Trans fats: not entirely unnatural

Trans fats have received a tremendous amount of bad press and it is well-deserved.  Unlike regular-old fats they clog our system, which is unable to adequately process or eliminate them effectively. They stick around for a very long time in the blood stream, envelope our organs, preventing proper function, are more prone to clogging arteries and cause the obvious problems: obesity, cardiovascular and heart diseases and, even perhaps diabetes. But, of course, I am not telling you anything new, I am sure.

Today I was taken aback to learn that there is such a thing as natural trans fats. Seriously? I had thought trans fats equalled hydrogenated oils - vegetable oils - and as long as you stuck to eating cow & duck, you were safe.


Turns out, I was dead-wrong.  From wikipedia: "A type of trans fat occurs naturally in the milk and body fat of ruminants (such as cattle and sheep) at a level of 2–5% of total fat." Oy.  Now where do I hide? I suppose, I could stick with fish and bird - but I love my iron!

Turns out, this isn't as bad as it sounds.  Continuing with the wikipedia article: "Animal-based fats were once the only trans fats consumed, but by far the largest amount of trans fat consumed today is created by the processed food industry as a side effect of partially hydrogenating unsaturated plant fats (generally vegetable oils). These partially-hydrogenated fats have displaced natural solid fats and liquid oils in many areas, the most notable ones being in the fast food, snack food, fried food, and baked goods industries."

 Furthermore, there are some studies that suggest actual health benefits to natural trans fats:

A university of Alberta study found that a diet with enriched levels of trans vaccenic acid (VA) -- a natural animal fat found in dairy and beef products -- can reduce risk factors associated with heart disease, diabetes and obesity. It turns out, a natural trans fat called trans vaccenic acid, is able to  reduce the production of chylomicrons -- particles of fat and cholesterol that form in the small intestine following a meal and are rapidly processed throughout the body.

Another study suggested that the same trans vaccenic acid may protect us from atherosclerosis.

Furthermore, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), part of the family of naturally occurring trans fats, has well-known health benefits and is marketed as a dietary supplement. Here is a quick look at WebMD:

Conjugated linoleic acid is used for cancer, “hardening of the arteries” (atherosclerosis), obesity, weight loss caused by chronic disease, bodybuilding, and limiting food allergy reactions.

So bottom line is: trans fats are not an invention of the modern food industry. However, as it happens so often in chemistry, things that look alike don't always act alike. Skip your french fries, enjoy the cow, and you'll do fine.