Trans fat, also called partially hydrogenated oil, is the first of the "Terrible Two" that I suggest you avoid at all costs! Even Ancel Keys, one of the founders of the theory that cholesterol causes heart disease, stated in 1958 that trans fatty acids were to blame for heart disease. Basically, trans fats are manmade fats. These fats are made when an oil or type of fat undergoes a process called hydrogenation. During this process, hydrogen is added to the oil which then changes the actual structure of the oil molecule. This causes the molecule to then change shape from its natural state to a twisted formation. Through this process, the oil is changed to a solid which is then more stable and gives a food-product a longer shelf life.
So then, what's so bad about that? Research has now shown that these trans fats cause much havoc in the body. They have been proven to reduce your HDL (good cholesterol), raise your LDL (bad cholesterol), raise insulin levels (which contributes to fat storage) and make insulin not work as well (causing high blood sugar), negatively affect crucial enzymes in the body, and take the place of otherwise healthy fatty acids that the body needs. Trans fats in a mother's diet can decrease vision in infants, cause lower birthweight infants and lower the cream content of breastmilk. Interestingly, trans fats will raise the level of a substance called Lp[a] (this contributes to plaque build-up), yet saturated fats actually reduce this substance! All this is only half of the list of the negative effects of trans fats that I have sitting in front of me!
Dr. Mary Enig, a world renowned biochemist and researcher in the area of fats and oils since the 1970s, states that the most dangerous fats and oils are those that have been hydrogenated. As a result of this process, free radicals are formed that are toxic to the body and cause widespread damage.
The take-home message, then, is AVOID all trans fats/partially hydrogenated oils (and fully hydrogenated for that matter). The tricky part here is that you cannot rely on the front of the box when it says NO TRANS FAT. You NEED to look over the list of ingredients, and if you see it, put it back. Take inventory of your cupboards too!
As I mentioned before, your food should be as natural as possible. The more processing that is done to make a product, the more damaged it has become. When you eat or drink this damaged food-product, your body can't use it as well as the real natural food. Internal injury occurs and with injury comes inflammation (this is response to injury and the start of healing). Chronic inflammation will lead to heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, thyroid problems, cancer, you name it!
Eat well and have a great week!
Resource: Know Your Fats: The Complete Primer, Mary G. Enig, Ph.D., Bethesda Press, Silver Spring, MD, 2000.
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