Trans fats

Artificial trans fats are really bad for you. They are produced by stabilizing unsaturated fatty acids with hydrogen. Margarine, peanut butter, spreads, creamers, and frozen dinners all include trans fats.

In addition, food manufacturers frequently add them to crackers, muffins, and other baked products to help a product last longer on the shelf. Trans fats have been linked to increased inflammation, insulin resistance, and belly fat, as well as decreased levels of HDL (good) cholesterol and reduced arterial function, even though they don't directly increase blood sugar levels. Most nations have forbidden artificial trans fats, and in 2018, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) prohibited the use of partially hydrogenated oil in most processed foods, the main source of artificial trans fat in the food supply. This does not imply that artificial trans fats are no longer present in any foods sold in the US. If a product has less than 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving, manufacturers are not required to include trans fats on nutrition facts labels. Any product that lists "partially hydrogenated" in its ingredient list is best avoided.