Trans Fats In Food - Why Should They Be Replaced?
Author: Joe Fowler
Time for reading: ~1
minutes
Last Updated:
August 08, 2022
Harvard scientists warn of the dangers of trans fats and advise on switching to mono- and polyunsaturated fats for better health.
Trans fats are a type of unsaturated fatty acids that are formed when unsaturated fats (such as those in vegetable oils) are processed to obtain the physical properties of saturated fats (such as oil).
The most common food product containing trans fats is margarine - a vegetable oil subjected to hydrogenation. Trans fats are also found in many other foods, especially those offered in fast food restaurants.
Trans fats are known to have detrimental effects on health, especially cardiovascular and brain health.
The amount of trans fat consumed by modern man is incredibly large. Margarines containing 15-20% trans fats are used increasingly for the preparation of almost all kupezhki sweets and desserts , pastries , waffles , dough (for baking pizzas or biskitki) zamrezeni pizza , crackers , crisps and many others. Given that the natural concentration of trans fats in food is between 2% and 5%, this trend is very worrying.
Many fast food restaurants also use trans fats, especially for frying , because they are cheaper, more resistant to spoilage and easier to store.
However, these facts do not make saturated fats more useful. In a study published on July 5, 2016 in the world-renowned journal JAMA Internal Medicine , scientists claim that replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats in the daily diet can bring great health benefits.
According to Harvard scientists, it is necessary to gradually replace butter , lard , bacon and some fatty meats with olive oil, soybean and rapeseed oil.
The study itself is based on data collected in a study of more than 126 thousand people. Harvard scientists have determined that their proposed change could significantly reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative and respiratory diseases.
Only a 2% increase in trans fat intake, the researchers calculated, increased the risk of the above diseases and premature death by 16%. The change in eating habits to the use of mainly polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats (omega-6 and omega-3) is associated with an 11% -19% reduction in the same risks, scientists say.
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