How Trans Fat Affects Our Health?

HOW THE TRANS FAT FOR OUR HEALTH:

Mrs. Agarwal was almost shocked!Oh, God! What was eaten by me? These biscuits have more trans fats than the usual one! Why I did not saw it first? Though this is one story of a highly figure conscious lady; eat nothing but something with proper nutrition information, but this time she did one mistake and eat biscuits without watching its labeling!

Generally, we all have doubt and no or low knowledge about what is trans fat? how it affect our health? It exists in our food and yet we consume it daily from many food sources.

Chemistry says, when unsaturated fatty acids have trans –orientation in their hydrogen atoms, attached to the two carbon atoms joined by the double bonds. Then that unsaturated fatty acids is called trans fats. Nearly all naturally occurring UFA are of cis-configuration. Mainly this trans –configuration was formed during artificial processing of Fats like hydrogenated fats.

The American Heart Association is one of the leading organization of heart health and they informed globally that trans fat is actually bad for our heart.

How bad it is?

Consumption of trans fat raise your bad cholesterolLow-Density Lipoprotein)and also simultaneously lowers your good cholesterols(High-Density Lipoproteins)levels. Ultimately it increases the narrowing of your artery and thereby increases your more chances of having the stroke and heart attack. Development of Type2 Diabetes Mellitus is also positively related to consumption of trans fat in your daily diet.

Where do we found them?

It can be in many foods but especially those obtained after processing in industry, including fried foods, baked foods like cake, pastries, pizza, cookies, crackers, margarines etc.

Artificial trans fats are actually obtained after industrial process that adds hydrogen ions to liquid vegetable oils to make them solids.

Some companies still use trans fats during their food processing, as they are easy to use, inexpensive to produce and last long time. It also give better texture than cis-isomers etc.

Many restaurants and fast food outlets use trans fat to deep fry foods because oils with trans fats can be used many times in commercial fryers.

Several countries (like Denmark, Switzerland, Canada etc) have already restricted its use in industry; still many needs to stop.

How can I avoid it?

• Read carefully what you eat like Mrs Agarwals, I mentioned earlier. Replace processed food with more green and fresh food , as research says nature has low or no trans fat to cause any harm for our body.
• Look for processed food made with mainly unhydrogenated oils rather than partially hydrogenated or hydrogenated vegetable oils.
• Look for ‘’0 gm of trans fat” on the label of nutrition facts and or no hydrogenated oils in the ingredients list. Don’t get worried if you eat by mistake, as chronic consumption may lead to such disorders not by single intake.
• Limit the intake of commercially fried foods like potato chips etc.”Stay well and eat healthy”!