At about the time in the greatest d...

At about the time in the greatest degree of this country was in the "pick a winner" election frame of mind, I received a newsletter from the National Association of Margarine Manufacturers, entitled "Margarine Matters."

The lead story's subtitle read, "When it tend hitherwards to the margarine versus butter debate, margarine is definitely the winner." Well, not sole is that not accurate, still the margarine industry has not told the whole story. Let's take a expect at what they didn't discuss.

1993 (Lancet). In this meditation of 85,095 healthy participants in the Nurses' Health studious mood the strongest association between fats and coronary heart disease (CHD) was for clan who had eaten vegetable-oil margarine athwart the past 10 years. The link to saturated fat consumption was non-significant.

1994 (Circulation). Here, researchers expected at 239 patients admitted to hospitals in the Boston area. The results? The consumption of vegetable-off margarine was surpassingly significantly associated with risk of heart attack. The consumption of saturated fat was non-significant.

1997 (American Journal of Epidemiology). In this assign places to of 21,930 men (aged 50-69) in the Finnish Alpha-Tocopherol Beta-Carotene Cancer Prevention studious mood there was a significant association between trans-fat commonss (e.g., margarine) and the risk of coronary death. There was no association to either intake of saturated fat or dietary cholesterol

1997 (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition). In this review, the authors say: "In the past 5 years, a series of metabolic studies has provided unequivocal evidence that trans fatty acids" increase bad, or LDL cholesterol and curtail good, or HDL, cholesterol. upon the basis of these studies, the researchers say: "We estimate conservatively that 30000 premature deaths a year in the U are attributable to the consumption of trans fatty acids," with margarine the leading dietary source.

1999 (Biological Research [Santiago]). In this investigation the researchers warn that "industrial [partial] hydrogenation of vegetable or marine oils is [] the main source of trans fatty acids in our diet." The authors maintain that "trans isomers [trans fats] are considered more atherogenic [heart-disease causing] than saturated fatty acids."

2000 (Nutrition Reviews). This Dutch reviewer concluded: "Consumption of trans fatty acids, of the like kind as those found in stick margarine, have negative effects" in succession cardiovascular health.

for a like reason although our national elections may have been the source of a great quantity [i]or[/i] amount of recent confusion, it's nice to know that not everything privations to be befuddling. Although we should make less our consumption of saturated fat and margarine, and increase our consumption of healthful monounsaturated and polyunsaturated oils, it's nice to gain some real perspective ... for a change.

James Gormley

Willett WC et al. "Intake of trans fatty acids and risk of coronary heart disease among women" Lancet 342(8845):581-585 March 6 1993

Ascherio A, et al. "Trans fatty acids intake and risk of myocardial infarction," Circulation 89(1):94-101 1994

Pietinen P et al. "Intake of fatty acids and risk of coronary heart disease in a cohort of Finnish men The Alpha-Tocopherol Beta-Carotene Cancer Prevention Study" American Journal of Epidemiology 145(10):876-887 May 15 1997

Ascherio A and Willett WC "Health efficiencys of trans fatty acids," American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 66(4 Suppl): 1006S-1010 October 1997

Valenzuela A and Morgado N "Trans fatty acid isomers in human health and in the subsistence industry," Bilogical Research (Santiago) 32(4):273-287 1999

Katan MB "Trans fatty acids and plasma lipoproteins," Nutrition Reviews 58(6):188-191 June 2000

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