hydrogenated palm/other oil - what are the health implications?

Answer 1

All hydrogenated fats are bad because of the trans fatty acids and your liver will use them to make LDL cholesterol. Twenty years ago we were told to avoid tropical oils because of the saturated fats. Now we are told the saturated fats in vegetable oil are good for us because the liver uses them to make HDL cholesterol. So now, coconut and palm oils are health foods but not hydrogenated.

Answer 2

Hydrogenation is a process that involves adding hydrogen to polyunsaturated fats to make polysaturated fats. That's how the original margarine was made and it seemed a good idea at the time. In fact for years margarine was promoted as a health food - supposedly better for you than butter.

Current thinking is that excess polyunsaturated fats are bad for you whether they come from animals or hydrogenated oils. Hydrognation also produces trans fats which are a completely alien substance. The combination or polyunsaturated fats and trans fats is linked to various arterial diseases.

The current fashion is to make margarine type spreads by adding skimmed milk (whey powder) to vegetable oils. Add a drop of olive oil and you can kid people it will make you live as long as Italians. It's probably better for you than trans fats, but not much good for vegans. I expect in a few years someone will prove that it causes ingrowing toenails.

Answer 3

They hydrogenated oils are also called "trans-fats" and the current belief is that they should be avoided completely.

There was an article in Yahoo news recently about a state that was considering outlawing them . . i think it was New York.

Answer 4

A 'saturated fat' is a fat that is solid at room temperature, such as animal fats or butter. An 'unsaturated fat' is liquid at room temperature, such as most veggie oils. saturated fats contribute more to higher cholesterol. If a fat is listed as 'partially hydrogenated', it has been altered to turn it into a saturated fat. If you have high cholesterol, these should be avoided.

Answer 5

Some oils are considered harmful to your heart. If you want to live a full life one free from heart trouble it might be time to get hold of a book or a concise web site that expains why some fats like the one you mentioned will increase
your chance of heart problems maybe not today but tomorrow.
My mother has just died of a heart attack so please, please, please get learning now today.

Answer 6

palm oil, hydrogenated or otherwise is loaded with transfats. Might as well inject it into your veins cuz that's where it will end up, clogging your arteries.