“The Harmful Impact of Trans Fat on Health: Sources, Risks, and Prevention Tips”

Trans fats are mostly used in baked goods, French fries and fast food. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

diabetesThe high incidence is closely related to some inappropriate eating habits in our daily life.daily food intake for adultsSaltThe amount should be within 6g, but the salt intake of most people has far exceeded the standard. Excessive intake of salt is harmful toBlood vesselThe damage is great.If you usually takesugarExcessive secretion will cause islet dysfunction, which may inhibit insulin secretion and increase the risk of diabetes. There is a blood vessel more harmful than sugar and salt “Trans fat“A large amount exists in the daily diet, but it is often ignored.

Trans fats have a huge impact on health

Excessive intake of trans fats can easily lead to diabetes, cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease, etc. It will also increase the level of low-density cholesterol in the blood, which may cause arteriosclerosis. Trans fat makes diabetic patients 4 times more likely to develop complications, and also increases the incidence of colorectal cancer, which is very harmful to health.

Regular intake of trans fats may cause memory loss and affect children’s intelligence level in the long run, leading to slow development. If middle-aged and elderly people take it regularly, it may accelerate memory loss, increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, and increase the risk of diabetes and more serious complications.

Application and Food Sources of Trans Fat in Food

Trans fat, also known as trans fat, is a kind of unsaturated fatty acid, which is divided into cis structure and trans structure. Most of the unsaturated fat contained in natural food is cis fat; the natural food source of trans fat is mainly found in the fat and milk of cattle and sheep ruminants, but only in trace amounts.

Vegetable oil has a high content of unsaturated fat, and its stability is relatively low. “Hydrogenation” is a food industry technology developed in the 20th century. After the hydrogenation process, the saturation of fats (such as vegetable oils) will be increased, and they will be resistant to high temperatures, making them less prone to rancidity and extending their shelf life.

The names of trans fats listed on food packages, beginning with “vegetarian ghee,” “refined vegetable oil,” “hydrogenated vegetable oil (vegetable oil),” “partially hydrogenated vegetable oil (vegetable oil),” “margarine or margarine ” and so on are more common. It is often used in baked foods that are prepared at high temperatures, such as: baked foods (bread, egg tarts, cakes, instant noodles, fried snacks, donuts, milk tea, cream balls, etc.), packaged biscuits, fried foods in fast food restaurants, etc. . Because plant-based butter has the flavor of natural butter, it is widely used, and its price is much lower than that of natural butter, so it is mostly used in baked goods, French fries, and instant food.

2 ways to avoid trans fat

1. Eat less food with these words

The word “hydrogenation” appears on the Chinese label, which means that it contains trans fat. Others such as: cocoa butter substitute, margarine, margarine, refined vegetable oil, creamer, vegetable cream, etc. are all common in some food ingredient lists, and it is better to advise everyone to eat less.

2. Use less oil when cooking

It is best not to exceed 25g of oil intake per person per day. Because edible oil contains the most fat, excessive intake will easily increase body fat, and oil also contains a certain amount of trans fat, so the usual diet should be low in oil.