What Are the Disadvantages of Fat Hydrogenation?

Hydrogenation is the process of treating a substance with hydrogen. Hydrogenated fats are the results of widespread food processing in the food industry, designed to prolong the shelf life of food and decrease spoilage. Hydrogenated fats are solid at room temperature, unlike natural plant and animal fats, which are oils. There is much debate surrounding the issue of whether to ban hydrogenated fats from the food industry altogether because of the health risks they may pose.

Depleted Nutritional Value

• Hydrogenating fats remove most, if not all, of any nutritional value the original oil or fat possessed. Hydrogenation changes the chemical makeup of the fat or oil so that the oil's atoms bind to hydrogen. When some of the fat's carbon double bonds are left unbound, you will see on the product's ingredients list "partially hydrogenated" oil. Since many animal and vegetable oils contain naturally occurring compounds that improve overall health and contribute to a healthy diet, consuming too much hydrogenated fat can easily replace healthy calories with empty ones.

Impact on Shelf Life of Food

• Hydrogenated fat is solid at room temperature, which means it will not shorten the shelf life of processed foods that don't require refrigeration. Processed baked goods, imitation butter spreads and boxed snacks and cookies make abundant use of hydrogenated fats because they last a very long time without spoiling or otherwise affecting the taste of the food. Because of this prolonged shelf life, processed foods are often cheaper than fresh foods, making them popular buys that provide more empty calories per dollar than healthier alternatives.

Similarity to Saturated Fats

• Overconsumption of naturally occurring saturated fats can clog arteries and lead to heart attacks or heart disease, notes Harvard School of Public Health. Hydrogenated fats behave similarly to naturally occurring saturated fats in animal-derived products such as butter and red meat. In fact, the process of hydrogenation causes naturally unsaturated fats -- which can be healthy when consumed in moderation -- to become increasingly saturated.

Health Risks

• According to the Mayo Clinic, hydrogenated fats and oils can increase levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol while decreasing levels of HDL (good) cholesterol in the human body. Mayo Clinic researchers also point to the ability of hydrogenated fats to increase levels of triglycerides in the circulatory system, a type of fat that increases the risk of heart attack, heart disease and stroke. Frequently referred to as trans fats, hydrogenated fats are artificial food products that are very difficult for the human body to digest and process. Furthermore, nutritional labels can be misleading, as the Food and Drug Administration only requires food manufacturers to disclose the amount of trans fats its products contain above a certain threshold. If an ingredients' list includes the word "hydrogenated," then you know that even if the nutrition facts claim 0 grams of trans fat, there are trace amounts present. Hydrogenated fats are cheap to produce and use, and must be carefully avoided to maintain optimal health.