The Dangers of Hydrogenation

Take a glance at some nutrition facts labels and the ingredient “partially hydrogenated oil” is sure to turn up. What exactly is it and how does it affect the human body? Read on to learn about how manufacturers create hydrogenated oils and why they’re in so many popular foods.

The Hydrogenation Process

Here’s the best way to describe the process of hydrogenation without sounding too much like a science book. It’s a chemical process where scientists add hydrogen atoms to liquid oil, causing a chain reaction. For this to happen, there needs to be a catalyst, like platinum or another reactive metal. Through the reaction, the unsaturated fats in the oil hold onto more hydrogen atoms and become partially saturated.

What’s So Bad About it?

The thing that’s worrisome is the hydrogenation procedure rather than the oils themselves. When the unsaturated fat grabs onto more hydrogen atoms, a new type of fat is created. This fat isn’t saturated or unsaturated, it’s in a transitioning state. Hence the name, trans fat. Most trans fats are difficult for the human body to process, and they can wreak havoc on people who eat them.

Hydrogenated oils can lead to increased LDL (bad) cholesterol and a higher risk for stroke and heart disease. They can also lower the HDL (good) cholesterol in the body. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) stopped labeling trans fats as generally recognized as safe ¹ , and many food manufacturers and companies are scaling way back on their use of hydrogenated oils in food products.

Common Food Sources

It’s not too hard to find hydrogenated oils in some of the packaged foods in grocery stores. Hydrogenation prolongs a food’s shelf life and helps it keep its flavor. Many foods that contain trans fats are snack items like baked goods, microwavable popcorn, fried foods, margarine, and coffee creamer. These products include trans fatty acids that were made through full or partial hydrogenation, but there are naturally occurring trans fats.

In fact, meat and dairy typically have trans fat. Studies suggest that these natural trans fatty acids can have a positive effect on the immune system. ² A good rule of thumb is to cut back on packaged foods and focus on a variety of natural, whole foods. A keto lifestyle may actually help individuals consume more healthy fats and avoid the harmful ones while eating a varied diet.