Trans Fats, Hydrogenated Fats and Saturated Fats

"Years of dietary abuse, such as in frequently consuming foods cooked in or made with hydrogenated oils, can cause the blood to become somewhat thick and stagnant. Not only is overall circulation slowed down, but artery walls, especially those leading to the brain and heart, become narrower and occasionally clogged with clumps of thick blood and bacteria." (Heinerman pg. 427)
The consumption of hydrogenated of oils has been scientifically proven to have deleterious effects on health. The industry uses hydrogenation to add shelf stability for extended periods of time to all sorts of products and to make spreadable margarine. Udo Erasmus Ph.D., author of, Fats That Heal, Fats That Kill, says "The process of hydrogenation uses high temperatures, between 248 and 410 degrees Fahrenheit, in the presence of a metal catalyst, usually nickel, but sometimes platinum or copper. Hydrogen gas is added to the oils. This process takes between six and eight hours. The nickel catalyst used is actually 50 percent aluminum and remnants of both metals remain in the products and are eaten by consumers." Some researchers have linked aluminum to Alzheimer's and other diseases.
A study done by E. Hill in 1979 on rats found that hydrogenated vegetable oils elevated serum cholesterol levels while oils in the natural state lowered them. M. B. Katan and R. P. Mensink conducted a study in 1990 to check the effect of trans-fats on HDL and LDL cholesterol in healthy humans. Fifty-four young adults were placed on identical three-week diets except that ten percent of the calories in one group were from trans-fats and the other group from saturated fats. The trans-fatty acids did more damage to the serum LDL/HDL ratio than did the saturated fat. Not only did LDL increase fourteen milligrams but HDL dropped by seven milligrams in the trans-fat group (in only three weeks)!
The body cannot make use of trans-fatty acids and they block the body's ability to use healthy polyunsaturated oils. It's like a key that fits the body's chemical locks but will not open the door. Margarine, unless stated on the label to be free from trans-fat, is made from hydrogenated oils. So I say, "Buyer beware!"
In 1994, the Harvard School of Public Health publicized a study which concluded that trans-fatty acids double one's risk of heart attack. This study was aired on all major news programs in America. Also, in 1994 a television ad that had run for years implying that margarine is good for health disappeared. A June 23, 1999 press release from the same Harvard school stated that if unsaturated fats replaced trans-fats, each year 30,000 fewer people would die of heart disease (Fats That Heal, Fats That Kill, audiocassette).
Until January 1, 2006, hydrogenated fats were mislabeled by a technicality so that the industry could benefit. They were labeled as poly-unsaturated, although they are actually supersaturated. The United States federal government has finally implemented a law that requires food containing trans-fatty acids (hydrogenated oils) to be labeled truthfully.
In Dr. John McDougall's Newsletter, July 2003, he states, "You don't have to be one of these victims of ignorance—trans-fats are very easy to avoid. Trans-fats are present in small amounts in meat and dairy products. However, the largest doses of these unhealthy fats come to your dinner plate by way of vegetable oils chemically changed by manufacturers to improve shelf life and customer appeal."
"There is a strong association between a high intake of saturated fats mainly from meat and dairy products, and cardiovascular disease. The reverse is true for olive oil" ( Holford pg. 51).
Unrefined coconut oil has been shown to be a health guardian rather than a disease promoter! The studies show that unrefined coconut oil contains lauric acid, just as human mother's milk does. This may be the reason that it is added to infant formula. Lauric acid is converted by the human body into monolaurin, which is antiviral. It has been shown that AIDS patients can lower there viral load significantly with the daily ingestion of coconut oil.
Coconut oil also contains caprylic acid which has been successfully used to destroy Candida Albicans (a yeast which can cause yeast infections in humans) in the intestinal tract of humans.
This does not mean that large amounts of unrefined coconut oil are good for you; moderation is the key.
Fats might be the most misunderstood food of modern times. If I could only recommend replacing one type of unhealthy food from your diet, and replacing it with a healthy type, it would surely be fats.