Identify the "bad guys" in the fat family - trans fatty acids

Author: Cui Yihui, registered dietitian, master of medicine

Reviewer: Wang Junbo, Associate Professor and Doctoral Supervisor, Peking University Health Science Center

Some people only drink skim milk, and when they buy whole milk, they always post a message on their Moments to express their regret. In fact, skim milk is not necessarily lower in energy than whole milk, and its nutritional value is not as good as whole milk (the rich fat-soluble vitamins in whole milk are completely gone in skim milk), and its taste is even more bland.

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Just because we live in an era where thinness is considered beautiful, we cannot completely deny the nutritional value of fat. As one of the three major energy-producing nutrients, fat is definitely not a complete "bad molecule." However, there is indeed a type of "bad molecule" in the fat family, called "trans fatty acids."

●What are trans fatty acids?

Trans fatty acids are present in very small amounts in natural foods and are more of a man-made product. In the beginning, scientists in the food industry changed the spatial structure of vegetable oils through hydrogenation in order to improve the antioxidant properties of vegetable oils and solve the problem of long-term storage and convenient transportation of food. That is, the spatial structure of fatty acids changed. Such changes not only make vegetable oils more resistant to high temperatures and less prone to spoilage, but also increase the taste and deliciousness of food, but at the same time, a byproduct, trans fatty acids, was inevitably produced.

●The harm of trans fatty acids

➣Increases low-density lipoprotein cholesterol ("bad" cholesterol), reduces high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ("good" cholesterol), promotes the formation of atherosclerosis, and increases the risk of coronary heart disease. The academic community generally believes that trans fatty acids are more harmful to cardiovascular health than animal fats.

➣Increase blood viscosity and cohesion, leading to thrombosis.

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➣Affect memory. Trans fatty acids have an inhibitory effect on a type of cholesterol that can promote memory. If a person frequently consumes trans fatty acids in his or her youth, his or her risk of developing Alzheimer's disease in old age will increase.

➣Increase body fat. Trans fatty acids are metabolized slowly in the body and tend to accumulate in the abdomen, leading to obesity.

➣Increased risk of cancer (such as breast cancer, colorectal cancer), diabetes, allergies and other diseases.

➣Trans fatty acids can be transferred to the fetus through the placenta, affecting the growth and development of the fetus and infant, especially the development of the brain.

●Which groups of people need to be especially careful about trans fatty acids

➣Pregnant and lactating women.

➣Children and adolescents.

➣ Elderly people.

➣Heart disease patients.

➣ Diabetic patients.

➣Patients with neurological diseases.

➣Couples who are planning to have a baby.

●How to identify trans fatty acids

From now on, develop the habit of reading labels when buying food. Countries such as the United States, Canada, Japan, and South Korea require that the content of trans fatty acids be marked on food labels. my country also has requirements for the labeling of trans fatty acids, but you may find that not every food label clearly identifies trans fatty acids. You might as well keep your eyes open and learn how to identify trans fatty acids in disguise.

➣With the word "hydrogenated": hydrogenated vegetable oil, partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, hydrogenated fat.

➣With the word "butter": vegetable butter, margarine.

➣With the word "酥": shortening, artificial ghee, ghee.

➣Other names: refined vegetable oil, non-dairy creamer, vegetable milkshake (oil), cocoa butter substitute, margarine, etc.

After understanding the above knowledge, you will be able to identify which foods contain trans fatty acids. When choosing to eat or not, at least you will have the right to know and the right to choose.

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