Fat is stigmatized as unhealthy and a cause of weight gain, but the total amount of fat you get in your diet isn’t generally linked with disease or weight, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. What matters more is the variety of fat you choose to eat. Good fats, such as polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, can reduce your risk of heart disease and other health problems. Conversely, trans-unsaturated fatty acids may be a major culprit of disease.
The Chemistry
Trans fatty acids, or trans fats, are polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats that are partially hydrogenated. This means that vegetables oils, normally liquid at room temperature, are infused with hydrogen and become solid at room temperature, according to the Vanderbilt University Psychology Department. Although these fats are still unsaturated, they have properties that are closer to saturated fat and they are labeled as trans fats. Partially hydrogenating a vegetable oil offers practical benefits. For instance, trans fats enhance the taste and texture of foods and they last a long time, which means foods made with trans fats last longer on store shelves.
The Problem
Consuming trans fats increases your levels of LDL cholesterol, or low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. This can damage your arteries by accumulating on them, hardening into a plaque and significantly reducing the flow of oxygenated blood to your vital organs. In this way they are similar to saturated fats, found in foods such as dairy products and meat. However, trans fats increase the assault by reducing your levels of HDL cholesterol, or high-density lipoprotein particles, which normally help remove the dangerous LDL cholesterol from your arteries and help your body dispose of it, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. Having too much plaque in your arteries boosts your risk of strokes and heart attacks. Trans fats are also known to boost inflammation in your body, which is a hyperactive immune response that can increase your risk of diabetes, strokes, heart disease and other chronic health problems.
Locating Trans Fats
Margarines, processed foods, boxed baked goods, snack foods and restaurant foods such as French fries and fried chicken are major sources of trans fats. Small amounts are found naturally in certain dairy and meat products, but naturally occurring trans fats seem less harmful, according to Mayo Clinic. To look for trans fats in your processed foods, examine the ingredients on the nutrition label for “partially hydrogenated” oils. Bear in mind: A product that contains less than .5 grams of trans fat in a serving can say “0 grams” of trans fat on its label. While less than .5 grams of trans fat is insignificant in theory, having multiple servings of that food may cause you to eat more trans fat than is safe.
Limits
Eating no trans fat is ideal, but you should be safe if you reduce your intake to below 1 percent of your calories for the day, according to the American Heart Association. This means you wouldn’t be able to have more than 2 grams of trans fat if your standard diet consists of 2,000 calories. You will naturally reduce your risk of eating too much trans fat if you emphasize liquid oils, vegetables, fruits, low-fat dairy and whole grains and avoid processed or deep-fried foods.
References
- American Heart Association: Know Your Fats; June 2011
- Vanderbilt University Psychology Department: Trans Fat: What Is it? Where Does it Come From? And Why Haven’t We Heard Anything About It?; Megan Tupa
- Harvard School of Public Health: Fats and Cholesterol: Out with the Bad, In with the Good; 2011
- Mayo Clinic: Trans Fat is Double Trouble for Your Health; May 2011
- American Heart Association: Trans Fats; October 2010
- Harvard School of Public Health: Shining the Spotlight on Trans Fats; 2011
- “American Journal of Clinical Nutrition”; Dietary Intake of Trans Fatty Acids and Systemic Inflammation in Women; D. Mozaffarian, et al; April 2004
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