Trans fatty acid

Trans fatty acids (TFA) are a type of unsaturated fat that occur in small amounts in nature, but became widely produced industrially from vegetable fats starting in the 1950s for use in margarine, snack food, packaged baked goods, and for frying fast food.

Production

Trans fats are created in an industrial process that adds hydrogen to liquid vegetable oils to make them more solid. This process, known as hydrogenation, causes the molecular structure of the oil to change, resulting in a type of fat that is more stable and less likely to spoil.

Health effects

Trans fats are known to increase levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or "bad" cholesterol) while decreasing levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL, or "good" cholesterol). This can increase the risk of coronary artery disease and heart attack.

Regulation

Many countries have introduced laws that restrict or ban the use of trans fats in food products. These include Denmark, Switzerland, Canada, and the United States.

See also

• Saturated fat
• Unsaturated fat
• Monounsaturated fat
• Polyunsaturated fat

Trans fatty acid Resources
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