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What are Trans Fatty Acids?
Trans fatty acids are a type of fat molecule produced by a process called "partial hydrogenation," which rearranges the hydrogen atoms in an unsaturated fatty acid to produce a fat that is solid at room temperature. Natural saturated fatty acids are straight molecules that pack together easily so they tend to be solid at room temperature.

In a saturated fatty acid such as stearic acid, each carbon atom is joined to two hydrogen atoms. The hydrogen atoms are arranged in pairs, thus creating electron clouds. Our cell membranes are composed of billions of fatty acids; chemical reactions occur in the cell membranes at sites where two hydrogen molecules form electron clouds.

Natural unsaturated fatty acids, such as oleic acid, tend to be liquid at room temperature. They have two or more hydrogen atoms missing where the carbons are double bonded together, but the remaining hydrogen atoms at the double bond are paired on the same side - called the cis configuration - forming an electron cloud where reactions can take place in the cell membrane.

During the process of partial hydrogenation, one of the hydrogen atoms in a pair is moved to the other side of the molecule, forming a trans fatty acid, such elaidic acid - trans means "across." This causes the molecules to straighten out so that they pack together easily and form a solid fat at room temperature. (This is the kind of fat that manufacturers need for frying and to make cookies, crackers and other baked goods; it is less expensive to use partially hydrogenated vegetable oils for these purposes than natural saturated fats like butter, lard, tallow, palm oil and coconut oil) Unfortunately, when these trans fatty acids are incorporated into the cell membrane, they are missing the hydrogen pairs needed for chemical reactions to occur. The result is dysfunction and chaos on the cellular level.

How to Avoid Trans Fat
Trans fats occur in most processed foods, such as commerical cakes, pies, cookies, crackers, bread, chips, pretzels, snack foods, breaded foods and salad dressings. Most restaurants fry foods in oil blends containing trans fats.

Any food item containing "partially hydrogenated" oil contains trans fats. Small amounts of trans fats occuring in deodorized vegetable oils (such as canola oil) and mono- and di-glycerides are not labeled.

The only way to avoid trans fats is to avoid processed foods. Instead, prepare your own foods using fresh, natural ingredients. Use traditional fats such as butter, lard, tallow, goose fat, duck fat, palm oil and coconut oil for cooking and baking; and olive oil for salad dressing. Use butter instead of margarine or spreads. (Even "low-trans" spreads should be avoided as they are made from highly processed vegetables oils and contain many additives.)

Note: Butter and tallow (fat from beef and lamb) contain small amounts of natural trans fats that are not harmful.