The fats which we must avoid: trans fats or trans fatty acids.

Our body needs a moderste amount of fats for good health. In fact, our body produces its own cholesterol from the liver for the body's use to make our new cells and maintain the health of the cell membranes. Cholesterol is needed for the formation of sex hormones, the production of bile salts and the with the help of sunlight on the skin helps produce vitamin D. Dietary fats are needed by our cells. Essential fatty acids such as Omega 3, Omega 6, and when these two essential fatty acids are not sufficient in the diet, even Omega 9 has to be supplied in the diet.(Please look at an earlier posting for the benefits.)

However, humans have tried to improve the unsaturated fats for commercial purposes, to produce fats to replaces food which are considered saturated. Margarine is an example and it is to replace butter which contains animal saturated fats. Humans hydrogenated unsaturated fats to give it a higher melting point which is advantageous especially to baking. It also gives the product a longer shelf-life.

However, today, we have magarine which is, produced differently, unhydrogenated.

However, when fats is hydrogenated, some of the fats are only partially hydrogenated. This partially hydrogenated fats is what is knwn as trans fats or trans fatty acids.

Why should we avoid trans fats? It is worst than saturated animal fats. It raises the level of bad cholesterol and lowers the level of good cholesterol. This can bring on heart disease.

Although a small amount of trans fat is found in animals cows, goats, sheep and deer, there is no evidence of it being harmful.

To know whether we are buying food which contains trans fats, we should look at the nutritional facts on labels of food. Anything that contains partially-hydrogenated oils or fats, and shortening should be avoided.