Tag: Cholesterol

What are the sources of harmful trans fats?

sources of trans fats

In our earlier post we had a look at how trans fats can cause adverse effects on our health. In this post we’ll look at sources of trans fats – visible as well as invisible.

There are two main sources of dietary trans fatty acids. Naturally occurring trans fat is found in small amounts in the fatty parts of meat and dairy products. Artificial trans fat comes from foods that contain partially hydrogenated oil and is formed when hydrogen is added to liquid oil turning it into solid fat.
The amount of Trans fat can vary within food categories: Continue reading “What are the sources of harmful trans fats?”

Man-made deadly trans fats!

unhealthy trans fats

“You shouldn’t need to be a chemical engineer to buy healthy food,” said Steen Stender, a cardiologist from Copenhagen University Hospital who kick-started a now global revolt against the addition of harmful fats to our daily diet.  

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 5,000 Americans a year die of heart disease because artificial trans fat is in the food supply. US Food & Drug Administration Commissioner says “… reduction in the amount of trans fat in the American diet could prevent an additional 20,000 heart attacks and 7,000 deaths from heart disease each year – a critical step in the protection of Americans’ health.” Continue reading “Man-made deadly trans fats!”

Choose your cooking oil wisely

Cooking oil is something that we use almost daily, and it can impact our health – both in positive as well as negative ways.

One type of oil may not provide all the fatty acids in the desired ratio. Fatty acids of primarily of 4 types and out of these 2 are beneficial while the other two need to be restricted. Particular oil may be rich in one fatty acid and lacking in another.

Continue reading “Choose your cooking oil wisely”

Cholesterol in Food

high cholestrol food

Cholesterol is required by the body to synthesize hormones, vitamin D, and substances that help digest foods. Our body makes all the cholesterol it needs. However, cholesterol is also found in some of the foods we eat.

Although many studies suggest that there is no direct relationship between dietary cholesterol intake and blood cholesterol levels, it is important to be aware of foods that contain the same. Continue reading “Cholesterol in Food”