There are health risks of hydrogenated oil you should notice by now. But before that, have you ever heard about this hydrogenated oils issue? Do you know what is hydrogenated oil is? Is it really that dangerous? How to avoid it?
If you have a lot of questions regarding this issue such as i mention above, i’ll try to give you some answers plus few information concerning this topic. So please pay attention and read carefully.
Hydrogenated oils is often linked to the trans fat. Why? It is because hydrogenated oils is made by chemically modified fats. You have to know that trans fats can increases cholesterol levels in blood, increases the risk of heart disease, and cardiovascular problems. But only man-made trans fat can be the worst type of fat to consume. Some trans fat occur naturally in some food.
Apparently there’s some announcement from FDA (US Food and Drug) Administration concerning the prohibition of the use PHO (Partially Hydrogenated Oils) in Foods. In addition, a month later after FDA announced the prohibition of the use PHO European Society of Cardiology approved the same action.
Health Risks of Hydrogenated Oil for heart have significant role as one of the most thing to remember. The following risks bellow is the others reasons why we should avoid consuming PHO and why in some developed countries it has been banned:
- Heart Disease Risk
As i write above, the first reasons why we should avoid PHO is because it can leads to a heart disease. Observational studies and clinical trials have found that trans fat significantly raise your bad (LDL) cholesterol levels and lower your good (HDL) cholesterol levels. While trans fats increasing the total HDL cholesterol ratio it will also negatively affects lipoproteins (ApoB/ApoA1 ratio). These two condition can be the main factors for developing the risk of having a heart disease.
- Diabetes Risk
The researches and studies that related between trans fat and diabetes risk was resulted inconsistent. When some studies appear to show potentially harm, some others appear not to show any effect. But there’s still possibility that trans fats can cause insulin resistance and drive type II diabetes.
- Excess inflammation Risk
It is said that there have been three clinical trials which are researching in finding correlation between excess inflammation risk and trans fats. Two of them prove that trans fats such as IL-6 and TNF alpha increase inflammatory risk when replacing other nutrients in the diet while another one show the same result when they replace butter with margarine. Looking these evidences, it’s been proven that trans fats are highly leading to inflammation. And it will more potentially occur to people who are overweight or obese.
- Damaging Blood Vessel Risk
Blood vessel is a vast system of elastic tubes made of muscle which carries blood to every part of your body. Though the blood vessel can be damage and undergo changes as the time goes by and due to aging, but the damage also can start earlier. Obese with high blood pressure can make arteries thicker. The American Heart Association reports that a teenager’s with obese and high blood pressure may show signs of thicker arteries by the time they are 30 years old.
- Cancer Risk
Based on Nutrition Research Reviews Journal (2008), there are studies researching evidence for an association between trans-fatty acid and breast cancer. One of four case-control studies showed a strong positive association between trans levels in tissues and risk of breast cancer. Three of the ten prospective studies have shown a positive association with two of these. It is based on measurement of serum or erythrocyte trans-FA level and one based on dietary trans-FA assessment.
However there was no significant association found int the three large studies (Nurses’ Health Study, The Hormone and Diet Etiology of Breast Cancer (ORDET) study and the New York Women’s Health Study). Though the studies have had up to 20 years of follow up.
Though the evidence for an association between trans-fats intake and breast cancer is less clear, trans fat still can damage the inner lining of your blood vessel and causing a condition know as endothelial dysfunction.
How to Avoid Trans Fat?
In modern processed foods hydrogenated oils are commonly used. Why? It is because they are cheap and have a long shelf life. Though there are rules that ban the use of hydrogenated oil in some countries, but there are still countries which do not put enough attention in this case. Overall the consumption had gone down in recent years.
In some countries such as US, products can be label “trans fat free”. As long as there is less that 0,5 grams trans fat per serving in the products, it may be label “trans fat free”. So it will be easier to pick up some healthy foods. In addition, there are still more ways to avoid trans fats as i mention below:
- Make sure to read labels. If you find words “hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated” in the ingredients list tell your self not to buy or even eat the foods.
- Use unhydrogenated vegetable oils such as olive oil instead of harmful vegetable oils.
- Choose fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy products, fish, and nuts as your dietary pattern.
- Limit your self to eat red meat, sugary foods, and beverages.
- If you like doughnuts, cookies, crackers, muffins, pies, and cakes, make sure to limit frequently you eat them because those foods contain trans fats.
- Avoid commercially fried foods and baked foods made by partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
- Replace the trans fat with monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats in you diet menu.
- Know better how your food menu have been made. It’s better to make your own healthy home-made foods instead.
- Do not trust the labels on junk foods and processed vegetable oils too much. The truth is many “trans fat free” products still contain trans fats.
- Make sure always your mind not to do one of those things above. No one can protect you from trans fats but your self.
Hydrogenated oils may found in many manufacturer’s products since it’s long life self and cheap. For people who do not have time to make their own healthy home-made foods it will be hard to avoid hydrogenated oil. Even though there are rules concerning this case based on recent negatives attention given to trans fats but it will not change the fact that manufacturers will not eliminate the use of trans fats in a short time. So, better to spot the nutrition list and ingredient list before you buy and eat your foods. Because your health is your responsibility to take care of.