Why Do Hydrogenated Fats Cause Weight Gain & Digestive Troubles?

Hydrogenated fats, or trans fats as you may know them, have gotten a bad reputation over the past few years, and for good reason. Trans fats not only cause weight gain and digestive issues, they are also bad for your heart. Two important steps to following a healthy diet is to understand what to eat and why, and keeping your fat intake under control.

Hydrogenated Fats

To better understand what a hydrogenated fat is, you need to understand the chemical makeup of a fat molecule. The two main types of fat are saturated and unsaturated. A fat molecule consists of carbon atoms linked together. If the fat is saturated, there is a hydrogen molecule attached to every carbon atom, and it is said to be "saturated" with hydrogens. When a fat is unsaturated, then there is at least one carbon that does not have a hydrogen. A hydrogenated fat is a man-made fat in which hydrogen atoms are added to an unsaturated fat. It is not fully considered to be a saturated or an unsaturated fat, which is why it receives the name "trans fat."

Weight Gain

A high intake of trans fats can cause weight gain, regardless of your total caloric intake, reports a study conducted by the Wake Forest University School of Medicine in 2006. This study analyzed the effects of a high trans fat diet on male monkeys over a six year period versus a diet higher in monounsaturated fats. Both sets of monkeys ate the same number of calories, but those eating a larger amount of trans fat gained a larger amount of weight -- a 7.2 percent increase in weight versus just a 1.8 percent increase. The scientists also noted that the extra body weight was distributed directly to the abdomen. This is significant, because extra abdominal weight puts you at a high risk for cardiovascular disease.

Digestive Troubles

Another effect of a diet high in trans fats is inflammation. Your body responds to injury using an inflammatory response. A diet high in trans fats increases the markers of inflammation inside your body. According to the website WomentoWomen.com, inflammation starts in the digestive tract and may be a sign of digestive diseases. One of the best ways to control inflammation is by watching your diet and eating less of the foods -- such as trans fats -- that trigger this inflammatory response.

How To Limit Trans Fat Intake

No more than 1 percent of your total calories each day should be made up by trans fats. Limit your intake of these harmful fats by reading labels -- many processed foods contain trans fats. Restaurants, specifically fast food restaurants, use a large amount of trans fats. Limiting the amount of fried food you eat is an important step to take, as many vegetable oils used by restaurants contain trans fats.