Trans Fats

Question: trans fats? How can i avoid trans fats, what do i need to look for on food labelling?

Answer: trans fats are in pretty much all cookies, chips, and packaged foods. They are chemically created to make the shelf life of a food longer. If a food product says "No Trans Fats" it does not mean that there aren't any trans fats. Look for terms such as "Hydroginated" on the ingredients list. If something is hydroginated then it means there are trans fats. It wont be labled on the nutrition list if it is under a certain percent.

Question: Trans-Fats? What do Trans fats do to your body. Kinda like a list of organs affected by trans fats, and diseases it causes. Need this info for a project.

Answer: Here's a good article from the FDA. Should help in your project! http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/2003/503_fats.html

Question: Trans fats? How are trans fats broken down in the body? I read that people lack enzymes to break them down. If that is true how do they eventually get broken down?

Answer: Trans fats are 1 molecule away from having the exact same molecular make-up of plastic. So... it tends to not break down.

Question: Trans-fats? Colleague of mine told me these were carcinogenic. Is that why they're TRANS-fats? Are they basically bits of plutonium that dress up as butter on the weekend? Cool Spacephantom - so these are fats for people who would smoke if they didn't hate the smell? Bad boy fats, fats for those who like to play Chicken with Death? High-Tar fats, as it were? Fabulous stuff... Cool - so if you're determined to die of something more interesting than old age, you can use a bag of chips as your weapon of choice, thanks to these little buggers? Love it...

Answer: Great!, a question where I can use my biochemistry based 1st degree :-)) Trans fat is basically the name for a specific isomer of unsaturated fat, and refers to the configuration of atoms around carbon-carbon double bonds in the fatty acid portion of the fat (or lipid) molecule. The alternative configuration is cis. In the trans configuration the main molecular chain is connected on opposite sides of the double bond, and the fatty acid chains can be packed more closely together than in the cis configuration, where the main molecular chain is connected on the same side of the double bond. I haven't heard of trans fats being specifically carcinogenic, but they are a significant component of "partially dehydrogenated vegetable fats" which are known to contribute significantly to coronary heart disease. See wikipedia link for further info and illustrations of the molecular configurations described above. Edit - that's pretty much it yes. Richard Hammond from "Top Gear" did a very interesting report on "partially dehydrogenated vegetable fats" a couple of years ago on BBC1. They are not at all healthy, but have a very tempting smell. Basically the standard smell of chip shops that render you totally unable to resist a bag of chips.

Question: Can trans fats affect the body throught breathing? So i was baking a cake and i think there may have been some partially hydrogenated ingrediants in the cake mix. Is it possible that my heart/arteries or lungs would be damaged by trans fats somehow floating in the air?

Answer: If you're serious in what you're asking, the answer is "NO". If you persistenly eat trans-fats high foods, then this will cause your arteries lots of bad problems.

Question: Can trans fats come from sources other than hydrogenated oils? Does anything other than partially or fully-hydrogenated oils provide trans fats?

Answer: A small amount of trans fat is found naturally, primarily in some animal-based foods.

Question: What will happen if I stop eating Trans fats and cut down on my saturated fats? I heard that eating little saturated fats and no trans fats was a good diet. But what will happen?

