Trans fats are artificially produced fats that are very unhealthy. The consumption of trans fats is one of the main causes for the obesity epidemic. Trans fats are used in thousands of food products.
The health risks of trans fats include obesity, cancer, clogged arteries, high cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes, birth defects, allergies in children, etc.
Food manufactures use (partially) hydrogenated oils because it increases the shelf life of food products. This means less spoilage, less loss and therefore more profit! In addition, products with trans fat tend to taste quite good. Trans fats are used in fast food, chips, baked goods, french fries, etc.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pp0nc4kY-tc
Trans fats are produced through the hydrogenation of vegetable oils such as sunflower and soybean oil. During this chemical process hydrogen molecules are added to the oil molecules and the oil becomes solid as in margarine.
When consuming natural fats, it takes the body 18 days to metabolize half of them. When consuming trans fats, it takes the body 51 days to metabolize half of them. This means that of all the trans fats you eat half of it will still be in your body 51 days later! No wonder obesity is such an epidemic.
Food products will contain trans fat if they include any of the following ingredients: hydrogenated oil, partially hydrogenated oil, hydrogenated fat, partially hydrogenated fat, shortening, margarine.
Butter also contains a small amount of natural trans fat. This is not as harmful as chemically produced trans fat. However, since butter is an animal-based food it will still cause clogging of the arteries!
Interesterified oils are unhealthy as well as these are a mix of fully hydrogenated oils with liquid unsaturated oils. They are NOT labeled as trans fat!
Some foods now contain modified, fractionated or solidified oils. These are produced by mixing fluid unsaturated vegetable oils with solid saturated fats such as palm oil. These oils are not as unhealthy as they are made from natural oils.
Consumers have repeatedly been warned about the health effects of saturated fats, especially saturated animal fats(grain feed). However, trans fats are much worse.
The healthiest oil for frying and cooking is coconut oil as it remains stable at high temperatures and it does not break down into carcogenic compounds, unlike unsaturated oils like olive oil. Coconut oil remains stable because it has a high content of saturated fat. Not all saturated fats are bad for you!
Even if the label says zero trans fats it is false as manufacturers are allowed to have up to .5 of a gram before it becomes anything!!!!!!!!!!!!! How crazy is that. It wouldn’t take much to reach a few grams at that rate which becomes a dangerous level. Am I the only one who thinks this is irresponsible?????????????
Tips for lowering your trans fat intake:
1. Choose liquid vegetable oils, or choose a soft tub margarine that contains little or no trans fats.
2. Avoid eating commercially prepared baked foods such as cookies, pies, donuts, snack foods and processed foods, including fast foods. To be on the safe side, assume that all such products contain trans fats unless they are labeled otherwise.
3. When foods with (partially) hydrogenated oils can not be avoided, choose products that list the partially hydrogenated oils near the end of the ingredient list.
4. To avoid trans fats in restaurants, stay away from desserts and deep-fried foods, as many restaurants still use partially hydrogenated oils in their fryers.
5. Remember to shop in the outside aisles of the grocery store. This is where you will find great sources of Omega 3 fatty acids. (polyunsaturated fatty acids) Fish, especially salmon, flaxseed oils, nuts, especially walnuts, seeds, lugumes, fruits. Grass feed chicken and beef.
Do your health a big favor and remove the trans fat toxic chemicals out of your diet!
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Stay Well,
Dr. Vince Hassel
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