Ive heard the recent debate about Trans Fats reducing fertility in women. I understand it can come from fast foods or really processed foods....
What things in specfic should be avoided?
2007-01-23 05:23:52 · 4 answers · asked by Dinky 1 in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Diabetes
Look at the labels in all packaging. Even fast food is telling you what they use now, and ask what they use for oil in restaurants.
Transfats are oils which are heated and then passed over a catalyst (like platinum) which causes them to be converted from an unsaturated fat to a transfat. One way you can tell is that an unsatsurated oil stays liquid as it cools while transfats start to solidify just like saturated fats do.
2007-01-23 05:30:08 · answer #1 · answered by startrektosnewenterpriselovethem 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
In an unsaturated oil, there exists one or more unsaturated bonds (C=C double bonds). In a process of catalytic hydrogenation (described in a previous answer), hydrogen "saturates" the double bond converting it into a single bond with two atoms of hydrogen added (C-C). If the hydrogenation process was complete, then it would be a fully saturated fat/oil with no transfats. With partial hydrogenation, using a contact catalyst like platinum, some of the unsaturated fatty acids in the fat are converted to (unsaturated) transfats.
In normal, biological fats and oils, the orientation of the carbon links to the two carbons in the double bond are CIS (i.e. they are same "side" or half-plane of the double bond). The CIS orientation looks like a kink in the fatty acid hydrocarbon chain.
When the double bond temporarily bonds to the catalyst but doesn't hydrogenate the bond, this orientation can be changed to trans (opposite side). This straightens the fatty acid chain in the oil, making it more solid at room temperature and making it harder for the body to process, much like saturated oils/fats.
2007-01-23 13:58:26 · answer #2 · answered by Radagast97 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Fast foods (anything fried) and packaged baked goods and snacks. Check the label - nutrition information requires listing the amount of trans fats in the food, but they can say 0g and still contain trans fat - look for "partially hydrogentated" in the ingredient list.
2007-01-23 13:29:04 · answer #3 · answered by Rebecca G 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Hydrogenated vegetable oils should be avoided like the plague. Best of luck.
2007-01-24 19:39:05 · answer #4 · answered by Dorothy and Toto 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