Untitled

Saturated and trans fat
Saturated fats are fats that have single bonds connecting all the carbon atoms. In this kind of fat, there are no double bonds. The carbon atoms are bonded to other carbon atoms or hydrogen atoms by single bonds. The fat molecule is said to be saturated with hydrogen atoms. Saturated fats are characteristically solid at room temperature.

Commonly, the word fat is used for fats that are solid at room temperature, while oils are reserved for fats that are liquid at room temperature. Most animal fats are solid at room temperature (they are saturated) and fats sourced from plants and fish oils are more often than not, liquid and these are the monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. However, these all constitute the class of food referred to as lipids.
Sources of saturated fats

As I have mentioned earlier, saturated fatty acids are mainly from animal sources and this makes them solid fats at room temperature.

The sources of saturated fatty acids include;

Fatty portions of red meat, pork, chicken and turkey eaten with the skin, butter, dairy products such as whole milk, cheese, cream and fried and baked foods. Some prepared foods, for example, sausage, pizza and desserts are also high in saturated fatty acids. Researchers have found out that these products may be liable to increase the blood level of cholesterol.

Other sources are certain oils from plants like palm oil, kernel oil and coconut oil. These do not contain cholesterol.

Health implications of saturated fatty acids

It is difficult to come to a conclusion as to the health implications of the saturated fatty acids. Research has been inconclusive and some results have been controversial. Some say that saturated fats are a risk factor in the development of heart disease, while others have concluded that there is no such relationship. Be that as it may, various food sources of these fatty acids we have been considering have the different types of the fatty acids occurring in varying proportions in them. For example, animal products have a higher proportion of saturated fats than unsaturated. On the other hand, plant products have a higher proportion of unsaturated fats than saturated fats.

We have also seen some plant oils that have higher levels of saturated fatty acids in them than unsaturated fatty acids. In choosing the kind of fat to eat, bear in mind that there are more health benefits with the unsaturated fatty acids as against the saturated ones that may indeed predispose to heart disease. Some doctors and nutritionists advise that human beings should reduce their consumption of saturated fats and increase consumption of unsaturated fats. This is my position and I shall discuss more on this when I present dietary recommendations on eating of fats.

Trans fats

The double bond in the unsaturated fatty acid can be broken into two halves and each half can become attached to hydrogen atoms making all the bonds single and saturated. Heating liquid vegetable oils to very high temperatures and pumping hydrogen into it achieve this. The heat breaks the double bond making it available for hydrogen atoms to be attached to each single bond created.

This process is known as hydrogenation and the product is partially hydrogenated oil. Also called trans fatty acid, this product, which is artificial, is solid at room temperature and has an extended shelf life. This is the intention of the manufacturer – to increase the shelf life and make more money.

Trans fat has been described as the worst kind of fat an individual can eat. It increases the LDL (bad) cholesterol in the blood and decreases the HDL (good) cholesterol. A scenario such as this increases the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Margarine and cooken are the commonest examples of partially hydrogenated oil or trans fatty acid available. They are frequently used in baked foods such as cakes, bread and cookies. Others are potato, popcorn, French fries, fried chicken and turkey, doughnuts, biscuits, pizza crusts etc.