Lake Champlain Cardiology Associates
52 Tom Miller Rd., Plattsburgh, NY 12901  (518) 563-2404
www.lccahearts.com

Trans Fatty Acids – The Worst Fat of All

Not all fats are created equally. It wasn’t long ago that we thought that all fats were bad. And cholesterol was thought to be the worst of all. Margarine was created to give us an alternative to butter, since butter is high in cholesterol.

Then we learned that some fats are actually beneficial, and reduced the risk of heart disease. This includes the polyunsaturated fatty acids (or “PUFA”) Canola oil and olive oil are good sources of PUFA, and eaten in moderation, are part of a heart healthy diet.

Trans fatty acids are mostly man-made. Additionally hydrogen is artificially added to unsaturated fats to make oil become solid at room temperature, producing margarine or shortening. The food industry does this to prolong the shelf-life of baked goods. Unfortunately the hydrogenated fats produced in this process are “trans” fats, rather than the naturally occurring “cis” fats. These Trans fats are highly atherogenic – that means they are very dangerous causes of heart disease. Only 5 grams of Trans fats a day can increase your risk of heart disease by almost 25%.