Why You Need to Stay Away from Trans Fats

Trans fats are fats that are formed when vegetable oils harden into margarine and shortening. Hydrogen atoms are added to the fat to make it more stable at room temperature. This process is known as hydrogenization.

Trans fats are used to enhance food, like make peanut butter creamier, and to extend the shelf life of food products by decreasing grease.

But that is about everything that trans fats are good for because this type of fat is one of the most dangerous things you can consume!

Numerous studies have revealed that trans fats increase LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels while decreasing HDL (“good”) cholesterol, increase the risk of heart attack, heart disease and stroke, and contribute to increased inflammation, diabetes and other health problems.

If you add just 2 percent of trans fat-based calories to your diet, you’ll increase your risk of heart disease by 23 percent, the Harvard School of Health warns.

And to make matters worse, trans fats are known as phantom fats because they can be found in a variety of different processed food products, including French fries, donuts, biscuits, pizza dough and a lot more.

Since Americans spend almost 90 percent of their food budget buying processed foods, the average person eats about six grams of trans fats per day.

Because trans fat is basically an industrial product, there are no safe levels of consumption. The American Heart Association recommends limiting trans fat intake to less than two grams per day, or zero, if possible.

Dr. Mercola’s no-grain diet will help you avoid trans fats by eliminating processed foods from your diet and introducing the right kinds of fat to consume, like butter and coconut oil or olive oil for cooking.

Not all fats are bad for you. There are no studies which directly correlate the consumption of fatty foods and increased health risk. As long as you consume the right type of fats, you need not worry.

Tweet