Nutrition Corner

About Trans Fats...

Aka trans fatty acid made through the chemical process of hydrogenation.

• Trans is the chemical form of the fatty acid and is not a naturally occurring form like the saturated fat butter.  Butter's chemical structure is in the cis form, and is naturally occurring and accepted by the body.
• Trans fats drive up the LDL "bad" cholesterol.

What is LDL and why is it bad?

Low-density lipoproteins (LDL) are the form in which fats are transported in the blood.  LDL transports cholesterol from the liver to the tissues of the body, therefore, it is considered the "bad" cholesterol.

Polyunsaturated fats found in vegetables are good because they lower cholesterol.

What exactly is a trans fat?

A trans fat occurs in manufactured foods during the process of partial hydrogenation, when hydrogen gas is bubbled through vegetable oil to increase the shelf life and stabilize the original polyunsaturated oil.  The differences between fats are in the chemistry.  Depending upon the way the carbon and hydrogen atoms are arranged, a fat can be a cis fat or a trans fat.  A trans fat does significant increase your risk for coronary heart disease.  Scientists believe it is the trans structure that is responsible for the increased risk. 

So...what can you do to avoid the increased risk?

Choose foods made with unhydrogenated oils.  You will be seeing more of these products now that consumers are aware of the damage that can be done by trans fats.  Trans fat will most likely appear on government mandated nutrition labeling in the near future.  Some spreads (butter replacements) currently on the market which do not contain trans fats are:

• I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Fat Free Spread

• Promise Fat Free Spread

• Smart Beat Fat Free Squeeze Margarine

• Fleischmann's Light Margarine

Gina Giarratano, RD/LDN

Home