Trans Fats: Good or Bad?
Trans fats are formed when liquid oils are combined with hydrogen, turning them solid (like stick margarine). Processed foods that contain trans fats have an almost indefinite shelf life, which is why they were invented. Trans fats boost bad cholesterol, decrease good cholesterol, gum-up arteries, and set off inflammation throughout the body, which can trigger problems such as stokes and diabetes.
Research has shown that trans fats in these oils may be even worse for heart health than the saturated fat found in foods like meat and butter. Not only do trans fats raise "bad" LDL cholesterol, as saturated fat does, but they also lower heart-healthy HDL cholesterol. With trans fats so out of favor - New York City recently banned them from restaurants, and other cities may follow suit - the search for alternatives is on.
However, one of those replacement fats - so-called interesterified fats -may carry their own health threats, according to a study published in the journal Nutrition & Metabolism.The interesterified oils may not only lower HDL levels but also cause a significant rise in blood sugar, researchers
found.
The findings are concerning, in part because the study volunteers used the interesterified fats for only four weeks. "Blood glucose went up quite precipitously.
The problem, he and his colleagues found, seems to be that interesterified fats change the body's levels of insulin, which regulates blood sugar. The researchers arrived at their findings after having 30 healthy volunteers follow each of three diets for four weeks apiece. In each diet, participants got about 30 percent of their calories from fat, with the major source being either a natural saturated fat (palm oil), or a partially hydrogenated soybean oil, or an interesterified soybean oil. Compared with the palm oil, the interesterified fat increased volunteers' blood sugar by 20 percent, while also lowering their HDL.
Interesterified fats are already being used as a replacement for trans fats in commercial foods. It's probably the number-one process to replace trans fats. The current findings, he said, suggest that more research is needed before the fats become the new standard. Consumers can find out whether their newly trans-fat-free crackers and cookies have interesterified fats by looking for fully hydrogenated oil on the package's ingredient list. If the ingredients simply list the type of oil - canola or corn, for example – then the fat is present as nature intended it.
Taken from www.zapcholesterol.com
