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Community Corner

Kickstart Your Health by Kicking Unsaturated Fats

Most people have heard about "Trans Fat" and some know we should be avoiding them in our diets. But what exactly is it, where is it, and why is it so bad for us?

What is it? Trans fat (or unsaturated fat) is made by adding hydrogen to oils through a process called hydrogenation, which makes the oil less likely to spoil. Saturated fats have a chemical makeup in which the carbon atoms are saturated with hydrogen atoms. Unsaturated fats are typically solid at room temperature.

Where is Trans Fat? Baked goods, fried foods and things that come in a box or bag usually contain hydrogenated oils. Think "convenience." Look at the cookies, cakes, mixes, taco seasonings, crackers, breads, french fries, doughnuts, waffles, pancake mixes, etc... in your house. Unless you are searching labels with each purchase, your foods most likely have this cell destroying ingredient in them.

Most shortenings and margarines contain these fats. Unfortunately, nutritional labels might state "NO Trans Fat" on the packaging and nutrition facts (as seen in the product in the photos), but the words are hidden in the ingredients. Why? In the U.S., a food can claim "No Trans Fat" if it has less than .5 grams of trans fat per serving. Though that's a small amount of trans fat, if you eat a bunch of food with less than .5 grams of trans fat, you will exceed recommended limits (which by the way is zero).

How do you know whether food contains trans fat? Look for the words "partially hydrogenated" or "hydrogenated" in the ingredients list. Although small amounts of trans fat occur naturally in some meat and dairy products, it's the trans fats in processed foods you should avoid when shopping and eating.

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Why is it so bad for us? According to the Mayo Clinic, trans fat has been linked to

  • Promoting heart disease
  • Promoting cancers: breast cancer, prostate cancer, colon cancer
  • Raising LDL (bad) cholesterol and lower HDL (good) cholesterol
  • Raising blood sugar levels and promotes weight gain
  • Interfering with the absorption of essential fatty acids and DHA
  • Impairing brain function and damages brain cells
  • Accelerating tumor growth
  • Accelerating the progress of type-2 diabetes
  • Raising serum cholesterol
  • Decreasing immune system function
  • Liver dysfunction

Health Happenings hopes to encourage and empower a healthier Milford. That inspired me to call all the restaurants in Milford and had them check the oils they use in their cooking. I am pleased to tell Milford Patch readers that all restaurant staff were very accommodating even though many sounded young. Some were surprised to hear the definition of trans fat.

The following is a list of eateries in Milford who (when I called) use olive oil or non-hydrogenated canola oil: , Steak House, , , , , , , Bread. said they would cook without it upon request.

Find out what's happening in Milfordwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Reaching for healthier oils, preparing foods at home and paying attention to how often your family eats at trans fat locations could improve your future health.

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