Answer: When you lower fat intake, you increase carb intake. Fat won't make you fat, but a low fat, high carb diet sure will. Transfats are man made chemically altered hydrogenated oils (usually polyunsaturated oils). This converts a fairly benign oil into a toxin that should be banned from our food supply. Transfats were created to replace saturated fats in our food supply but should not be confused with saturated fats. The link between saturated fats and heart health was based on faulty science & has been disproven. Dietary fat, whether saturated or not, is not a cause of obesity, heart disease, or any other chronic disease of civilization. Through their direct effects on insulin and blood sugar, refined carbohydrates, starches and sugars are the dietary cause of coronary heart disease & diabetes. Plaque build up in the arteries are more attributable to carb consumption than dietary fats, which seems to be the conclusion of the following study. Carb consumption raises triglycerides & VLDL (bad cholesterol). Fats raise the HDL (good cholesterol). High triglyceride levels & low HDL levels are an indicator of plaque, glycation - the precursors to a heart attack and heart disease. study from the Oxford group examining the postprandial (after-eating) effects of a low-fat vs. low-carbohydrate diet. (Roberts R et al, 2008) Postprandial lipoproteins, you'd think, would be plentiful after ingesting a large quantity of fat, since fat must be absorbed via chylomicrons into the bloodstream. But it's carbohydrates that figure most prominently in determining the pattern and magnitude of postprandial triglycerides and lipoproteins. Much of this effect develops by way of de novo lipogenesis, the generation of new lipoproteins like VLDL after carbohydrate ingestion. http://heartscanblog.blogspot.com/2009/11/after-eating-effects-carbohydrates-vs.html SEVEN REASONS TO EAT MORE SATURATED FAT - 1) Improved cardiovascular risk factors Saturated fat in the diet reduces the levels of lipoprotein (a) abbreviated Lp(a)—that correlates strongly with risk for heart disease. The only dietary means of lowering Lp(a) is eating saturated fat. Eating fats raises the level of HDL, the so-called good cholesterol. 2) Stronger bones Saturated fat is required for calcium to be incorporated into bone - According to expert in human health, Mary Enig, Ph.D., as much as 50 percent of the fats in the diet should be saturated fats. 3) Improved liver health Studies show that saturated fat encourages the liver cells to dump fat content. Saturated fat has been shown to protect the liver from the toxic insults of alcohol & medications and even to reverse the damage. 4) Healthy lungs For proper function, the airspaces of the lungs have to be coated with a thin layer of lung surfactant. The fat content of lung surfactant is 100 percent saturated fatty acids. Replacement of these critical fats by other types of fat makes faulty surfactant & potentially causes breathing difficulties, collapse of the airspaces & respiratory distress. 5) Healthy brain Your brain is mainly made of fat & cholesterol. Though highly unsaturated essential fatty acids found in cold-water fish (EPA & DHA) are important for brain & nerve function, most of the fatty acids in the brain are actually saturated. The brain needs saturated fats to function optimally. 6) Proper nerve signaling Certain saturated fats, found in butter, lard, coconut oil, & palm oil, function directly as signaling messengers that influence the metabolism. Without the correct signals to tell the organs & glands what to do, the job gets done improperly. 7) Strong immune system Saturated fats found in butter & coconut oil (myristic acid & lauric acid) play key roles in immune health. Loss of sufficient saturated fatty acids in the white blood cells hampers their ability to recognize & destroy foreign invaders, such as viruses, bacteria, & fungi. Myristic & lauric acid have potent germ-killing ability. We need dietary replenishment of them to keep the immune system vigilant against the development of cancerous cells & infectious invaders.

Question: How bad are trans fats for you? I just ate a Krispy Kreme donut after my soccer game, and after looking at the nutrition label which says it has 4g of trans fat, I kind of regret eating it. What should I do? What do trans fats do to your body?

