why hydrogenated oils are bad until I started researching a bit. I knew they were bad, but not exactly sure of the scientific, physiologicaI reason. I came across this excerpt below when I googled side effects of hydrogenated oils and I had an "aha" moment. What reall caught my attention was the section titled "Have you tried to lose weight and noticed that your
non-fat diet isn’t working? "


"Hydrogenated oil is created by forcing hydrogen gas into the holes of unsaturated fatty acids. This process requires the presence of a metal catalyst at temperatures of around 500 degrees for the reaction to take place. One of the side effects of this process is the residue of toxic metals (usually nickel and aluminum) that is left behind in the finished product. These metals accumulate in our cells where they alter cellular functions causing a wide variety of health problems. But, even as bad as that sounds, trans fatty acids, or trans fat, that the hydrogenation process creates, have their own host of health dangers above and beyond the issue of toxic metal residue.


Why are trans fats so harmful?
Since hydrogenated oils don’t occur in nature, our bodies don’t know how to deal with them effectively. They act as poisons to crucial cellular reactions and they wind up in cell membranes and other places they shouldn’t be. Recent measurements show trans fats as high as 20% in the membranes of human red blood cells, when this figure should be zero. The protective structure and function of cell membranes is weakened when trans fatty acids are present, allowing toxic chemicals to get into the cell more easily. Also the normal transport of minerals and other nutrients into cells is disrupted. Trans fats block the normal conversion of cholesterol in the liver and contribute to elevated cholesterol levels. They increase LDLs (the bad cholesterol) and decrease HDLs (the good cholesterol). Because of this, trans fat is considered to be a major contributor of cardiovascular diseases. Scientific reports have confirmed the relationship between trans fat and an increased risk of coronary heart disease. An American Heart Association study released last July showed that foods cooked with trans fat might clog arteries quicker than food cooked in animal-based saturated fat.


Trans fats are restricted in many food products in Europe, with some countries allowing no more than 0.1% trans fatty acid content. Compare this to some margarines in the U.S. which may contain between 30 and 50%.


Have you tried to lose weight and noticed that your
non-fat diet isn’t working?
Hidden hydrogenated oils in processed foods may be the culprit because they interfere with the absorption of Essential Fatty Acids, or EFAs. These good fats, are essential to every metabolic function of the body, including the chemicals and hormones that regulate how your body uses food. The good news for dieters is that EFAs cause a chemical reaction that tells you “I’m full”.

When your diet is inadequate in them you will be hungry until you get them! You will probably crave all the wrong things and won’t be able to figure out why you still have that “I want something more” feeling after finishing a meal. A touch of real butter instead of margarine, and cooking with a little cream now and then may be the magic bullet you’ve been looking for. Of course moderation is a good rule of thumb because they have a lot of calories. One of the many theories behind why the French stay so slim is that they cook with real butter and their many sauces usually contain cream. They are taking advantage of the chemical reaction that occurs when adequate EFAs are present in a meal, signaling the body to feel satisfied and stop eating...and they do. Of course, you have to listen to your body, and put down your fork for this technique to work! Eliminating hydrogenated oil and increasing EFAs are an important key."

Thanks for the info!

Good stuff.

I know that my mom has to stay away from Canola Oil. Many restaurants use this clear oil because its color allows it to appear clean longer. She has found that Canola is an industrial oil and is posion.

I had my gall bladder removed 3 years ago and i am very sensitive to these oils.

Can you give us some examples of "carbs" that have hydrog. oils? If that makes sense.

Check out www.webmd.com they have great articles on this subject I was amazed! Theres a good one about the good and bad fats it breaks it down into the oil content and such, helped me understand it better.

A ton of "processed foods"have hydrogenated oils, look at the back of anything in your pantry and look at the ingredient list, key words are hydrogenated oils, partially hydrogenated oils, shortening, lard. SOme fats are good some are bad/. The good fats are ok sparingly.
Here is some info I pulled for you.....

Saturated fats are coconut, coconut oil, palm oil and palm kernel oil (often called tropical oils), and cocoa butter.Saturated fat is the main dietary cause of high blood cholesterol. Saturated fat is found mostly in foods from animals and some plants. Foods from animals include beef, beef fat, veal, lamb, pork, lard, poultry fat, butter, cream, milk, cheeses and other dairy products made from whole and 2 percent milk. All of these foods also contain dietary cholesterol.

Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats are the two unsaturated fats. They're found mainly in many fish, nuts, seeds and oils from plants. Some examples of foods that contain these fats include salmon, trout, herring, avocados, olives, walnuts and liquid vegetable oils such as soybean, corn, safflower, canola, olive and sunflower.Both polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats may help lower your blood cholesterol level when you use them in place of saturated and trans fats.


Based on current data, the American Heart Association recommends that consumers follow these tips:

Choose a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole-grain, high-fiber foods, and fat-free and low-fat dairy most often.

Keep total fat intake between 25 and 35 percent of calories, with most fats coming from sources of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats such as fish, nuts, seeds and vegetable oils most often.

Use naturally occurring, unhydrogenated vegetable oils such as canola, safflower, sunflower or olive oil most often.

Look for processed foods made with unhydrogenated oil rather than partially hydrogenated or hydrogenated vegetable oils or saturated fat.

Use soft margarine as a substitute for butter, and choose soft margarines (liquid or tub varieties) over harder stick forms. Look for ”0 g trans fat” on the Nutrition Facts label.

French fries, doughnuts, cookies, crackers, muffins, pies and cakes are examples of foods that are high in trans fat. Don't eat them often.

Limit the saturated fat in your diet. If you don't eat a lot of saturated fat, you won't be consuming a lot of trans fat.

Limit commercially fried foods and baked goods made with shortening or partially hydrogenated vegetable oils. Not only are these foods very high in fat, but that fat is also likely to be very hydrogenated, meaning a lot of trans fat.

Limited fried fast food. Commercial shortening and deep-frying fats will continue to be made by hydrogenation and will contain saturated fat and trans fat.

Hope this helps

Thank you, Bean Friend.

You are so welcome!!!

I read the ingredients of the Fiber One bars today (as I ate the bar of course!)

Hydrogenated Coconut Oil! Oh well, another favorite food off the list!

Eat them sparingly my friend. SPARINGLY
I love the Fiber One bars, I can justify it because I eat healthy overall.
I look at it this way, do I feel like crap after I eat a Fiber One bar? No. Are they healthy in other ways(fiber) yes, I'm keeping them.
Do I feel like crap after I eat donuts? Yes(my stomach literally fels like a bomb went off in it).Are they healthy in other ways? Heck no, donuts out of the picture.

Thanks alot all for all the info, it was very interesting,

bump !!

oh yes I agree! I love my fiber one bar especially in the am when I work and have no real time for breakfast....the fiber and everything else is good....just makes you think! I hear they are going to try to get all these companies away from using this junk...so maybe when our grandchildren's grandchildren are around they will have green food!

hugs!
Ali

FYI - Oils are not hydrogenated - if it is in liquid form, it isn't hydrogenated at all. The process of hydrogenation that produces partially hydrogenated fats -trans fats - is the process that makes them a solid at room temperature. However, that doesn't mean that all oils are "o.k." either, just wanted to be clear about the difference.

right like those icky cheese crackers my kiddo loves....even if its says no trans fat it has those Hyrdorgenated oils and if you eat more than the recommeded amounts you get the trans fats....I'm gettin my boy on the gf/df diet this summer...I hope....and I'm finding good snacks that aren't like that...so far so good!

hug and good luck!
Ali

I have only been on this site for 4 days and have learned so much from you guys.
Thanks!!!!!