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Year : 2013   |  Volume : 1  |  Issue : 1  |  Page : 30-35

Trans Fat: A Review

Trans fat is the common name for unsaturated fat with trans-isomer (E-isomer) fatty acid(s). Because the term refers to the configuration of a double carbon-carbon bond, trans fats are sometimes monounsaturated or polyunsaturated, but never saturated. While some trans fat occurs naturally, most of it is artificial. It is found in partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Foods that contain artificial trans fat include margarines, shortenings, and fry oils, as well as many baked good, mixes, and packaged foods. Fat should not be completely eliminated from anyone’s diet but it is important to understand the difference between good fats and unhealthy fats. Unsaturated fats come from plants, nuts and seeds and are “good” fats, such as olive, canola, peanut and corn oil. The unsaturated fats are classified into monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. Unhealthy fats include the trans fatty acids (trans fat) and saturated fats. Artificial trans fat results from partial hydrogenation of plant oils. It raises bad cholesterol (LDL cholesterol) as do saturated fats and dietary cholesterol and decreases good cholesterol (HDL). This results in an increased risk of coronary heart disease. Trans fat is the most dangerous type of dietary fat. It increases bad (LDL) cholesterol and lowers good (HDL) cholesterol.
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