Answer: I have been receiving a lot of e-mail lately about diet. In the past, I was never concerned about what I ate. I just went to the gym, trained hard, and that was the extent of my routine. Not until recently did I realize the power diet has over the way your body looks and performs. I believe that diet is at least 75% of the fitness equation. In this article, I'm going to describe in detail what I have learned about diet during my 12-week transition period. When to Eat and How Often This might sound strange, but you have to eat more often to lose fat and gain muscle. During my transition period, I never ate less than 6 meals a day. •Try to eat every 2 to 3 hours. •Do not eat complex carbohydrates after 6:00 p.m. or four to five hours before going to bed. •Try to eat one gram of protein per pound of lean body mass on lifting days and .8 grams of protein per pound of lean body mass on non-lifting days. •Never eat more than 70 grams of protein in one meal. Carbohydrates When I think of carbohydrates, I think of energy. Carbohydrates supply our bodies with the energy it needs to make it through a workout. Without an adequate supply of carbohydrates, the body goes into carbohydrate deprivation. This is called a state of ketosis (meaning our body is using protein as energy). This is not a good state to be in for long because it will rob the body of muscle tissue in an effort to create energy. On the other hand, if too many carbohydrates are consumed, they convert into stored fat. The idea is to consume just enough carbohydrates to make it through our workouts with sufficient energy. I have broken down carbohydrates into these three categories: •Simple carbs: These are sugars, or quick energy. They are absorbed very quickly into the body. Ex. Anything with sugar, also fruit •Complex carbs: This is where you get long-term energy for the day. These are long chained carbohydrates that brake down slower, giving us energy over a prolonged period of time. Ex. Oatmeal, potatoes, pasta, rice, breads •Fibrous carbs: These are things like vegetables. I think of them as roughage in order to stay regular. Make sure you include them in you later meals when you can't eat complex carbs. They are also a good source of vitamins. Ex. Leafy vegetables like lettuce. Protein Proteins are the building blocks of our muscles. Without a sufficient amount of protein in our diet, our muscles will not have the raw materials that they need to build up, or even hang on to what is already there. Net protein utilization: Not all protein is created equal. Different foods are absorbed more than others. For example, egg white protein is absorbed at 88%. That means we get about 9 eggs to our muscles. On the other hand, chicken breast are absorbed at 68%, meaning we get about 7 breasts to our muscles. It is imported to eat a wide verity of protein foods though; no one protein source has all the amino acids we need. •Whey protein (100%): the best source of whey protein is from protein supplements. It is also absorbed very fast by the body, so it is best to take this when your body needs amino acids quickly: like right after a workout or when you first get up in the morning. •Egg whites (88%) •Fish (78%) •Chicken breast (78%) •Soy protein: My one bit of advice would be to try and stay away from soy protein. It is not absorbed very well by the body. Fats We normally think of fats as being bad. The fact is certain fats are essential to building muscle and carrying out various functions of the body. There are 2 fat types we need to be concerned about: •Saturated fats: these are the bad fats. Avoid these fats as much as possible. You will find these types of fats mostly in meats •Unsaturated fats: these are the good fats. They are a good energy source and help us build muscle. You can find from plant oils. Peanuts are also a good source. Water Do not under estimate the importance of water! If you are looking to get lean, water will be your best friend. Drink as much as you can and as often as you can. Also, it is very important to drink lots of water when you're eating large amounts of protein to clean urea from the system. Vitamins & minerals As resistance training athletes, we have a greater need for vitamins & minerals. When we workout and bring blood to our muscles it is important that our blood is full of those essential vitamins & minerals if we want to grow. Supplements Supplements are just that, meaning they are used to supplement your diet, not replace it. Don't ever think of it that way. Hierarchy of supplements: I developed this hierarchy of supplements based on what I thought were the most important and also by price. •1. Proper diet: Without proper diet you are just wasting money on supplements. Start here! Do not think that supplements are going to do it for you alone. •2. Multi-vitamin & mineral: It is very important to have all your vitamins & minerals when resistance training. Most of us are lacking in some areas, make it a priority to make this your first supplement. •3. Protein powder: It is usually very hard to get all the protein you need from real foods. Powders make it much easier. Also, these powders are absorbed fast by the body making them ideal after workouts or before and after sleep. •4. Creatine: This is great for harder workouts. It also makes you muscles hang on to water, giving them a better environment to grow. •5. L-glutamine: This is an important amino acid in muscle recovery •6. Branch chained amino acid: These are great before and after workouts along with L-glutamine because it gives your muscles all the amino acids it needs to repair and grow. •7. ZMA: This helps you release more growth hormone while you sleep, increasing your size and strength. •8. Thermogenic: These really help in the fat loss process. They also help you hang on to more muscle while dieting due to the fact you can eat more. •9. Meal replacement: Although very expensive, meal replacements make it much more convenient to get some of your meals in. Also, you can get in more meals than if you were to eat only real foods. "The golden hour" Remember "The golden hour" because it will make things so much easier for you. "The golden hour" is a window of opportunity we have to get everything we have depleted in our body back in a short amount of time. Think of your muscles as a gas tank: When you workout, you use gas for energy or in this case glucose. After a workout, our muscles are in a unique state. They are able to fill back up very quickly leaving you full for the next workout. If you wait to long, your muscles don't fill back up as easily and the carbs you eat are more likely to be stored as fat. Doing this will also let you take advantage of insulin's muscle building effects from the simple carbs you have ingested. You want to ingest 50-75 grams of simple carbs right after a workout. Also, this is when you want to take your protein shake because it will absorb quickly and supply your muscles with the amino acids that they need. Insulin This is a very complicated subject, but all we need to know is that insulin can help us build muscle or can make us fat depending on the timing. Insulin is released by the pancreas in response to elevated blood sugar levels. We can achieve a high blood sugar level by ingesting simple carbs. Like "the golden hour" we have a window of opportunity to take advantage of the muscle building effects of the insulin without getting fat. We have about 4 or 5 hours after we workout to take advantage of insulin. If we take in too many simple carbs out of this window, we are very likely to store fat. Cheat day The theory behind the cheat days is you take one day every 2 weeks to eat anything you want and actually get leaner. It might sound crazy, but it worked for me. When you eat low carbs for a time for body begins to think it is not getting all the food it needs (because your not storing any fat) and begins to slow down your metabolism. When you bombard your body with food on that one day, it tricks your body into thinking it has all it needs and speeds your metabolism back up. I can tell you from experience, every day after a cheat day I felt leaner and looked better. Ketosis This is when your body uses protein for energy. This happens when we have too few carbs in the body or when we over train. I went into the state of ketosis for only the last week of my 12-week transition for a couple of reasons: (1) I wanted all of my muscles to shrink down so when I carbed back up, my skin would be tighter. (2) When you go into ketosis it seems to bring the water out from under the skin. Don't go into this state to loose fat. Without carbs your body can not burn fat effectively. You will loose weight rather quickly, but only because you don't have as much glycogen in the muscle. Also, you are simply loosing water. Remember that proteins are the building blocks for muscle and that means they are fair game for energy when in the state of ketosis. I would not recommend going into this state unless you are trying to get into a super ripped state for a short amount of time, like for a bodybuilding contest.

