Hydrogenated Oils: Why are they bad?

I am a certified wellness coach through the Dr. Sears LEAN Institute. One of the classes I teach is called LEAN Start, and it's a great foundation for developing healthy habits. LEAN stands for Lifestyle, Exercise, Attitude and Nutrition. You may have seen Dr. William Sears on TV (his son Jim is on The Doctors) or read one of his many books, including The Baby Book or The Healthiest Kid in the Neighborhood.

Dr. Sears recommends that you say no to four food ingredients, including hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils. If you read labels, you've seen them listed, but what are they and why are they so bad?

In a nutshell, it comes down to understanding a little chemistry. First, picture a charm bracelet. Imagine that every spot that could hold a charm is holding one. That would be a saturated fat. Saturated fats tend to be stiffer, less flexible, solid and "sticky." They weaken our immune system, clog our arteries and increase our "bad" cholesterol, among other things. Now imagine that the charm bracelet has some empty spots, so you can add more charms to it. That is an unsaturated fat, which is the healthiest fat for us. Unsaturated fats tend to be flexible--and liquid, such as olive oil and grapeseed oil. They are critical to good health because they make hormones and fat-soluble vitamins, lower our "bad" cholesterol, increase our "good" cholesterol, and much more.

Hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils, also known as trans-fats, are fake fats. They are unsaturated fats that have had hydrogen forced onto the open bonds. The process of making trans-fats involves high heat and sometimes metals to add hydrogen bonds to the unsaturated fats. The food industry relies on hydrogenated oils to increase the shelf life of products. Crisco is a classic example, as it contains lots of hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils. Unfortunately, these ingredients are found in many, many products.

Why are trans-fats so bad for us? Scientists do not know for certain, but the theory is that because these are fake fats, our bodies do not know how to process them. What we do know is that trans-fat "both raises your 'bad' (LDL) cholesterol and lowers your 'good' (HDL) cholesterol," according to the Mayo Clinic. According to Dr. Sears, they also don’t have any nutritional value, contribute to low birth weights and raise blood sugar levels.

One of the best things that you can do for your health--and that of your family--is to avoid trans-fats.

To avoid trans-fats you MUST read the ingredient list. You CANNOT rely on the Nutrition Facts box because of a loophole in labeling. If a serving contains less than 0.5 g of trans-fat, the food manufacturer can list the product as having 0 g of trans-fat. If you read the ingredient list and see partially hydrogenated or hydrogenated oils in it, you know that the product contains trans-fat.