Did you know that Trans fat is double trouble for your heart health?
Simply put – Trans fat increases your “bad” cholesterol and lowers your “good” cholesterol, unlike other dietary fats, trans fat is considered to be probably the worst type of fat that you can eat.
High trans fat diets consequently increase your risk of heart disease – the more trans fat you eat, the greater your risk of heart and blood vessel disease.
Trans fat is so unhealthy that government bodies around the world are beginning to prohibit food manufacturers from adding the major source of artificial trans fat to foods and beverages – hopefully, this move will prevent thousands of heart attacks and deaths each year.
What is trans fat and why is it relevant to supplements?
Most trans fat is formed through the industrial process that adds hydrogen to vegetable oil, this causes the oil to become solid at room temperature. This partially hydrogenated oil is less likely to spoil, so foods made with it have an increased shelf life. Some restaurants use partially hydrogenated vegetable oil in their deep fryers because it doesn’t have to be changed as often as other oils.
Some meat and dairy products have a small amount of naturally occurring trans fat. It’s not clear whether this naturally occurring trans fat has any benefits or harm.
Most supplement manufacturers will use hydrogenated vegetable oil in their soft gel and hard shell capsule manufacturing. While the amount may not be perceived as significant it can still have an effect on the absorption of nutrients and add to an increased risk of cardiovascular complications.
How trans fat harms you!
Doctors worry about the added trans fat as it increases the risk for heart attacks, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and has an unhealthy effect on your cholesterol levels.
Trans fat increases the risk of fatty deposits within your arteries and should these tear or rupture, a blood clot may form and block blood flow to part of your heart, causing a heart attack; or to a part of your brain, causing a stroke.
When products, including supplements, list hydrogenated vegetable oil, we may inadvertently consider the amount as small or insignificant but these small amounts can add up quickly, especially if you eat several servings of multiple foods containing less than 0.5 grams a serving.
How low should you go?
Trans fat, particularly the manufactured variety found in partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, appears to have no known health benefit. Experts recommend keeping your intake of trans fat as low as possible.
Is there a solution?
Life Biotech has trademarked its Super D technology as an alternative all natural solution to using trans fats or Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil in its manufacturing.
This process helps to enhance and strengthen the ingredients, increasing the bioavailability to the body.
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