They are naturally present in some foods (especially milk, derivatives and some meats), but in absolutely reduced concentrations compared to those of industrial products containing hydrogenated fats. Moreover, some studies differentiate the health risks of those obtained industrially or transformed through cooking, from those naturally present in food (for example, vaccenic acid), the latter being harmless or even beneficial to health.
hydrogenated ": it is an unsaturated lipid (with one or more double bonds, therefore initially of a liquid consistency) artificially saturated (breaking the double bonds by adding the missing hydrogens, therefore transformed into a solid) by means of a chemical-physical process called hydrogenation; this artifact is carried out at the request of the food industries which, according to the needs of the various preparations (brioches, breadsticks, etc.), choose the specific consistency of the hydrogenated fat (there are different levels of hydrogenation).
Note: there are many hydrogenated fats and they differ from each other for different characteristics: starting fatty acids, saturation level (one, two or more hydrogenated double bonds), concentration of trans fatty acids (obtained involuntarily by "hydrogenation), etc. .
For further information: Hydrogenated Fats , frozen fried potatoes, donuts, butter, bouillon cubes, soup mixes, fast-food foods, frozen fish in breadcrumbs, popcorn in bags, aged cheeses, etc. ) to regulate its metabolic transformation.
Trans fatty acids are linked by numerous scientific studies to: alterations in lipid and glucose metabolism, changes in the functionality of the cell membranes of neurons (cells of the nervous system), obesity, carcinogenesis, hormonal and fertility problems.
A diet characterized by foods rich in trans fats is correlated above all to excessive weight, to the increased risk of hypercholesterolemia and diabetes, therefore of vascular diseases (atherosclerosis and stroke), to nerve degeneration such as Alzheimer's disease.
More specifically, trans fatty acids:
- they worsen the transport of fats in the blood by lipoproteins; they result in a reduction of cholesterol transporters from the periphery to the liver (HDL) and increase the cholesterol carriers from the liver to the peripheries (LDL). In the long term, this undesired mechanism can determine the accumulation of oxidized LDL inside the vascular walls and subsequently (also thanks to inflammatory processes) the formation of atherosclerotic plaques with an increased risk of mortality (atherosclerosis).
Note: In the US alone, trans fats are estimated to be implicated in the deaths of several tens of thousands of people a year from coronary heart disease and cancer. they could be lower or even higher.
- worsen cellular efficiency and functionality, interfering in the liquid mosaic of cell membranes and causing a relative "stiffening" with consequent limitation of the potential for energy production, absorption and communication with other cells. Moreover, trans fatty acids enter into competition with the essentials in the constitution of cell membranes; even a significant supply of omega 3 and omega 6 can therefore be thwarted by an "overall incorrect diet.
- they also negatively affect the "integrity of the central nervous system; the brain of a subject who eats frequently trans fats ages faster, is more predisposed to degenerative diseases such as senile dementia and reacts poorly to depressive disorders".
Note: from 13/12/2014 the expression "totally or partially hydrogenated", depending on the case, must necessarily appear on the label if the oils or fats present in the food product have been hydrogenated. It is also mandatory to specify the " specific vegetable origin of the oils that make up the mixture of vegetable fats (eg palm oil, coconut oil, etc.).
. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) suggests taking as little as possible.
