Another Cause of High Blood Pressure
About 150 years ago, the shortage of butter created the need for margarine. Since then trans fats have become a part of our diet … and they are killing us. Discover how you can avoid these dangerous fats and the heart disease and high blood pressure they cause.
When the demand for butter exceeded the ability of farmers to supply this desirable fat, the search for a substitute started us on a road to trans fats, heart disease, and high blood pressure. Not until 20 years ago did we finally discover the dangers of trans fats.
How Did Trans Fats Enter our Food Supply?
In the 1860s butter was in great demand and there just was not enough to satisfy everyone. Emperor Louis Napoleon III offered a prize for a substitute to feed the troops and lower classes, and so, the first margarine was invented by a French chemist. It was created from clarified beef fat.
It was not until 40 years later that the process of hydrogenation was developed, and the door to trans fats was opened. Butter rationing during two worlds wars and the lower cost of margarine had more and more people switching to this butter substitute made from cheap vegetable fats.
The trans fat in the foods we eat is created from a manufacturing process that adds hydrogen to vegetable oil, converting the liquid into a solid fat at room temperature. This process is called hydrogenation.
When vegetable oils are hydrogenated their molecules are chemically rearranged. This produces a trans fat that becomes semi-hard at room temperature. Basically, trans fats mimic the saturated fats that our taste buds love. We are naturally drawn to the taste and the consistency.
Partially hydrogenated oils are the main source of these artificial trans fats in the food supply. They are the most often used source of fat in commercial baked goods because they don’t spoil as quickly as other fats and have a longer shelf life.
The semi-solid trans fats are great for baking and not expensive like butter or lard. This is a big plus for food processors, and the reason trans fats are found in most baked goods, as well as fried foods. While this cheap alternative to butter is a boon for the food makers, it is a dangerous bust for consumers.
So What is so Bad About Trans Fats?
They have the worst effect on your cholesterol levels of all fats. They drive up your levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol, at the same time lowering your levels of heart-protective HDL cholesterol. Their overall effect on your cholesterol levels is twice as bad as the effect of saturated fats.
An elevated LDL cholesterol level in the blood increases your risk of developing heart disease, the leading cause of death in men and women in the U.S.
Recently, trans fats have also come under fire for damaging the lining of your arteries. It is this damage that leads to hardening of the arteries and higher blood pressure. The linings of your arteries play a very important role in controlling blood pressure. When these vital linings become damaged, their function is impaired — resulting in high blood pressure.
How Can You Avoid Trans Fats?
Although trans fats were first used in margarine, most margarines have eliminated this deadly fat. But, they are still found in many baked goods and fried foods. In fact, because of their low cost and convenience, trans fats keep foods from spoiling and hydrogenated oils are being used even more.
Keep clear of donuts, French fries, pastries, fast foods … even the seemingly healthy granola bar often contains this dangerous fat. Check labels carefully and avoid any food that contains hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
Finally, a Little Help from the FDA
Fortunately, it is starting to get easier to find these dangerous trans fats, and avoid them. As of January 2006, the FDA is requiring food makers to list the trans fat content on the Nutrition Facts label found on all products.
Removing partially hydrogenated oils from processed foods could prevent thousands of heart attacks and deaths each year. FDA has taken steps to remove artificial trans fats in processed foods.
For more information, see Final Determination Regarding Partially Hydrogenated Oils (Removing Trans Fat).
https://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/FoodAdditivesIngredients/ucm449162.htm
Even a small amount of trans fats in your diet is bad for your heart health. Switch over to healthier fats today. Not all fats are bad for you. In fact, some fats will even help you lower your blood pressure. Olive oil, nuts, and fatty fish will give your body a good dose of healthy fats.