Trans fats are produced when hydrogen is added to liquid vegetable oil under pressure. The end result of hydrogenation is a stiffer fat that helps processed foods last longer on shelves. Foods such as cookies, margarine, crackers, chips and fried foods tend to contain trans fats. In spite of their convenience, trans fats may have serious negative physiological effects warns the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Cholesterol Problems
You may increase your risk of cholesterol problems if you consume high quantities of trans fats. First, trans fats are known to increase your "bad" low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, referred to as LDL, which can cling to the walls of your arteries. As a second assault, trans fats can decrease your high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, HDL, which is considered "good" cholesterol because it helps shuttle excess bad cholesterol out of your body, according to MayoClinic.com. If your LDL cholesterol increases to too high a level, you will develop fatty deposits on your artery walls and eventually have problems ranging from chest pain to heart attacks and strokes.
Implications for Children
Children who consistently eat foods such as toaster pastries, fast food, margarine, candy, cookies and microwave popcorn from the time they are 3 or 4 are likely to develop heart disease at an earlier age than children who eat food without trans fats, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Most people don't get heart disease until they are in their 40s or later, but children as young as ages 8 through 10 have been shown to start developing heart disease risk factors such as high cholesterol levels and clogged arteries.
Other Dangers
Trans fats have been linked to other physiological harms. For instance, if you consume too many trans fats per day, you are more likely to have increased triglycerides -- a fat in your blood -- a problem that can contribute to strokes, heart attacks, diabetes and heart disease, according to MayoClinic.com. Trans fats have also been linked to decreased size and increased density in a type of LDL cholesterol known as Lp(a) lipoprotein cholesterol. This increase in density and decrease in size can boost your risk of heart disease. Trans fats may also increase inflammation in your body, which is thought to play a role in fatty blockages in your heart's blood vessels.
Limiting Your Intake
Avoid making trans fats any more than 1 percent of your total daily calorie intake, recommends the American Heart Association. Translated: If you eat the average 2,000 calories per day diet, you should be eating no more than about 2g or 20 calories' worth of trans fats per day. More and more food producers have stopped using trans fats in their products, but you are responsible for checking labels and asking restaurants whether they use trans fats to prepare any of their foods. The best way to cut trans fats out of your diet is to eat a diet rich in fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products and high-fiber foods. Emphasize healthier fats from foods such as fish, nuts and vegetable oils.
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