For Your Health: Ask BeWell!
The BeWell Tanger Center for Health Management, BIDMC's onsite wellness and exercise resource center, answers your questions in this ongoing column in BIDMCtoday.
BeWell will offer a FREE 2-week pass to any BIDMC staff member whose question is published in this column -- so e-mail your health- or fitness- related question today to the BeWell staff at mdacosta@bidmc.harvard.edu.
Q. What are trans fats and why are they so bad for you?
A.Trans fats, also known as trans fatty acids, are man-made fats produced when vegetable oils are hardened into margarine or shortening. Trans fats are also used in many fried foods and processed baked goods.
Trans fats are bad for you because they may increase your LDL, or "bad" cholesterol, while lowering levels of HDL, or "good" cholesterol. This can lead to increase risk for heart disease. In addition, trans fats have also been linked to an increased risk for Type 2 diabetes and certain cancers.
Starting Jan. 1, 2006, the FDA is requiring all packaged foods to list trans fats on the Nutrition Facts label. Currently the only way to spot trans fats in your food is to read the ingredients list and look out for shortening or partially hydrogenated oil.