The hydrogenation of liquid oils into semi-solid fats creates trans fats, an artificial fat that helps to preserve food and lengthen its shelf life. Trans fats, once found in as much as 95 percent of prepared cookies, according to the Harvard School of Public Health, have a strong impact on cholesterol levels and can increase your risk for heart disease. Since 2006, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has required food producers to list trans fat on nutrition labels. New York City has banned trans fats in restaurants, cafeterias and schools. Minimize your intake of trans fats to avoid increasing your risk for chronic diseases.
LDL Cholesterol
Intake of trans fatty acids increases low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, cholesterol. LDL cholesterol, or "bad" cholesterol, causes excess plaque to build up in the arteries, increasing the risk for heart disease. High levels of LDL cholesterol can also reduce levels of high-density lipoprotein, also known as HDL, or "good," cholesterol. LDL cholesterol promotes inflammation, increasing the risk for heart disease, stroke and diabetes, according to the Harvard School of Public Health.
HDL Cholesterol
Trans fatty acids can decrease levels of high-density lipoprotein, or HDL, cholesterol. HDL cholesterol soaks up excess cholesterol in the arteries and moves it to the liver for removal. Therefore, high levels of HDL cholesterol have a beneficial effect on total cholesterol levels in the body, and can protect against heart disease. Low levels of HDL cholesterol, on the other hand, can increase your risk for heart disease, notes the Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide. Trans fatty acids decrease HDL cholesterol and have a stronger negative impact on the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL cholesterol than other saturated fats.
Other Disease Risk Factors
Trans fats increase inflammation and cause blood-vessel abnormalities, notes the Harvard School of Public Health. Eating trans fats may promote obesity and insulin resistance, increasing the risk for diabetes, metabolic syndrome and other obesity-related diseases.
Recommendations
Current dietary guidelines recommend consuming as little trans fat as possible, notes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Check for trans fats on nutrition labels, and choose options with little or no trans fat. The FDA allows products with less than half a gram of trans fat to claim that they contain no trans fat. If a food's ingredient list includes partially hydrogenated vegetable oil or vegetable shortening, the product contains trans fat. Avoid eating fried fast foods and commercially prepared pastries, especially when you don't know whether these products contain trans fat.
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