There are many additives and bulking agents that are used in a variety of processed foods for a variety of reasons. One of these is a group known as “trans fats” and there are some good reasons to avoid eating foods that contain these, not least of all your health and the state of your body weight. Let’s look at how these fats can adversely affect your health and how avoiding foods that contain can be beneficial to your health.
As well as being an important way of maintaining better health, it may be seen as one of the better tips for weight loss to stay clear of foods that contain these fats. That’s because an excessive body weight is a reflection of possible health problems. If not right away, then some time down the line.
Defining Trans Fats
First of all, it helps to know exactly what “trans fats” are and how they are bad for health in general. Trans fats are created by artificial means during the industrial processing of foods to which they are intended to be added to. Liquid vegetable oils form the basis and have hydrogen gas pumped through them to bind the molecules of oil which results in a more solid substance, which is then used as a bulking agent to artificially increase the bulk of processed foods. They are known by a variety of names, such as trans fatty acids, partially hydrogenated oils or hydrogenated vegetable oil, so if you see any of these names when you read the label on processed foods, you’ll know what they are.
Trans fats are widely used because they have the ability to add a pleasing texture and improved taste to food they added to. They are cheap to produce, have a long shelf life and increase profits for the companies that use them.
What Makes Trans Fats Unhealthy
Eating foods containing trans fats can raise the level of bad (LDL) cholesterol in your bloodstream while lowering the levels of good (HDL) cholesterol. They increase the risk of developing hypertension (high blood pressure), strokes, heart disease and diabetes. They lead to greater fat storage in the body which leads to weight gain and eventually obesity and this is another major health risk.
It goes without saying that if you are concerned about your weight and the state of your health, you should avoid trans fats to lose weight or at least maintain a healthy weight. Keeping your weight in check is one way of helping to maintain better physical health. Similarly, being aware of what you are putting into your body and what it does to you can make a huge difference to how your health is taken care of by you. The ultimate choice of what you eat is your, so it’s up to you to choose wisely.
