Ingredient Review #2: Partially Hydrogenated Oils

Partially hydrogenated oils will definitely help you get fat! These fats are not like the important essential fats our body needs but the ones you should avoid at all costs. Hydrogenated (or partially hydrogenated) oils are in many of the packaged products on the shelves of your favorite store. Manufacturers use this ingredient in place of butter because it is cheaper, but over time this will not only make you fat but it can lead to a number of serious conditions, like multiple sclerosis and arthritis. Does that sound fun? I didn’t think so. Hydrogenated oils contain trans fats and it’s trans fats that are hazardous to your health. How do these oils make you fat? Author, Eric Armstrong, of Treelight.com’s article, “What’s Wrong with Partially Hydrogenated Oils?” explains:

“Picture it like this. The trans fats are now the guards along the watchtower. The essential fatty acids (the support troops) are waiting outside to get into the fort (the cell), so they can be distributed along the watchtower (the cell wall). But the guards won't let them in! So they have to find someplace to stay in town. Over time, more and more troops are finding lodging in town. So new houses (fat cells) have to built to keep them in. The town grows more and more swelled with troops (fat), and it gets bigger and bigger (fatter). It's not a pretty picture at all, when you realize that the town is your belly, buns, face, and neck.”

For Eric’s full article please visit: http://www.treelight.com/health/nutrition/PartiallyHydrogenatedOils.html.

My 2 cents: READ YOUR LABELS! Take responsibility for what you put into your body. Make a conscious effort to avoid this ingredient at all costs…you don’t want to be fat anyway, right?