“Trans Fat Facts”
According to FDA estimates, Americans consumed an average of one gram of trans fats per day in 2012, but according to the Institute of Medicine, trans fats are unsafe at any level. Trans fats are formed when hydrogen is added to vegetable oil during food processing in order to make it solidify. This process, known as hydrogenation, makes fats less likely to spoil, so foods stay fresh longer, have a longer shelf life and also have a less greasy feel. But, the end result is a completely unnatural fat that can cause cellular dysfunction. Trans fats, found in margarine, vegetable shortening, and partially hydrogenated vegetable oils were promoted and popularized as a “healthier alternative” to saturated animal fats like butter and lard in the 1950’s. But, its beginnings go back 100 years to Proctor & Gamble’s creation of Crisco in 1911.
