Fats - Trans Fat:
The Dark Side of Fat
They’re called trans fatty acids and they’re up to no good. In 2002,
a report from the National Academy of Sciences stated “trans fatty acids
are not essential and provide no known benefit to human health.” They
also reported that these so-called “trans fats” not only increase “bad
cholesterol levels” (LDL), they also decrease “good cholesterol” levels
(HDL). This results in a substantial increase in the risk of coronary
heart disease.
Chemically, trans fats are not prone to oxidation. The essential,
omega fats (those fats which are required for life) are highly prone to
oxidation and go bad very quickly. If you were to put out a dish of raw
walnuts, you would notice that they begin to smell like oil paint after
as little as a week. This is because the essential fats contained in the
nuts are becoming rancid. Similarly, a stick of butter left at room
temperature will become rancid while a stick of margarine will not.
Trans fats are artificially manufactured through a process called
hydrogenation. This process was used to turn vegetable oils into the
margarines and vegetable shortenings, which gained popularity in the
early and mid-20th century. Advocates claimed these oils were healthier
than natural, saturated fats like butter. Economically, trans fats offer
great benefits to the manufacturers and retailers of products that are
made from them. Unlike natural fats, trans fats can sit on a shelf
almost indefinitely. Because of this, many processed foods were made
with trans fats until recently when doing so became a negative factor
with educated consumers. However, there are still many products on the
market which are made with trans fats so be sure the read the
nutritional information label when you purchase any pre-packaged food.
Animal products contain small amounts of trans fats, but the US
National Dairy Council has asserted that these trans fats are different
from the trans fats manufactured from vegetable oils. From these
sources, trans fats may be less than 5% of the total fat content. Plants
do not contain trans fats, but many processed vegetarian foods do. This
is because they make the products flavorful and longer lasting than
products made with natural polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats.
Such factors make the decision to use trans fats in the processing of
packaged food an economic one and certainly not a nutritional one.
Because of their intended use, these products may have trans fat at
nearly 50% of the total fat content.
The consumption of trans fats has also been linked to several forms
of cancer, according to a growing body of science. Because of this, and
the other health risks associated with the consumption of trans fats, it
is important that you read ingredient labels and are also aware of where
trans fats may be found. Do your best to limit, or eliminate, trans fats
from your diet. Doing so will help you protect your own health and the
health of those you know and love.
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