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FDA: Say Goodbye To Trans Fats Forever

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is taking trans fats entirely out of the food supply, as health officials said the heart-clogging fats are simply unsafe.

"I think that is good," Meghan Dail. "I mean obviously it's a huge problem in the U.S."

Government health officials said trans fats are considered the worst kind of fat for your heart because they can raise bad cholesterol.

"Some 20,000 heart attacks a year and 7,000 deaths could be prevented," FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg said.

New York was the first city to ban trans fats in restaurants seven years ago. Since then, many other cities and states have done the same -- 10 fast food chains have also eliminated trans fats entirely.

The FDA said it will take feedback on the new requirement for two months, but then set a timeline for the phase out.

The Institute of Medicine said trans fats provide no known health benefit and that there is no safe level for consuming them.

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