enzymes act upon - must fit together like a key in a lock. TFAs remain unmetabolized in the human body and weaken the cell walls, leaving cells vulnerable to viral invasion. This, in turn, causes swelling and impairment of the mitochondria. TFAs, cannot be used by the body to make beneficial prostaglandins.
Most processed foods contain hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oil for longer shelf life. Most margarine or vegetable oil spreads contain soy or canola oil derived from GMO seeds and processed at very high temperatures. TFAs are in commercial cakes, pies, cookies, crackers, bread, chips, pretzels, snack foods, breaded foods, French fries, chocolate bars, and salad dressings. READ the INGREDIENTS section of all labels to AVOID these damaged fats/oils.
According to nutrition research expert Mary Enig, PhD, these altered TFAs, called isomers, are shaped differently. When the TFAs get into cell membranes that are supposed to have either saturated fatty acids or cis unsaturated fatty acids, they disrupt normal body functions (e.g., metabolism, heart, immune, respiratory, reproductive systems, etc.).
Enig’s research revealed that the various mechanisms through which the TFAs disrupt function are related, in part, to the ability of TFAs to inhibit the function of membrane-related enzymes, such as the delta-6 desaturase resulting in decreased conversion of linoleic acid to gamma-linolenic acid or arachidonic acid; interference with the necessary omega-3 fatty acids conversion to their elongated tissue omega-3 fatty acids; and escalation of the adverse effects of essential fatty acid deficiency. In essence, they hinder the cell membranes from communicating with each other.
Decades of research at the University of Maryland and other institutions showed that consumption of TFAs from partially hydrogenated vegetable fats and oils had many adverse effects on health. For example:
Heart disease - TFAs raise atherogenic lipoprotein-1 (Lp(a) in humans.
Cancer - TFAs interfere with enzymes the body uses to protect itself against cancer.
Diabetes - TFAs interfere with the insulin receptors in the cell membranes, thus triggering type 2 diabetes.
Immune function - TFAs interfere with B and T-cell function, thus reducing the immune response.
Fertility and Reproduction - TFAs interfere with enzymes needed to produce sex hormones; they decrease testosterone in male animals and increase the levels of abnormal sperm.
Lactation - TFAs lower the overall fat content in mother’s milk in both animals and humans, thus compromising the nourishment of the infant. TFAs can cross the mammary gland into the mother’s milk and interfere with the neurological and visual development of the infant.
Development and Growth - TFAs can cross the placenta, creating many problems for the developing fetus, including low birth weight; they also interfere with long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid formation needed for growth and development, especially brain development.
Obesity - Women who consume TFAs weigh more than women who do not consume TFAs, even though the caloric intake is the same.
The increased intake of biologically abnormal TFAs derived from hydrogenated vegetable oils correlates more significantly to the 20th-century increase in heart disease and cancer, including breast cancer, than any other dietary change (Townsend Newsletter, Oct. 1989).
In 1900, cardiovascular disease killed one in seven people. Now, it kills one in two people. This is over a 350 percent increase in the past 111 years despite, or perhaps because of, technological advances. (Healing Fats, Killing Fats, by Udo Erasmus, 1990)
The Nurses Study, which involved 80,000 female nurses with 14 years (1989-2003) of follow-up, revealed that for 2% of energy intake from TFAs, there was a 95% risk of non-death myocardial infarction or death from coronary heart disease.
Some city governments in the USA have attempted to tackle this serious health problem by outlawing TFAs, in restaurants. This also needs to be done nationally and in other countries, such as Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific region, where a large population obtains most of their meals from fast food outlets. Samoa and the Cook Islands have among the fattest people in the world dying early. Consumption of damaged fats and oils in a junk food diet combined with crisps and soda is a major contributing factor.
Unless major changes occur, the long-term consequence of damaged fat/oil consumption will only further exacerbate our modern degenerative diseases, obesity, and mental illness. READ http://www.westonaprice.org/ and Dr. Richard Passwater’s three-part interview with Dr. Mary Enig, PhD.
Health Risks from Processed Foods and Trans Fats Part 1
Health Risks from Processed Foods and Trans Fats Part 2
Health Risks from Processed Foods and Trans Fats Part 3
Homogenization is another process that extends shelf life. However, this
process breaks up large, digested fat globules into droplets, which can bypass digestion. These droplets are then absorbed into the bloodstream, carrying a destructive enzyme called xanthine oxidase (XO) that damages arteries. Heart disease is more prevalent in countries consuming high amounts of homogenized milk. AVOID homogenized dairy.
GMOs
The giant oil industry now genetically modifies (GM) their oils to sidestep the TFA problem. However, genetically modified (GMOs) fats/oils (e.g., canola oil, margarine, etc.) are foreign to the body, play havoc with bodily systems, and have unknown long-term consequences. Asthma and allergy increases are but a few of the symptoms. In addition, these GM fats/oils appear to be changing the normal shape of the human body. For example, a person may develop an overly large fatty (turkey) neck, thighs, hips, blubbery butt, or stomach that no exercise can eliminate. These abnormal body shapes have become common among GM-damaged fat/oil consumers.
Canola seed is one of Canada’s chief exports. It is also a large crop in Australia. Canola oil is in thousands of processed/prepared food products, restaurants, and even many so-called health food products. Some well-known commercial brands of peanut butter have replaced natural peanut oil with canola oil to make it more spreadable.
Studies have shown that canola oil destroys vitamin E, suppresses the immune system, and blocks (inhibiting) enzyme function. GMO oils damage the healthy gut microbiota, which leads to ‘leaky gut‘ diseases. Its effects are accumulative, sometimes taking years to show up. As with all GMOs, this oil can have serious long-term ramifications for human development and the health of future generations. READ The Great Con-ola, by Sally Fallon Aug.-Sep. Nexus Magazine, 2002.