Types

• Hydrogenated oils are commonly used in shortening for baking products, oils used for fryers in fast food and in a variety of snacks, like potato chips and crackers.
  
  

Function

• A review of studies on hydrogenated oils published in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" in 1997 found that the ingestion of trans fats from partially hydrogenated vegetable oils induced a significant increase in low density cholesterol (LDL).
  
  

Significance

• According to the American Heart Association, LDL is "bad" cholesterol and can clog the arteries, causing a condition called atherosclerosis, which can lead to heart attack or stroke.
  
  

Effects

• According to the review published in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition," trans fats from partially hydrogenated oils are responsible for an estimated 30,000 premature deaths a year in the United States.
  
  

Considerations

• There has been a large public movement to reduce the use of hydrogenated oils in fast food and snack products, and many restaurants and companies have banned them altogether.