Trans Fats

So what is trans fats you ask?

Trans fats raise your bad (LDL) cholesterol levels and lower your good (HDL) cholesterol levels.

Eating trans fats increases your risk of developing heart disease and/or having a stroke.

Trans fat is made by adding hydrogen to vegetable oil through a process called hydrogenation, which makes them solid and less likely to spoil.

Using trans fats in the manufacturing of foods helps foods stay fresh longer hence the foods have a longer shelf life.  Actually they will outlive you!  Oh yippee…

Another name for trans fats is “partially hydrogenated oils.”

Look for them on the ingredient list on food packages.

Scientists aren’t sure exactly why, but the addition of hydrogen to oil increases your cholesterol more than other types of fats.

It’s thought that adding hydrogen to oil makes the oil more difficult to digest, and your body recognizes trans fats as saturated fats.

Commercial baked goods — such as crackers, biscuits and cakes — and many fried foods, such as doughnuts and frozen chips — may contain trans fats.  Most margarines are high in trans fat.

Basically processed goods should always be suspect so check the labels.

Before 1990, very little was known about how trans fat can harm your health.

But during the 1990s, research began identifying the adverse health effects of trans fats.

It was absolutely devastating news for mankind that this man-made rubbish, for want of a better word, was introduced into the food chain.

Of course some food manufacturers would rather you not know this fact.

Research the subject; don’t just believe what I am saying.

“Foods with trans fats” is a good phrase to put into Google search.

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