Trans Fat Definition

We want you to know the trans fat definition and the difference among different types of fat.

Health experts advise that you keep your intake of all fats to 30 percent of your caloric intake or less, since higher levels have been associated with increased risk of health problems such as heart disease and cancer. But each of the different types of fat has a different effect on your risk of developing a disease.

Saturated and trans fats are the most harmful because they raise blood cholesterol levels, increasing your risk of heart problems. Unsaturated fat does not raise cholesterol.

Fat Types and Trans Fat

More specifics on fat types and their effects:

Saturated fat: Regarded as the worst fat for your health, largely because of its cholesterol-raising effect, this fat is solid at room temperature. You find it in beef, butter, whole-milk products and coconut, palm and palm kernel oil.

Trans fat definition: Formed by food manufacturers when they add hydrogen to unsaturated fatty acids to make the fat less likely to spoil. Trans fat is found in cookies, crackers, frozen dinners and some breakfast cereals. Look for the words "partially hydrogenated" on the ingredients list to see if the food contains trans fat, which may increase your cholesterol and result in health problems.

Polyunsaturated fat: Found in fish, vegetable oils and many types of nuts, this fat helps lower cholesterol. Monounsaturated fat: Found in olive and canola oils, peanuts, avocados and almonds, this fat also helps lower cholesterol.

Trans Fat Definition - More...

They are found in virtually every processed, prepackaged food in your neighborhood grocery store. They are at your favorite restaurant. According to a chiropractor from Florida. They have a half-life of 52 days, meaning at 75 days, there is still 25% of the substance in your body.

Considering transit time for food in the human body is less than 24 hours, 75 days is an extremely long time. So when you eat that Twinkie or Snickers bar, it is still with you 75 days later. Why does this happen? Because of the process that creates the ugly oil. Your body sees the ugly oil as a foreign substance, not food. That foreign substance is comparable to plastic. Yes plastic! Can you imagine eating your food out of the Tupperware(TM) bowl and then eating the bowl too! That's what it amounts to. It is a wonder how the Food and Drug Administration, set up to protect us, can allow these ugly oils in our food. But things are changing. In late 2006, proposed a ban on trans fat at restaurants.

So, how do you recognize the trans fats that are harming you and causing your body to work overtime? Start reading labels. That is the extent of it. If you see the trans fat definition words: hydrogenated oil, partially hydrogenated oil or trans fatty acid. You know you have come across a trans fat.

Think about it, if your body is trying to figure out what to do with what amounts to plastic, how can it optimally perform and do what it needs to do to keep you healthy.

They are mainly found in baked goods (cookies, crackers, cakes, pot pies) and fried foods. You might also find that many sugar-free and low carbohydrate products contain large amounts of - trans fat definition - hydrogenated oils and according to WebMD might actually defeat the purpose of the sugar-free or low carbohydrate program you are on.

How They Harm You

Medical studies have shown that trans fats contribute to heart disease by boosting LDL (bad) blood cholesterol while stifling HDL (good) cholesterol. They also contribute to diabetes and dementia, studies show.

How To Avoid Them

Read labels. If you see partially hydrogenated oils listed among the ingredients, opt out. Fast-food restaurants have nutritional handouts. Ask for one or go on the company's website. At other restaurants, ask before ordering.

What About Eating Fat and Oil

I believe the very premise behind "low-fat" diet is bunk. They totally miss the point. If you want to optimize your weight and perfect your health, you should focus on the TYPE of fats you eat. Your goal should be to eat "good fats" and avoid those that are unhealthy.

Your body needs oils to survive. Oil and cholesterol are necessary for the brain to function and the body to work. In fact, research has gone so far as to indicate that a consumption of good oils will actually assist in lowering cholesterol. In other words, eating the good fats will actually lead you to have better health and a better life. What else can good oils help you do?

Healthy oils including Flax oil can actually assist you in losing weight, relieve constipation (remember castor oil), relieve eczema and PMS.

Trans Fat Definition Guidelines:

Keep omega-6 fats out of your diet. Omega 6 fats have been linked to heart disease and cancer and are known to promote inflammation. Where are they? The are usually found in seed and vegetable oils such as soybean, corn and cottonseed. If you read the labels on your processed foods, you will usually find one of those oils as an ingredient. So this actually translates to eliminated both processed foods and fried foods from your diet.
AVOID hydrogenated oil, partially hydrogenated oil an shortening. If you are reading a product label and you see any of these items listed. Do Not Eat. It is simply bad for you.
Be sure to get a healthy does of omega-3 fats. Great sources for omega 3s are eggs, fish, naturally raised meats, fish oils, flax seeds, walnuts and hemp seeds.
Keep the saturated fats to a minimum. You will get most of what you need from your dairy and meat that are on a natural diet such as free range chickens and grass fed cows. Using coconut oil is another way to get healthy saturated fat.
Eat monounsaturated fats. Healthy monounsaturated fats are commonly found in olive oil, nuts, and my favorite, avocados.

The reality is that we need to eat like the hunters and gatherers that our ancestors were: eat natural foods, eat unprocessed foods. By doing that you will have better control of your weight, better health, as well as be more satisfied with the foods you eat.