Question about "trans fat"

[Matthew3000GTsL]

Everytime I post a snack if its good or bad I get usually "it has trans fat". I have no idea what this is, can someone please explain?

[Zachary]

Originally posted by Matthew3000GTsL
Everytime I post a snack if its good or bad I get usually "it has trans fat". I have no idea what this is, can someone please explain?

It means that in the ingredients list it contains '[partially] hydrogenated [insert type of oil here] oil'; basically it's an oil (usually soybean) that's had extra hydrogen atoms 'injected' into it. The result is that a normally unsaturated fat (meaning liquid at room temperature) becomes solid at room temperature.

Lots and lots of processed foods have them (Ritz crackers, for instance, are pure enriched flour + hydrogenated soybean oil) and they've been shown to increase the risk of heart disease and cancer. They're extremely unhealthy as a rule and should be avoided like the plague.

[Matthew3000GTsL]

So besides the risk of cancer and heart disease whats bad about trans fat?

" The result is that a normally unsaturated fat (meaning liquid at room temperature) becomes solid at room temperature."

Does that mean that there is more fat listed than what the box says or does that mean its bad for the heart and risk of cancer.

[sawastea]

http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/reviews/transfats.html
http://www.bantransfats.com/abouttf.htm
http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/qatrans2.html
http://www.cspinet.org/nah/6_99/transfat3.html

[Psychotron]

Originally posted by Matthew3000GTsL
So besides the risk of cancer and heart disease whats bad about trans fat?

I have to signaturize this.

[stabmaster]

LOL.