You may have heard that trans fats should not be in your foods. For years, we have been asked to reduce or eliminate these fats from our diets.
But have you ever wondered why trans fats are considered unhealthy? Your goal is to get the most calories from dietary fat, especially on a keto diet. So, is trans fat really a problem?
This article shows you what trans fats are, what foods contain them, and why they are such a big problem for your health.
What are trans fats?
Trans fats are created by adding hydrogen to liquid vegetable oils, which makes them more solid at room temperature – and thus more suitable for use in processed foods. Adding hydrogen produces “partially hydrogenated” oils, which are the primary source of trans fats in the American diet. While most trans fats are created synthetically, some are found in nature. Beef, lamb, and dairy products all contain some trans fats.
Like any supervillain, there is a background behind the creation of artificial trans fats. In 1901, German chemist Wilhelm Normann began experimenting with adding hydrogen to liquid oils (*).
This addition of hydrogen made liquid fats semi-solid at room temperature – which in turn made them much more useful for use in many commercially produced foods. Partially hydrogenated oils have a longer shelf life and provide structural support for foods such as ice cream, margarine and pastry dough. The food industry saw this as a major breakthrough.
Over the course of the 20th century, trans fats have become a popular addition to many food products. But what people don’t realize is that messing with Mother Nature sometimes has consequences. It wasn’t until the 1950s that the first concerns about artificial trans fats emerged. During the second half of the 20th century and into the 21st century, scientific evidence mounted to show that trans fats in partially hydrogenated oils might do more harm than good.
How trans fats affect your health
Sometimes the hype about a specific ingredient or food item is more hype than science. But in the case of artificial trans fats, the research is clear: This type of fat is bad for your health. Although trans fats are polyunsaturated fats (unlike Saturated fats, which may also come with health risks) are not considered healthy fats.
Here’s how eating a lot of trans fats affects you.
Trans fats and blood vessels
One of the biggest concerns about trans fats is their effect on blood vessels, because well-functioning blood vessels are essential to a healthy heart and brain.
Trans fats have been shown to raise low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol while lowering high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol.
. When blood vessels become clogged with LDL cholesterol, they become stiff and weakened. This increases the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Trans fats and inflammation
Inflammation leads to adverse health outcomes, from autoimmune disorders to heart disease
. For obvious reasons, most of us want to keep our bodies free from a chronic state of “high alert”.
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Eliminating trans fats is an important part of an anti-inflammatory diet strategy, as multiple studies have found a link between intake of artificial trans fats and overall inflammation (*,*).
Trans fats and diabetes More research is needed to reveal the exact relationship between trans fats and type 2 diabetes, but here’s what the current research says:For example, a large longitudinal study of more than 84,000 women found that those who ate less trans fats were less likely to develop type 2 diabetes.
.
However, note that trans fat consumption was one of the many factors in their diet
However, because trans fats increase a person’s risk of developing heart disease – especially in people with diabetes. Therefore, despite the limited evidence, it is best to stay away from hydrogenated oils.
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Trans fats and cancer
Since trans fats cause inflammation (and since they’re seen in processed, weight-enhancing foods like breakfast cereals, chips, cake, and ice cream) – it’s no surprise that they’re linked to cancer.
.
Another review from 2021 found that a higher intake of artificial trans fats resulted in a higher risk of breast cancer
. Future research may shed more light on the link between cancerous trans fats, but for now, it’s safe to say that avoiding trans fats is probably a smart thing to do to prevent “C.
With the dangers of eating trans fats becoming increasingly clear, public health authorities have decided to take action to eliminate them from the American food supply.
In 2015, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ruled that synthetic trans fats are unsafe to eat. They have given food manufacturers three generous years to get them off their products, with a deadline of June 2018. However, for food products produced before this date, the Food and Drug Administration has extended the deadline to January 2020 (*).
However, some commercially available foods may still contain trans fats, as it may take years for foods produced before 2020 to be completely eliminated from the American diet.
Anything that contains partially hydrogenated oils contains trans fats. Common causes include microwave popcorn with butter, pastries, baked goods, pizza dough, coffee creamers, and fried foods such as French fries.
Interestingly, not all trans fats are created in a laboratory. Some occur naturally, too. When ruminants such as cows, sheep, and goats eat grass, the bacteria in their stomachs produce trans fats. For this reason, dairy products from these animals contain about 2-7% trans fats, and meats such as beef contain about 1% trans fats (*, *). However, research on natural trans fats indicates that when consumed in moderate amounts, they do not carry the same health risks as artificial trans fats.
How much trans fat can I eat per day?
While it is best to keep trans fats out of our diets, especially since the Food and Drug Administration no longer generally considers them safe to consume, consuming a little less trans fat will not significantly affect your health. Less than 2 grams of trans fats per day is considered safe (
*).
Furthermore, the American Heart Association suggests reducing your intake of foods containing partially hydrogenated vegetable oils
Even if the Nutrition Facts label says the grams of trans fats are zero, the presence of partially hydrogenated oils tells a different story. If a food contains these oils, it means that trans fats are present in small amounts – and as noted above, small amounts are important. The only way to make sure your food is free of trans fats is
Dhaka V et al. Trans fats – sources, health risks, and alternative approaches – a review. October 2011 Michaels N et al. Intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids in relation to cancer risk: a systematic review and meta-analysis. 2020 3 November Mata M et al. Dietary intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids and risk of breast cancer in 9 European countries. 2021 March 30 US Food and Drug Administration. unsaturated fats. Arrow A et al. Fatty acids in dairy and meat products from 14 European countries: the TRANSFAIR study. 2002 May 25 USDA. Beef, herbs, ground and raw. 2019 1 April Gebauer S et al. Effects of ruminant fatty acids on cardiovascular disease and cancer: a comprehensive review of epidemiological, clinical, and mechanistic studies. July 2011 University System in Georgia. Recommendations from the American Heart Association. Symptoms of heart attack and stroke. trans fats.
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