Editorial: Beware the words trans fat

Wednesday, June 28, 2006 | 7:25 a.m.

Partially hydrogenated oils are good for short-order cooks but terrible for the bodies of their customers. These oils contain trans fatty acids, or trans fat.

A war against these oils is being waged by health experts on the proven grounds that they decrease the body's good cholesterol and increase its bad cholesterol. This contributes to health problems, such as diabetes and heart disease.

A lot of the war against trans fat has to do with educating the public, so that people will know they should avoid it. People are learning that trans fat does not occur naturally, that it is made by chemically altering healthy oils such as those from soybeans, olives or peanuts.

Partially hydrogenated oils have no nutritional value, but they are valued by the food industry for their longer shelf life in baked goods and their staying power in fryers.

The war against them also involves trying to get the food industry, especially fast-food restaurants, to switch to nonhydrogenated oils. Earlier this month Wendy's announced it would switch. Also this month, however, the Center for Science in the Public Interest sued a recalcitrant KFC, in an attempt to force it to switch.

It is our hope that the food industry will soon voluntarily stop using a product scientifically shown to be bad for its customers' health.

In the meantime, the best that can be hoped for is that consumers will become educated, and then follow through by valuing their long-term health above momentarily satisfying meals.