Question: Many processed foods are now being advertised as being free of “trans” fats. What is fat? Many processed foods are now being advertised as being free of “trans” fats. What is fat? What is the difference between saturated, unsaturated (mono- & poly-), and trans fats? Which kind(s) of fat(s) should you attempt to minimize in your diet? Why? Explain.

Answer: Trans fats are hydrogenated oils = WORST they stay with you and are extremely hard to get rid of Saturated fats are fats= 2ND worst they have a higher hydrogen ratio meaning they are simply concentrated fats. you'll have to work harder but you can still get rid of them fairly easily Mono/Poly unsaturated fats = okay : ) these are simply the normal fat cells found in all animals. They are easy to digest and are good for you but like all fats you shouldn't eat too much

Question: How do I tell if and how many/much trans fats are in a food? Examples of trans fats and what foods have a lot in?

Answer: Read the food label (nutrition label).

Question: Are trans fats found naturally in any foods? I know that the majority of trans fats are from hydrogenated oils, which are an ingredient in some foods, but are they found naturally in other fatty foods like bacon?

Answer: No, trans fats are a result of processing only. Bacon is high in saturated fats, which are generally no good for you either (extra virgin coconut oil being an exception).

Question: How to reverse damage from trans fats? I just realized how many trans fats are in my diet and obviously I am going to rethink my eating choices, but what else can I do to reverse build up and other damage from trans fats? How can I reverse all the bad things I've introduced to my system? I want to help repair these poor choices I've made.

Answer: Low fat low cholesterol diet. Eat more fruits, veggies, fish and less fatty foods. Your body will clean itself up if you stop putting so many fatty foods in. Stay away from gravy! Substitute a lean steak like a sirloin instead of a fattly prime rib. Try a baked sweet potato instead of a loaded baked potato and stay away from junk food. Eat fish 3 times a week, and drink cranberry juice or green tea instead of coffee with all the extras.

Question: Don't look this up: Do you think the average person knows the difference between trans fats and regular fats? Don't look any of this up on the internet. I just want to take a poll on what you really know. I was having a conversation recently that most people really don't understand the difference between "trans fats" and regular fats in food........Do you REALLY understand the difference?

Answer: I'm not too sure but I think that trans fats are the bad fats that clog your arteries, they come from hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated stuff in foods. Not sure how other fats affect us, I know that it's important to have some fats in one's diet but when I'm trying to lose weight I can't imagine why!

Question: How does Hydrogenation create Trans fats? Hydrogenation removes triple & double bonds by adding hydrogens to the fat. But trans fats imply there are double bonds that have the trans isomer. So, chemically speaking, how is full or partial hydrogenation indicative of trans fats? I am interested in either a detailed explanation of the chemistry behind this, or even the actual chemical reaction that clearly shows a trans fat as the product. I've been looking all over, so thanks so much for your help!

Answer: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans_fat hope this helps.

Question: For the restraurant owners & chefs out there, how do you feel about the "Ban trans fats campaign"? If you will be so kind, list where you are from so I can understand the big picture? There are four kinds of fats: monounsaturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, saturated fat, and trans fat. Monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat are the "good" fats. Which ones are you using or switching to and why? well.... that says alot....lol

Answer: I am from Idaho I worked for 18 years in a potato processing plant, we made FF, hashbrowns, IQF hasbrowns and TT. I don't know which oil is best, but I am going to tell you, when we went to non-hydro oil, people started getting sick- there have been more sinus infection related illnesses since going to this, and peoples eyes are red, they have more chest/breathing problems. All of this is just from the processing- so can you imagine what it is doing to your digestive system???

Question: Can your body possibly filter out Trans Fats? Do trans fats permanently damage your heart, no matter how small the consumption? Will eating 1.5 trans fats damage my heart without possibility of refrain?

Answer: Hello, Our body do get rid of trans fats, but before it happens they cause a lot of damage, so you need to make sure you consume as little of those fats as possible.