Chemistry of trans fats
Naturally occurring trans fats are uncommon, but very small portions are found in some meats. Trans fat is primarily created artificially by adding hydrogen to liquid fats in order to turn them into solid fats. According to various studies, intake of trans fat has been shown to increase the risk of heart diseases and type 2 diabetes. Scroll down to learn how trans fat chemistry affects its nutritional qualities and the way it interacts with the body.
Sources of trans fats
1 cup margarine:
Trans fat- 34 g
Many baked goods
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1 cup vegetable shortening:
Trans fat- 27 g
Many frozen pizzas
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Many pie crusts
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Many fried foods
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Many refrigerated doughs
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The figure to the left includes foods high in trans fat. Hover over the figure to get their names and total count of trans fat.
Try to avoid these fats
Chemistry of trans fats and how it affects the body
To learn more about how the different fats affect the body, visit:
https://davidson.weizmann.ac.il/en/online/askexpert/chemistry/what-difference-between-saturated-and-unsaturated-fat-and-what-are-trans-fats-eyal
To the left is the chemical structure for a trans fat. It contains something called a trans bond, the two lines between the two Carbon (C) atoms where the rest of the molecule dips down a bit. This type of bond is rarely found in nature, which explains why finding natural trans fat is also uncommon. Since the body usually doesn't encounter this type of bond, it has trouble breaking it down, while it has a much easier time breaking down unsaturated fats. When the body can't break down fat, it can end up lining artery walls, along with other materials (like cholesterol) and creating blood flow problems (atherosclerosis). The different fats also have a large part to play in how the body handles cholesterol. To learn more about this, see "Cholesterol".
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The animation to the left portrays the effects of the build up of fat on arteries, blood vessels that carry blood throughout the body. Healthy arteries are flexible, a quality necessary for adequate blood flow. Arteries with plaque lose their elasticity. The build up of plaque will start off by restricting blood flow by narrowing the passageway for the blood. As the build up continues, blood flow will get more restricted. This blockage can cause a blood clot, completely cutting off blood flow. The lack of blood flow to the brain causes stroke. Lack of blood flow to the heart causes heart attacks. Overall, this would increase risk of cardiovascular disease and peripheral artery disease, in which blood flow to limbs is limited.
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Conclusion: trans fat increases risk of atherosclerosis.