Ask Mary RSS

Your personal nutritionist
By Mary Hartley, RD
Director of Nutrition

What is the difference between trans fat and saturated fat?
Asked by anonymous on Jan 13, 2009 in Nutrition




Answer

Fats are combinations of monounsaturated, polyunsaturated and saturated fatty acids.   Saturated fat is chemically bonded with the maximum number of hydrogen atoms it can hold.  Saturated fat is found mostly in animal foods such as full fat dairy products and fatty meats. It can be made into cholesterol by the body and can contribute to heart disease and some cancers. 

Trans fat is made-man by bonding hydrogen atoms to vegetable oil.  The process, called hydrogenation, make the fat solid and gives it a longer shelf life. Trans fats are found in margarine and shortening, deep-fat fried foods like donuts, and baked goods like breads, crackers, ready-to-eat cereals, and cookies.  In the body, trans fat contributes to disease just like saturated fat.



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