Page 16 - Summer2008

Caustic Commentary

the Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine are now indexed and fats have health bene ts. University of Alberta researcher
may be accessed at orthomolecular.org/library/jom/index. Flora Wang found that a diet with enriched levels of trans
shtml. Indices for back issues of Fluoride are posted at www. vaccenic acid (VA), the natural trans fat found in dairy and

uorideresearch.org/. beef products, can reduce risk factors associated with heart
disease, diabetes and obesity. Results indicate that the benet

MORE ON TRANS FATS was due in part to the ability of VA to reduce the production

New research is conrming the dangers of trans fatty acids. In of chylomicrons, particles of fat and cholesterol that form
a seven-year European study, which followed almost 20,000 in the small intestine following a meal (www.sciencedaily.
women, researchers documented 363 cases of breast cancer com/releases/2008/04/080402152140.htm). The human body
during the course of the study, and matched these cases to also transforms some of the VA into conjugated linoleic acid
breast cancer-free controls according to age, menopausal (CLA), which has anti-cancer properties. Of course the toxic
status at baseline, date and collection center. Increasing blood industrial trans fats were meant to be “healthful replacements
levels of trans fatty acids were associated with a 75 percent for artery-clogging saturated fats such as tallow, butter and
increase in breast cancer risk (American Journal of Epidemi- lard,” and the industry is doing its best to ensure the contin-
ology 2008 Jun 1;167(11):1312-20). And researchers from ued use of vegetable oils in processed foods through plant
Harvard have reported that increased intakes of trans fatty breeding, interesteri cation and use of gums and stabilizers
acids may increase the risk of non-aggressive prostate tumors when the solution is to just go back to using healthy animal
by about 100 percent (Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and fats—tallow, butter and lard.
Prevention, Vol 17, pp 95-101). Trans fats also increase the
risk of infertility in women (American Journal of Clinical THE TWILIGHT OF THE GMOS?
Nutrition, January 2006). Meanwhile, Canadian researchers A new study exposes the myth that genetically engineered
are nding that the natural trans fats found in butter and meat plants can save the world from hunger. Researchers at the

NEW PRODUCTS

Food and agriculture scientists are hard at work creating new products for consumer enjoyment and industry profits.
In New Zealand, scientists are working on a breed of cows that produce skim milk, or milk that contains “good-for-you”
polyunsaturated butterfat, which is spreadable straight from the fridge. According to food technologist Ed Komorowski,
“In future if whole milk can be made to contain unsaturated fats—which are good for you—then it might mean that
people change back to whole milk products. The big thing about dairy products is taste, so this would be a way of giving
the benefits of taste without the disadvantage of saturated fats” (www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/05/070528084649.
htm).
Meanwhile, Cargill has developed a new functional system for the creation of frozen desserts and jellied candies with
a chewy-creamy texture. The magic ingredient is a “new combination of gums and stabilizers within Cargill Texturizing
Solutions’ portfolio.” The product, Lygomme FZ 615, is able to foam water ice at a very high level, meaning that it allows
the addition of air to water (http://www.foodproductiondaily.com/news/ng.asp?n=84243-cargill-texture-ice-cream). The
air-water combination can then be artificially flavored and sold at high prices as a food!
Cargill also makes “a broad range of ingredients . . . including lecithin, hydrocolloids, starch and cultures” that can pro-
vide taste and texture in lowfat foods (www.foodqualitynews.com/news/ng.asp?id=83228-cargill-saturated-fat-texturisers).
According to Pierre Boulanger of Cargill foods, in meat products, “animal fat is often replaced with vegetable fat. Texture
is put back with alginates and other ingredients that can give the real feel of fat.” Perhaps one of these texturizer products
contributed to the success of “a flavorful mozzarella that melts and tastes like regular mozzarella, but has only half the

14 Wise Traditions SUMMER 2008