangerous food ingredient in city restaurants.

Tucson, AZ (PRWEB) October 3, 2006 -- While some critics are denouncing New York City's proposal to almost completely ban dangerous trans fat from its restaurants, natural health advocate Mike Adams, author of "Poison In the Food: Hydrogenated Oils" (Truth Publishing, 2006) is publicly stating his support for the plan.

"NYC has every right to protect its people from this artificial food adulteration that promotes birth defects, nutritional deficiencies, heart disease and cancer," said Adams.

Trans fats appear in the body when people consume fats that have been hardened to a butter-like state using hydrogenization. The oils are responsible for giving some fried foods their "crunchy" texture, but they are also responsible for a number of health issues, including raising LDL (bad) cholesterol and lowering HDL (good) cholesterol.

On Tuesday, the New York City Board of Health put forward the proposal for a near-total ban on artificial trans fats in area restaurants, giving them six months to switch to oils, margarines and shortening that contains less than 0.5 gram of trans fat per serving, and 18 months to bring all other food to the same level. A public hearing will be held Oct. 30.

Trans fats are most prevalent in fast food restaurants, but some -- including national brands like Wendy's and Dunkin' Donuts -- are already moving toward compliance with such an idea.

"This is an ingredient the World Health Organization urged member nations to ban more than three decades ago," Adams said. "Yet the food industry, with utter disregard for human health and safety, continues to use political influence to keep hydrogenated oils in the food supply, regardless of the considerable science showing how harmful they are to the health of consumers."

In his book, "Poison in the Food" (available now at http://www.truthpublishing.com/PoisonintheFood.html) Adams describes what dangers consumers face when they consume trans fat, and how they can avoid this harmful ingredient. Readers of the book can also learn how a two percent increase in trans fat in the diet can contribute to a 39 percent increase in type 2 diabetes risk; the link between hydrogenated oils and cancer, birth defects, heart disease, diabetes, liver disease and more; and, perhaps most shockingly, how and why the food industry has used its vast resources to keep this ingredient legal and its dangers secret.

"The food industry is a lot like the Big Tobacco," Adams said. "They just want to sell more products, regardless of the health consequences, and even when the science reveals their products to be harmful, they will fight the science, lobby the lawmakers, and deny reality for as long as they can get away with it."

About Truth Publishing
Truth Publishing is dedicated to a mission of public service through the creation and distribution of educational materials covering natural health, wellness, environmental responsibility and other topics important to people everywhere. Articles and commentary are published at http://www.NewsTarget.com, and books and interviews are published at http://www.TruthPublishing.com.

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