Ever since scientists discovered that they could solidify, or partially solidify, vegetable oil by heating it in the presence of hydrogen and particles of nickel, the food industry has become increasingly dependant on the resulting products; hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated vegetable oils. Hydrogenated vegetable oils, and therefore the products that they go into, have a longer shelf life and are easier to store and transport than unprocessed vegetable oils. However, at what cost to our general health?It is now known that only one type of fat is worse for you than saturated fat – the trans fats produced by the partial hydrogenation of vegetable oils. These fats are found in such things as: margarines and many spreads, including some brands of peanut butter; many sweets and chocolates; fried and takeaway foods; and commercially produced baked products, such as bread, cakes and pies. Small amounts of naturally occurring trans fats are also found in some animal products, such as butter, dairy produce, lamb and beef.

So, what’s the problem? The convenience and profitability of trans fats has led the food industry to become increasingly dependant on them and, consequently, has led to their massive over-consumption in the western diet. The indications are now – very strongly – that trans fats not only raise the levels of the bad (LDL) cholesterol in the blood, they actually decrease the levels of good (HDL) cholesterol, thereby having the worst possible effect on overall cholesterol levels. There is also evidence that trans fats increase the amount of triglycerides in the blood stream and make platelets in the blood stickier and, therefore, more prone to form clots inside blood vessels. Bad news all round and very probably a major contributory factor to increasingly higher rates of heart disease.