Nutrition Basics #4: Trans fat? No thanks!

In part 1 we talked about the importance of fat, part 2 was about the omega 3s and part 3 was about omega 6 and the need for a proper omega3/omega6 ratio.

In part 4 we will talk about trans fat and why you must avoid this type of fat at all costs to protect your health.

Trans Fat types

There are 2 types of Trans Fat:

• R-TFA
• I.P-TFA

R-TFA

R-TFA or ruminant derived trans fatty acids are naturally produced trans fat from animal products. They usually come from any type of animal with 4 stomachs such as cattle, sheep, goats, buffalo, deer etc.

These healthy trans fat type (R-TFA) are made by the animals in their stomach. Unlike their dangerous industrially made counterparts they have no effect on total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and fasting protein (Cardiovascular health) according to this study.

I.P-TFA

I.P-TFA or industrially produced trans fatty acids are engineered in a food factory. They use a process called Hydrogenation where they boil hydrogen gas through vegetable oil. This produces a very toxic compound that is used as additive in foods to extend shelf life and can wreak all sorts of havoc in the human system. This include heart disease, digestive problems, inflammation, raised LDL-C levels and even diabetes and cardiac related sudden death.

These fats are vegetable oils that have been chemically altered by adding extra hydrogen molecules to the chemical model mentioned earlier on.

This process is called hydrogenation or partial hydrogenation. It produces a more stable product with a long shelf life. This attribute allows liquid fats to turn solid once in room temperature.

The resulting product is very cheap (which means that it is frequently used in the food industry) and very, very dangerous since it can raise your LDL (bad) cholesterol and lower your HDL (good) cholesterol. This, in turn, can increase your risk for heart disease or stroke.

High LDL levels can clog up your arteries and thus make it harder for the blood to reach your heart. When that occurs, the risk of a clot being created becomes very high (which can either travel to the brain and cause a stroke or a heart attack) or can even tear the artery up.

2 dangerous facts you need to know about trans fat: