When considering unhealthy foods and trans fats, or any fats for that matter – what exactly is the problem?
To put this in perspective, let’s first consider dietary fats in general and how they are categorised:
• Polyunsaturated fats – good and of nutritional value
• Saturated fats – bad, however of limited nutritional value and harmful in excess
• Trans fats – the truly ugly – derived from partial hydrogenation of oils, of no nutritional value and extremely harmful to your health and well-being
Don’t just take our word for it – an article by the esteemed Harvard Medical School unequivocally stated that:
“Eating unhealthy foods rich in trans fats increases the amount of harmful LDL-cholesterol in the bloodstream and reduces the amount of beneficial HDL-cholesterol. Trans fats create inflammation, which is linked to heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and other chronic conditions.”
Scary stuff indeed!
Your natural health and trans fats – what are the dangers?
As is fairly obvious from the Harvard Medical School quote, trans fats have been proven to adversely affect blood cholesterol by elevating levels of “bad” LDL-cholesterol and simultaneously reducing levels of “good” HDL-cholesterol.
This is bad news for your health and good news for Big Pharma as this has the effect of significantly increasing the chances of:
• Developing cardiovascular disease
• Strokes
• Liver dysfunction
• Type 2 diabetes – this is through trans fats reducing insulin sensitivity
• Alzheimer’s disease
Additionally, trans fats have also been implicated in infertility in women.
(Source: Diabetes.co.uk)
Given these facts, why would you want these fats anywhere near your body?
So where does Big Pharma fit into all this?
This nutritional evil clearly has the potential to damage your health and longevity, however – let loose a rousing cheer and have a party – Big Pharma (bless them) couldn’t be happier. Look at the following figures relating to just two of the above trans fat related conditions and wince:
A report has shown that the global market for cardiovascular disease pharmaceuticals is expected to grow from $162.63 billion in 2022 to $231.64 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 4.52% in the forecast period (2023-2030).
Another report has shown that the pharmaceutical companies have disclosed sales figures for diabetes drugs of $48.75 billion in 2018, while being particularly excited by the projected annual figure of $78.26 by the end of 2026.
This is all very well I hear you say, but what are trans fats and where are they in my diet?
What exactly are trans fats?
The majority of trans fats are created through industrial processes that add hydrogen to the polyunsaturated fats of vegetable oils – this has the result of making the oil solid at room temperature. This is termed a partially hydrogenated oil – the source of trans fats.
Partially hydrogenated oils are inexpensive oils and carry a longer shelf life. In other words, no consideration is given to the health of the consumer, the only beneficiary being the manufacturer who cuts costs and enhances convenience – good for them!
These people are concerned with profit and do not give a damn about your health and well-being.
These appalling toxins have actually been banned as ingredients in processed foods in a number of US states, Denmark, Austria and Switzerland. As yet this remains to enacted in countries such as the UK – in this case the food processing companies are given the freedom to deal with trans fat content on a voluntary basis.
Yeah, that’s going to be really effective…..
So, here are some suggestions to avoid the consumption of trans fats:
Avoid unhealthy foods known to contain partially hydrogenated oils (trans fats)
Partially hydrogenated oils are most commonly found in ultra-processed foods (also containing saturated fats) including:
• Margarine
• Packaged snacks
• Pre-made baked foods
• Ready-to-use dough
• Fried foods
• Coffee creamers – both non-dairy and dairy
• Ice Cream
• Commercially produced bread
• Pastries
• Fast food
Unhealthy foods and trans fats – read packaged food labels very carefully
Ideally avoid packaged processed foods like the plague – they often contain a multitude of toxic additives – these are for the convenience of the manufacturer and clearly not your health and well-being. (see our article on processed foods)
Try cooking from scratch – you will know exactly what is in your food.
If you insist on purchasing this kind of nutritionally bereft rubbish – be sure to check the food label and ingredients list for the key words “partially hydrogenated” – an example could be “partially hydrogenated vegetable oil.” This denotes the presence of trans fats.
Only use healthy vegetable oils for cooking
When considering your natural health and trans fats, NEVER cook with oils that are solid at room temperature, only use oils that are liquid. Vegans may be surprised to learn that their beloved coconut oil – which is solid at room temperature – has actually undergone partial hydrogenation and therefore contains trans fats. Admittedly a low concentration of trans fats, however they are present.
Be sure to choose cardiovascular health friendly oils such as:
• Olive Oil
• Safflower oil
• Rapeseed oil
• Avocado oil
Eliminate manufactured snacks and opt for wholefood alternatives
Many convenience snacks are made with partially hydrogenated oil (and a host of health endangering additives).
Why not try healthy wholefood alternatives such as:
• Fruits
• Nuts
• Seeds
• Sliced carrots
Probably stating the obvious – beware of any packaged foods you may be considering using with these healthy snacks – such as dips – check their labels carefully for any hidden nutritional horrors!
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“TO BE TRULY FREE – BE PHARMA FREE”