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Why trans-fats are bad for health
Trans-fats are destructive to health because the body misreads them. Trans-fats have the same chemical signature as omega-3s and omega-6s, so the body uses them for the same purposes. But they are structurally straight rather than bent, so the part of the cell membrane that needs to be porous becomes tight and rigid instead. This causes a variety of health problems?including insulin resistance, which can lead to type 2 diabetes.
Consumption of trans-fats also raises the risk of heart disease by increasing LDL and lowering HDL cholesterol. (A useful mnemonic: the levels one wants to see on test results match the letters: low LDL and high HDL.)
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