Trans Fat is the Reason for Health Problems

How it All Started:
Trans fat was introduced into the American diet in the 1980’s with the “fat free” fad. Because we realized that saturated fat was bad for us, fodd manufactured began using trans fat instead. Thrity years later, we realize many of  the problems we had today,  are due to trans fat.

What is Trans Fat?
Trans fats are fats produced by heating liquid vegetable oils in the presence of hydrogen. This process is known as hydrogenation. The more hydrogenated an oil is, the harder it will be at room temperature. For example, a spreadable tub margarine is less hydrogenated and so has fewer trans fats than a stick margarine.

 How the Government is fooling You:
In January 2006, the government required that all food labels be labeled with the amount of trans fat.

However,  tne FDA lets food manufacturers claim zero grams of trans fat as long as the product has less than half a gram per serving. Eat a few servings of these and other ostensibly trans-free products each day and, without even knowing it, you might end up consuming considerably more trans fat than you should, according to the nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI)the nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). http://www.fda.gov/FDAC/features/2003/503_fats.html

 Trans Fat Raises Cholesterol:Saturated fat and trans fat raise LDL cholesterol levels in the blood. Dietary cholesterol also contributes to heart disease. Therefore, it is advisable to choose foods low in saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol as part of a healthful diet.  (http://www.fda.gov/FDAC/features/2003/503_fats.html)

 Trans Fat is Implicated in Heart Disease, Diabetes, and Other Chronic Conditions:
Trans fats are even worse for cholesterol levels than saturated fats because they raise bad LDL and lower good HDL. They also fire inflammation,  an overactivity of the immune system that has been implicated in heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and other chronic conditions. While you should limit your intake of saturated fats, it is important to eliminate trans fats from partially hydrogenated oils from your diet. http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/transfats.html

 Products Containg Tran Fat:
Trans fat can be found in vegetable shortenings, some margarines, crackers, cookies, snack foods, and other foods made with or fried in partially hydrogenated oils. Unlike other fats, the majority of trans fat is formed when food manufacturers turn liquid oils into solid fats like shortening and hard margarine. A small amount of trans fat is found naturally, primarily in some animal-based foods.

Most of the trans fats in the American diet are found in commercially prepared baked goods, margarines, snack foods, and processed foods. Commercially prepared fried foods, like French fries and onion rings, also contain a good deal of trans fat.

Mayo Clinic States:
Trans fat: Avoid this cholesterol double whammy. Trans fat raises your “bad” (LDL) cholesterol and lowers your “good” (HDL) cholesterol. Find out more about trans fat and how to avoid it. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/trans-fat/CL00032

Harvard School of Public Health States:
What is becoming clearer and clearer is that bad fats, meaning saturated and trans fats, increase the risk for certain diseases while good fats, meaning monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, lower the risk. The key is to substitute good fats for bad fats. http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/fats.html