Why Are Trans Fats Bad For You? The Disturbing Truth

There is a lot of disagreement in nutrition. But one of the few things people actually agreeon is the unhealthy nature of trans fats.

Fortunately, consumption of these horrible fats has gone down in recent years and decades. But we are still eating way too much of them, which has various detrimental effects on health.

This article takes a detailed look at trans fats… what they are, why they’re so bad for you and how to avoid them.
What Are Trans Fats?

Trans fats, or trans fatty acids, are a form of unsaturated fat. Unlike saturated fats, which have no double bonds, unsaturated fats have at least one double bond in their chemical structure.

This double bond can be either in the “cis” or “trans” configuration, which relates to the position of hydrogen atoms around the double bond.

Basically… “cis” means “same side,” which is the most common structure. But trans fats have the hydrogen atoms on opposite sides, which can be a problem.

Natural vs Artificial Trans Fats
Natural trans fats have been part of the human diet ever since we began eating the meat and dairy from ruminant animals (such as cattle, sheep and goats).

Also known as ruminant trans fats, they are completely natural, formed when bacteria in the animal’s stomach digest grass.

These trans fats typically make up 2-5% of the fat in dairy products and 3-9% of the fat in beef and lamb.

However, dairy and meat eaters do not need to be concerned.

Several review studies have concluded that a moderate intake of ruminant trans fats does not appear to be harmful.

The most well-known ruminant trans fat is conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which is believed to be beneficial by many and often consumed as a supplement.

It is found in relatively large amounts in dairy fat from grass-fed cows, which is extremely healthy and linked to a reduced risk of heart disease.

However… the same positive things can NOT be said about artificial trans fats, otherwise known as industrial trans fats or hydrogenated fats.

These fats are created by pumping hydrogen molecules into vegetable oils. This changes the chemical structure of the oil, turning it from a liquid into a solid.

This process involves high pressure, hydrogen gas, a metal catalyst and is highly disgusting… the fact that anyone would consider them suitable for human consumption is baffling.

After they have been hydrogenated, the vegetable oils have a much longer shelf life and are solid at room temperature, with a consistency similar to saturated fats.

Although humans have been consuming natural (ruminant) trans fats for a very long time, the same is NOT true for artificial trans fats… which are seriously harmful.

How to Avoid Trans Fats
Big improvements have been made in recent years, although trans fats are still present in many processed foods.

In the US, manufacturers can label their products “trans fat free” as long as there is less than 0.5 grams of trans fats per serving.

You can see how a few a “trans fat free” cookies could quickly add up to harmful amounts.

To make sure you’re avoiding trans fats, read labels. Don’t eat foods that have the words “hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated” on the ingredients list.

Unfortunately, reading labels isn’t enough in all cases. Some processed foods (like regular vegetable oils) can contain trans fats, without any indication on the label or ingredients list.

One US study that analyzed store-bought soybean and canola oils found that 0.56% to 4.2% of the fats were trans fats, without any indication on the packaging.

In order to avoid trans fats, the best thing you can do is eliminate processed foods from your diet.Choose real butter instead of margarine, and olive oil or coconut oil instead of harmful vegetable oils… and make time for home-cooked meals instead of fast food.