CANSA has become concerned with margarines since it was found over the past few years that they could contain trans fatty acids which were associated with cancer. Read more about trans fatty acids below.
A comparative study of the fatty acid composition of forty South African brands of margarines was done recently and the results were published on 19th April 2010.
In the light of these results CANSA considers it to be reasonable to recognise that Blossom Canola margarines are a smart choice in that they help to reduce the risk of cancer.
Click here to read the results of the study and read the news release here. Watch the Carte Blanche Medical insert regarding butter versus margarines.
Man-made trans-fats, also referred to as Industrially Processed-Trans Fatty Acids (IP-TFAs), have been identified by scientists worldwide to be one of the major factors contributing towards the global pandemic of lifestyle related chronic diseases, such as coronary heart disease, diabetes, obesity and breast and prostate cancers.
What are trans fats? | Fact sheet on trans fats | How are you exposed to trans fats? | How to avoid trans fats | CANSA's Findings | Related Links | Get involvedTrans fats, or trans fatty acids, are made inadvertently when plant oils are converted to margarine. In the 1990s, scientists realised that trans fats increased the risk of coronary artery disease.
Fact sheet on trans fatsYou can ingest trans fats in many margarines and a lot of baked and fried goods.
How to avoid trans fatsBuy margarines that contain less than 2% trans fats and have omega-6/omega-3 fatty acid ratios ranging from 2.2 to 44.3. Peer-reviewed literature suggests that a low omega-6/omega-3 ratio of about 2.0 could help to counteract inflammation and have anti-cancer effects.
South African legislation to ban trans fats has been written and has been published, but it has not been made law yet.
CANSA's findingsForty South African margarines were analysed by the CSIR for fatty acids and it was found that all had less than 2% trans fats and omega-6/omega-3 fatty acid ratios from 2.2 to 44.3.
Only two margarines had low ratios of about 2.0, for example, Blossom Canola and Blossom Canola Light. Click here to download the test results.
In the light of these results CANSA considers it to be reasonable to recognise that Blossom Canola margarines are a smart choice in that they help to reduce the risk of cancer.
The Department of Health is in the process of developing legislation aimed at the reduction of certain trans-fats, in particular trans fatty acids deriving from the process of partial hydrogenation of vegetable oil, present in certain processed and prepared foods currently for sale in South Africa.
The Department of Health conducted a workshop on 22 October 2009. The purpose of the workshop was to provide an opportunity for inputs on the way forward and representatives of the industry, bodies dealing with lifestyle related diseases, such as CANSA, as well as academic and research institutions involved in the promotion of healthy nutrition, were invited to participate.
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Zolani Simayi
CANSA
Please find an answer from CANSA's Clinical Specialist, Magdalen Seguin, below:
Dear Kenn R
Thank you for contacting CANSA with your concerns regarding hydrogenation.
Catalytic hydrogenation or partial hydrogenation of oils produces transfats.
Transfats have been linked to breast and prostate cancer.
The research conducted by CANSA was to establish the composition of South African margarines.
As it states on CANSA’s website, CANSA supports the following formula in respect of fatty acids:
2% of transfats
Saturated fats below 10%
Omega -3 fatty acid – higher that 4%
Omega – 6 to omega -3 ratio of 2.0 or less
The results were that all of the forty (40) South African margarines tested by the CSIR, ALL were found to contain below 2% transfats ( 2grams transfats per 100 grams margarine)
The Department of Health Directorate of Food Safety has published the Draft Food Labelling Regulations: Labelling and Advertising of Foodstuff, to ban products in South Africa with more than 2% transfats in the Government Gazette of 9th March 2010. More information is available on the National Department of Health website:
www.doh.gov.za
Please do not hesitate to contact me at email: clinical@cansa.org.za regarding any further queries you may have.
Best regards
Magdalene Seguin
Clinical Specialist
Cancer Association of South Africa
Kenn R
As a cancer patient in remission.Extremely well versed in the hydrogenation process and the horrendous and dire health consequences related to this process. Why dont you inform people exactly what partial hydrogenation and hydrogenation is. Many general cooking Oils, NOT TO MENTION thousands of other products the population consume are made via the partial hydrogentation process and are loaded with TF's and other horrendous chemicals and additives. so to say there is NO DANGER is further from the truth than the sea is from outer space.
If fully hydrogenated it means the product is fully saturated fat.A DARK GREEN TYPE ROCK HARD BLOCK AND UNEDIBLE IN ITS NATURAL FORM. Again loaded with additives and chemicals to make it edible.EDIBLE??? These additives and chemicles in many instances just as dangerous as the process itself.
Whislt partial hydrogenation is the worser of the two evils they are both extremely unhealthy and dangerous to humans and animals to say the least.
THE HYDROGENATION PROCESS IS WHERE UNEDIBLE VEGETABLE FAT. NOT EVEN RODENTS WILL CONSUME IT ,ITS THAT BAD, IS CONVERTED TO A LIQUID TYPE INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING PRODUCT. WHICH IS THEN MAN MADE INTO SOME DISGUSTING HORRENDOUS LIFE THREATENING SO CALLED EDIBLE PRODUCT.
HENCE THE REASON THE HYDROGENATION PROCESS IS BANNED OUT RIGHT OR IS HIGHLY REGULATED IN MOST 1ST WORLD COUNTRIES AND HAS BEEN FOR MANY MANY YEARS. THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION AND MANY OTHER MEDICAL ORGANISATIONS, SCIENTISTS AND OTHERS HAVE CALLED FOR THE BANNING FOR MORE YEARS THAN CAN BE REMEMBERED.
SO CANSA WHERE ARE YOUR MORALS AND ETHICS????
FEAR NOT ALL WILL BE MADE PUBLIC NOTICE SOON. YES THE GOVERNMENT AND ALL THE FOOD & BEVERAGE INDUSTRY WILL SOON FACE THERE DAY IN COURT.WHAT HAS BEEN HIDDEN AS WILL ALL THEIR CORHORTS THAT HAVE HIDDEN THIS PROCESS FROM MYSELF AND THE POPULATION FOR MORE YEARS THAN CAN BE REMEMBERED.
CANSA
Industrial Trans fats only form under high temperature, pressure in the presence of a catalyst and hydrogen gas. There is no danger of trans fats forming in cooking oils when they are used conventionally, e.g. frying an egg.
Leon de Villiers
Kind regards
Leon de Villiers
082 892 5103