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Hydrogenation is a process that bonds additional hydrogen atoms to the carbon backbone of an oil. This is done by exposing the oil to heat and a catalyst. While the purpose of this process is to make saturated fats, trans fats are also an unwanted byproduct. So when you eat that margarine or that hydrogenated peanut butter you are consuming both artificially hydrogenated fats and trans fats. These trans fats are the root of the problem. They affect your health at the cellular level.

Every single cell in your body is encased by a plasma membrane that selectively chooses what substances enter and leave the cell. This membrane is made up special fats called phospholipids. Without the plasma membrane your cells would be unable to organize all of the organic molecules and the minerals and ions that they need to function properly. Now where do trans fats fit into this picture? The phospholipids that make up this incredibly important membrane are themselves made up of the fats that you choose to consume. If you eat a lot of hydrogenated oils then trans fats will incorporate themselves into the plasma membranes of your cells. Since trans fats have a different shape than normal fats your cells are unable to perform like they used too. Ions, sugars, proteins and other organic molecules cannot pass in and out of the cell as easily as they use to. The damage from trans fats manifests itself over long periods of time. Since your cells cannot function naturally a number of problems could occur such as an increase in cancer cell formation or the expression of undesirable genes resulting in for example, the development of Diabetes. To avoid such risks do not by products with hydrogenated oils, stay away from unnatural peanut butter, use butter instead of margarine, and read the ingredient labels on EVERY packaged food item.

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14y ago

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