all that hydroginated bullshitshit is whats pluggin up our arteries like a big fat turd
Hydrogenation results in the conversion of liquid vegetable
oils to solid or semi-solid fats, such as those present in
margarine. Changing the degree of saturation of the fat changes some important physical properties such as the melting point, which is why liquid oils become semi-solid. Semi-solid fats are preferred for baking because the way the fat mixes with flour produces a more desirable texture in the baked product. Since partially hydrogenated vegetable oils are cheaper than animal source fats, they are available in a wide range of consistencies, and have other desirable characteristics (e.g., increased oxidative stability (longer shelf life)), they are the predominant fats used in most commercial baked goods. Fat blends formulated for this purpose are called
shortenings.
A side effect of incomplete hydrogenation having implications for human health is the
isomerization of the remaining unsaturated carbon bonds. The
cis configuration of these
double bonds predominates in the unprocessed fats in most edible fat sources, but incomplete hydrogenation partially converts these molecules to
trans isomers, which have been implicated in circulatory diseases including
heart disease (see
trans fats). The conversion from cis to trans bonds is favored because the trans configuration has lower energy than the natural cis one. At equilibrium, the trans/cis isomer ratio is about 2:1. Food legislation in the US and codes of practice in EU have long required labels declaring the fat content of foods in retail trade and, more recently, have also required declaration of the trans fat content. Furthermore, trans fats are banned in Denmark and New York City
