<p>On the flip side:
*Though reduced DHA levels are also associated with Alzheimer’s, they don’t affect tau and and amyloid-beta protein concentrations.
<p>Nevertheless, even if you are very healthy heartwise, this is another reason to be suspicious of trans-fats, particularly if one (or one’s children) has any psychological or neurological conditions. Trans-fats as I recall, are difficult to metabolise or excrete, so they can accumulate in the brain. Perhaps they do not have time to significantly accumulate in the rat if only fed for ten weeks to show any impact on brain DHA profiles, but show up in mice when they are fed experimental diets for 14 months.</p>
<p>Trans-fats may well be unhealthy for you for more than one reason, but I would like to point out that consuming them is nothing new. They’ve been prominent in western diets for more than a century. But they only recently became infamous under the chemical name trans-fats. They were/are more commonly known as shortening. Many folks continue to cook with shortening, unaware that it is high in trans-fats.</p>
<p>Another name sometimes used for shortening is partially-hydrogenated vegetable oil.</p>
<p>OK, I’ll bite here (no pun intended). Exactly what are the most common culprits of trans-fats. Am trying to figure out if I’m eating them hidden in foods. </p>
<p>FWIW - I always assumed most of them could be found in the drive-through, fast food restaurants. If I eat there, I get salads, or chili (Wendys).</p>
<p>One common use is in crackers and other snack foods. When used in baked products partially hydrogenated plant oils have a longer shelf life and are cheaper than animal fats. Fast food restaurants often use “shortening” for deep frying though some chains have been moving away from it.</p>
<p>I don’t have a comprehensive list off the top of my head, but one major offender is baked goods - pie crusts, pastries, some types of cookies. Stuff where liquid oil wouldn’t work so solid vegetable oil is needed to hold the dough or batter together through the baking process. </p>
<p>Basically think of all the recipes you’ve cooked yourself over the years that used shortening. That’s a good place to start.</p>
<p>Trans fats:
rancid oils, even the “good” ones like olive oil
processed palm and coconut oils (in raw form these are GOOD)
lard
shortening
margarine</p>
<p>lard is not a trans-fat. Trans-fat Crisco shortening replaced lard in baked good and fried foods because it was supposed to be healthier. Turns out it isn’t. Lard and butter are healthier choices than Crisco or margarine.</p>