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From: seifert@ihuxl.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.med
Subject: Re: Partially Hydrogenated Oils
Message-ID: <859@ihuxl.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 25-Jan-84 08:39:55 EST
Article-I.D.: ihuxl.859
Posted: Wed Jan 25 08:39:55 1984
Date-Received: Fri, 27-Jan-84 09:39:58 EST
References: <239@pyuxss.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL
Lines: 64

Yes, partially hydrogenated oils are bad for you. But first,
what *is* a "partially hydrogenated oil"?

A saturated oil/fat is a carbon chain with all the 'extra'
spots taken up by hydrogen atoms.  An unsaturated oil/fat
is missing some hydrogen atoms, the carbons forming double bonds
instead.


	 H H H H H H H H		 H     H     H
	 | | | | | | | |		 |     |     |
	-C-C-C-C-C-C-C-C-		-C-C=C-C-C=C-C-
	 | | | | | | | |		 | | | | | | |
	 H H H H H H H H		 H H H H H H H
	
	   saturated			   unsaturated
	

Long chains tend to be solid, short chains tend to be liquid.
Saturated chains tend to be solid, unsaturated chains tend to be liquid.

Butter is 4-18 carbons long, beef fat is 14-18 carbons long.

To make an unsaturated oil more solid, they bubble hydrogen
through it.  This creates a "new" fat, one not found in nature.

[No, I don't know why it doesn't create the same saturated (or
less unsaturated) fat as found in nature.]

"In fact, a recent elaborate statistical analysis of the incidence of
heart disease and the consumption of hydrogenated fats in England
has shown a dramatic and detailed correlation between the two.
Where margarine and solid vegatable shortenings were used in
significant quantities, the rate of heart attack was always higher
than where they weren't."  [1]

"Recently, there has been a growing number of reports of an
increased incidence of cancer in patients who take a high
percentage of unsaturated and polyunsaturated oils. This
was noted by physicians whose patients showed an unusual
frequency of malignant melonama, a rapidly fatal form of
skin cancer.  Inquiry into their dietary habits showed that
in each case there had recently been an enthusiastic switch
to vegetable fats and oils instead of butter. [2] Other
research supports this impression. [3] "

Quotes from _D_i_e_t & _N_u_t_r_i_t_i_o_n, _a _h_o_l_i_s_t_i_c _a_p_p_r_o_a_c_h, by
Rudolph Ballentine, M.D.

[1] Thomas, L. Mortality from arteriosclerotic disease
    and comsumption of hydrogenated oils and fats.
    _B_r_i_t _J _P_r_e_v _S_o_c _M_e_d 29: 82-90, 1975

[2] Mackie, B. Malignant melanoma and diet. _M_e_d _J _A_u_s_t_r_a_l_i_a,
    May 1974, p 810 (letter)

[3] West, C. and Redgrave, T. Reservations on the use of
    polyunstaurated fats in human nutrition. _A_m _L_a_b Jan 1975 p28
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