Hard fats are used often because they have suitable melting points for lots of applications in foods. They're produced from unsaturated vegetable oils using a process called partial hydrogenation. This involves reacting the oil with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst such as nickel. And so this process of partial hydrogenation typically creates a fat with around 15% trans fatty acids although it can actually be as high as 55%.
Trans fats have a bad reputation. But we now know a lot more about these fats than we did when the first horror stories about them emerged.
So, based on the latest science, just how worried should we be?
Listen to today’s short episode of ZOE Science & Nutrition to find out.
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Studies referenced in the episode:
Episode transcripts are available here.
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