WHAT THE HELL IS TRANS FAT....and why do I keep hearing about it? I decided to do the typical Heather "googley" and this is what I found -
There are four kinds of fats: monounsaturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, saturated fat, and trans fat. Monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat are the "good" fats. It is generally accepted that consumption of saturated fat should be kept low, especially for adults. Trans fat (which means trans fatty acids) is the worst kind of fat, far worse than saturated fat.
Ok..so at this point I need to know more...
One of the reasons that partially hydrogenated oils are used is to increase the product's shelf life, but they decrease your shelf life.
Trans fats cause significant and serious lowering of HDL (good) cholesterol and a significant and serious increase in LDL (bad) cholesterol; make the arteries more rigid; cause major clogging of arteries; cause insulin resistance; cause or contribute to type 2 diabetes; and cause or contribute to other serious health problems.
- LDL (bad) cholesterol: The main source of cholesterol buildup and blockage in the arteries.
- HDL (good) cholesterol: Carries cholesterol from the blood back to the liver, which processes the cholesterol for elimination from the body. HDL makes it less likely that excess cholesterol in the blood will be deposited in the coronary arteries. (HDL levels, to be considered "normal," should be at least 35 - 40 mg/DL.)
- Blood vessels: There are three types of blood vessels: arteries, veins, and capillaries. The arteries carry blood away from the heart. The capillaries connect the arteries to veins. Finally, the veins carry the blood back to the heart.
This is when I start to realize...Uh oh! I better check into the foods I eat most, and see how bad they are....
http://www.bantransfats.com/eateriesnews.html
I had no idea that every time I pull up to the drive thru...I'm taking years off my life. I mean I know french fries aren't the healthiest food I could be eating, but I wasn't aware that I'm killing myself every time I eat the lil buggers!!
Right now you are thinking, "Duh Heather fast food is bad for you!" So I thought that I would also share with you .....
Trans fatty acids 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.
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.
Trans fats are even worse for cholesterol levels than saturated fats because they raise bad LDL and lower good HDL. They also fire inflammation,(6) an over activity 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.
I don't know what foods you eat, or what your Mom cooks when you come over...BUT...my insides are in BIG trouble!! I need to pay better attention. I just checked and ROCKSTAR has ZERO trans fat...so at least that part of my diet is safe!!
Anyway, I just thought I would share my findings with you cause its scary to think how all these "new findings" are effecting kids!!
