Trans fats: the hidden friend or the deadly enemy of your health?

Trans Fatty Acids (TFAs) are a type of unsaturated fat, but their chemical structure contains a “reverse” or “trans” double bond, unlike natural “cis” fats.

Types of trans fats:

1. Natural trans fats

It is naturally formed in the stomach of ruminants (such as cattle and sheep) and is found in small amounts in:
- Full fat milk fat
- butter
- Ruminant meat

The most famous of these acids is CLA. It has possible positive nutritional effects, such as:
- Immune support
- Reducing body fat
- Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant

✅ Eating them in normal amounts of whole foods is harmless and may even be helpful in some cases.

2. Industrial trans fats

It results from hydrogenation Fractional vegetable oils — the process of converting liquid oils to semi-solid or solid to improve texture and increase shelf life.
How is it formed?

Industrial trans fats are mainly produced by Partial hydrogenation of vegetable oilsIt is a chemical process that transforms liquid oils into semi-solid fats to improve texture and extend the shelf life of products.

The difference between partial hydrogenation and total hydrogenation:

| Type | Impact on Trans Fats | Current Status |
|-------|----------------------------|----------------|
| Partial hydrogenation | Produces trans fats Harmful | Prohibited |
| Total hydrogenation | Does not produce trans fat, but saturated fat | It is allowed |

These fats are linked to an increased risk of: ❗

- cardiovascular diseases (It increases the risk of heart disease (21% for every 2% increase in consumption)
- Type 2 diabetes (It causes insulin resistance, which increases the likelihood of diabetes)
- chronic infections
- Raise bad cholesterol (LDL) and lower good cholesterol (HDL)

Positions of international bodies and organizations:

World Health Organization (WHO):

- It called for the complete elimination of artificial trans fats by 2023 as part of the “REPLACE” initiative. From the global food supply, due to its link to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease

- Recommended maximum: less than 1% of total daily calories (i.e. less than 2.2 grams per day in a 2000 calorie diet).

Codex Alimentarius International:

- recommends setting a maximum 2 grams of synthetic trans fatty acids (Trans Fatty Acids) for all 100 grams of total fat in food products.

- Trans fatty acids of natural origin are not counted (such as those found in milk fat and ruminant meat) are within this limit, as they appear in small amounts and are not associated with the same health risks associated with industrial trans fats.

The Codex recommends distinguishing between trans fats naturalness undindustrialized When setting regulatory restrictions or limits in national or international standards.

Arab Republic of Egypt: Standards and Food Safety Authority (EFSA):

- Egyptian standards require:
✅ Prevent the use of partially hydrogenated oils (the main source of artificial trans fats).
✅ Maximum limit: 2% of total fat in the final food product.
As of mid-2023:
❌ The partial hydrogenation of oils has been permanently banned in Egypt.
✅ Only total hydrogenation that does not produce trans fat is allowed (within the scope of uses inside factories and not in the form of consumer packaging).

Consumer tips:

✅ Read food labels well.
✅ Avoid products that contain “partially hydrogenated oils.”
✅ Choose natural vegetable oils (such as olive oil, canola, sunflower oil, olein oil, soy oil, corn).
✅ Reduce processed and fried foods and ready meals.

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