Hydrogenated fat is produced when hydrogen is added to oil, turning it into a solid block of fat. It is harmful to the body and can be found in many packaged foods. Chemist Paul Sabatier invented the process in the 1890s, and studies have linked it to serious ailments. Consumers should read packaged food labels to avoid products containing hydrogenated fats.
When any type of oil has gone through a specific manufacturing process, the resulting substance is called hydrogenated fat. Even though most oils in pure form are healthy for the heart, once the oil has been transformed into hydrogenated oil, it is no longer good for the body. In fact, this type of fat is believed to be extremely harmful to the heart and the body as a whole. Many packaged foods contain hydrogenated fats.
Hydrogenated fat is produced when hydrogen is added to oil, which turns liquid oil into a solid block of fat. Manufacturers encourage this process, as foods containing manufactured vegetable oil have a longer shelf life than foods that do not contain hydrogenated fats.
While the process of hydrogenating some oils may seem like a recent invention, this process was invented during the 1890s. Chemist Paul Sabatier devised the process to turn some substances into hydrogenated substances. One of the first foods to contain hydrogenated fats was margarine. Following Sabatier’s lead, chemist Wilhelm Normann experimented with various oils until he found a way to transform pure oil into hydrogenated oil. From that day forward, foods containing hydrogenated fats could be found in abundance.
During the 1980s, significant medical research was conducted into the effect of hydrogenated oils on humans. These studies have shown that hydrogenated oils have likely contributed to heart disease, cancer, strokes, and many other serious ailments. As a result of these reports, some food manufacturers have been forced to reduce the amount of trans fat in some packaged foods, although this forced reduction has not eliminated trans fats from the market entirely.
There are thousands of packaged food products that contain hydrogenated fats. In addition to these packaged products, natural trans fats are present in some dairy products. Natural trans fats cannot be avoided, although the amount of trans fats in these products is minimal compared to the amount of hydrogenated fats within packaged food products.
To find out if a product contains hydrogenated fats, it is important for consumers to read packaged food labels. Any food product containing partially hydrogenated oil or hydrogenated oil should be avoided. It’s also important to note that not all packaged food products need to warn consumers about trans fats. Each country has different guidelines in place that determine whether or not food manufacturers should disclose any amount of trans fat in a product.
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