What is a hydrogenated vegetable oil?

Answer 1

Vegetable oils, as the name implies, are liquid at room temperature. To make them suitable for use in margarines and shortenings, they are hydrogenated, i.e. treated with hydrogen, to solidify them. The hydrogenation process makes them more saturated.

Answer 2

Hydrogenated oils are oils which have been hydrogenated through the addition of hydrogen in order to change their chemical properties. Vegetable oils and fats are hydrogenated by the food industry, typically to preserve their shelf life. However, partially hydrogenating vegetable oils creates dangerous trans fats in the process, which have been proven to raise LDL cholesterol and increase the risk of coronary heart disease. Many packaged food items contain large amounts of hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils, and it is used in large amounts in fast-food chains such as McDonalds, Burger King and KFC

Answer 3

As said before, it is vegetable injected with hydrogen, making it a special form of saturated fat AKA a trans fat that is used both to keep a firm/hard texture (in chocolate chips, for example) and to extend shelf life (mainly for stores' financial benefit, not yours...think the fry fat used in fast food that has to be replaced VERY rarely).
The most important result of the process is that since trans-fat results in raising bad cholestrol levels (LDL) AND 2) lowering good cholestrol levels (#2 makes it worse than saturated fats), infertility in women, and increased risk of heart disease, just to name a few problems. In short hydrogenated oil is very very dangerous.
Don't let the fact it's name has "vegetable" in it give you a reson to mistake it for being nutritious....because of its processing modifications this oil is unhealthy and anything but natural.

For the best health try foods made from Olive Oil and without preservatives for mono and polyunsaturated fats and occasionally use coconut oil for anti-oxidents (though not too much as it contains saturated fats).

Use vegetable oil (even non-hydrogenated) and corn/canola oil in moderation as they contains too many omega-6 fatty acids over omega-3's (this decreases cardiovascular efficiency by creating weaker cells)...if you use a lot of it take high Omega-3 fish pills to help balance it out.

Sorry for the length of my comments/answer but, the be honest, balancing fats is a complex issue that requires complex justification...the right ones are required for your health while the wrong ones are the core of junk food addictions, early diabetes, and heart problems.

Answer 4

Dear culinary apprentice,
You are invited to go to the following url:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vegetable_oil
copy and paste it in your explorer address window.
Hey Presto! You got what you want!
Regards,
Bala k

Answer 5

It's been subjected to a process that extends its shelf life.