MEDICINE HAT, AB — Throughout the past five decades a lot has changed when it comes to health and nutrition standards.
Those standards are changing again after Health Canada issued a ban on artificial trans fats.
Brendan Hillson has baked fresh products daily at McBride’s Bakery for the past seven years.
Hillson uses several types of fats and shortenings to create everything from bread to sweet treats.
“You’re making cinnamon buns then you’re going to use a layer of margarine in the roll, the cinnamon roll,” said Hillson. “You get some more specialized fats, like for making a cream puff you have something called folding shortening or special purpose shortening.”
Soon he may have to make changes to some of the fats he uses.
Health Canada has now issued a ban on partially hydrogenated oils.
They can be found in things like margarine, vegetable shortening, and baked goods or packaged snacks.
According to Alberta Health Services, trans fats especially the hydrogenated types can increase the amount of bad cholesterol in your body.
Nikki Stadnyk, certified holistic nutritional consultant, says you should avoid them as much as possible.
“Trans fats are a man made fat and what they do in the body is contribute to inflammation and clogged arteries.”
The ban will be phased in over a two year period.
Food manufactured after Sept 17, 2018 has to be partially hydrogenated oil free, but there’s a two year grace period for food that has been already made.
While bakery’s rely on sugar and fats for their products Hillson is on board with reducing trans fats.
“Let’s ditch the hydrogenated fats. Alright, lets do it. It’s not some crisis that we need to respond to,” said Hillson. “Let’s just move away from that and incrementally get healthier. It’s a good idea.”
Hillson says the ban will have minimal effect on his business but if it ends up costing more that would likely be passed on to customers.
“I mean there might be a moderate price increase here or there as they find whatever the right shortening is, or whatever the right oil is to make what people want. If that turns out to be a somewhat more expensive process then there may be some price adjustments,” said Hillson.
Hillson says people already know when they buy a treat, it’s going to contain fat and sugar.
The key is moderation, and knowing what is in your food.
