What are Hydrogenated Fats?

What are Hydrogenated Fats?

It is worth noting that foods contain a large number of different fats. Some fats are good and essential for the body, while others can be harmful. Hydrogenated fats are vegetable fats that act like animal fats when they enter the human body.

Remember that hydrogenated fats are also called trans fats. The main features of these substances are their ability to change their composition, appearance, and texture.

What are hydrogenated fats?

You may not know this before, but hydrogenated fats, or trans fats, are fats that are formed as a result of a chemical process. It is worth noting that many experts are negative about these substances. Moreover, no expert will recommend the use of hydrogenated fats, even in small quantities.

Whenever possible you should avoid foods that contain trans fats. Note that these substances are obtained in the process of hydrogenation of vegetable oils, resulting in the conversion of unsaturated fats into saturated. This means that hydrogenated fats are much more harmful than saturated fats.

How do you get hydrogenated fats?

Hydrogenated fats go through a chemical process that is very beneficial to food producers. It’s easy to explain: as a result, the cost of trans fats is much lower than other analogs.

Trans fats, or hydrogenated fats, are formed as a result of a certain chemical process, which is very beneficial for the food industry. These substances are the cheapest types of fats on the market.

However, this is where the benefits of these substances end because trans fats are incredibly dangerous to the human body.

Many food manufacturers add hydrogen to ingredients that contain certain fats in liquid form, including oils.

Thanks to these substances, foods are stored in good condition longer and have an attractive appearance. This means that they are easier to cook, but they can spoil during cooking.

Effects of hydrogenated fats on human health

Believe it or not, even 5g of trans fats a day can harm a person’s well-being and health.

That is why hydrogenated fats are deservedly considered the most harmful and dangerous to the human body. Therefore, doctors recommend minimizing the number of foods with trans fats or eliminating them from the diet.

Also, with regular consumption of hydrogenated fats, the risk of developing the following diseases increases significantly:

  • Cardiovascular diseases and atherosclerosis. These fats can cause high levels of bad cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood. Moreover, hydrogenated fats also reduce the amount of good cholesterol in the body, which negatively affects the human condition.
  • Cancer. Unfortunately, due to regular consumption of trans fats, the body can begin to produce defective hormones and cell membranes.
  • Diseases of the brain. These fats reduce the activity of essential fatty acids, as well as slow down the growth and development of the human brain.
  • Metabolic disorders and diabetes.

The conclusion of the representatives of the Expert Commission of the World Health Organization states that manufacturers of semi-finished products and other finished products should avoid or eliminate hydrogenated fats from their products.

Unfortunately, most consumers are still unaware of the negative effects of trans fatty acid abuse on their health, namely the effects of these substances on the cardiovascular system.

Foods and dishes containing hydrogenated fats

In fact, trans fats are a much more serious problem, than may seem at first glance because these substances can be found in most foods and dishes that we consume regularly.

Hydrogenated fats are inexpensive, and their consistency is ideal for food production. Moreover, these substances have a very pleasant taste.

Trans fats have another advantage: their shelf life is much longer than other types of fats.

Have you ever guessed which foods and dishes contain harmful hydrogenated fats in large quantities?

Here is a short list:

  • Shop baking
  • Cookies
  • Ready meals
  • Harmful snacks
  • Margarine
  • Sweets
  • Fast food
  • Fried dishes.

How to avoid hydrogenated fats?

If you want to minimize the amount of these substances in the body, we recommend that you avoid harmful store products and semi-finished products. It is best to eat fresh foods that do not contain hydrogenated fats and other dangerous additives.

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