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30 years
What is trans fat and saturated fat? And are they bad for health?
May 27, 2013
2nd opinion

Dr. Zakia Dimassi Pediatrics
Trans fats are created in an industrial process that adds hydrogen to liquid vegetable oils to make them more solid &less likely to spoil. Another name for trans fats is “partially hydrogenated oils". Using trans fats in the manufacturing of foods helps foods stay fresh longer, have a longer shelf life and have a less greasy feel. Add to that that trans fats are easy to use, inexpensive to produce and last a long time. Trans fats raise your bad (LDL) cholesterol levels and lower your good (HDL) cholesterol levels, increases your risk of developing heart disease and stroke, &is associated with a higher risk of developing type 2 (insulin-resistant) diabetes. Trans fats can be found especially in fried foods (French fries, doughnuts), baked goods (pastries, biscuits, pizza, cookies, crackers...). To determine the amount of trans fats, read the Nutrition Facts panel. Small amounts of trans fats occur naturally in some meat and dairy products (beef, lamb and butterfat), but it's not known whether these have the same bad effects on health as the industrially manufactured ones. The American Heart Association recommends limiting the amount of trans fats to < 1% of your total daily calories. So for a 2,000 cal diet , no more than 20 cal from trans fats (< 2g). Saturated fats have a molecule in which the carbon atoms are saturated with hydrogen atoms. They are typically solid at room temperature. They raise the total cholesterol thus increasing risks for heart disease &stroke. They occur naturally mainly from animal sources (meat and dairy products). Examples: fatty beef, lamb, pork, poultry with skin, beef fat, cream, butter, cheese and other dairy products made from whole or reduced-fat (2%) milk. These foods also contain dietary cholesterol. Also many baked goods and fried foods can contain high levels of saturated fats. Plant foods like palm oil &coconut oil also contain primarily saturated fats, but not cholesterol. Recommended consumption: 7% of total cal/day.
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