This ingredient was banned for its detrimental effects on health [but is still being used]
The most harmful ingredient in the food industry according to many experts.
The last couple of weeks we've talked about the negative effects of two harmful food additives, high-fructose corn syrup and aspartame, on gut health and inflammation.
Today I wanted to highlight one of the most important food additives to be aware of that has many negative health effects: hydrogenated vegetable oil.
Hydrogenated vegetable oil, sometimes labeled as “partially hydrogenated vegetable oil,” is an artificial fat used to increase the shelf life of food and reduce costs. It's made by hydrogenating liquid vegetable oil through the addition of hydrogen, turning it into a semi-solid trans fat.
Hydrogenated vegetable oil was actually banned by the FDA in 2015 due to the “detrimental effects” it has on health, particularly in increasing the risk of heart disease.
Harvard School of Public Health researchers estimate that “trans fat had been causing about 50,000 premature heart attack deaths annually, making partially hydrogenated oil one of the most harmful ingredients in the food supply.”
There's now data showcasing that removing hydrogenated vegetable oil reduces the risk of heart disease: