Does Trans-Fat = Hydrogenated Oil?

My recent "Hard Fats" post caused Randy to ask about whether trans fats are the same as hydrogenated fats. The answer is no, but for all practical purposes, we could consider the answer to be yes.

In checking this, I went to the US Food and Drug Administration's "Revealing Trans Fats" web page. On this page, it says, "A small amount of trans fat is found naturally, primarily in dairy products, some meat, and other animal-based foods." So, there is some naturally occurring trans fat. (And, if I remember correctly from my college chemistry, trans is a prefix used to designate a family of items on a molecular basis.) The result is that while our bodies can process trans fat, when we start to add it to our foods (take in more than the naturally occurring amounts), we quickly overwhelm our body's ability to process it. This is why hydrogenated oil is so unhealthy.

So, while trans fats is a larger grouping that includes some naturally occurring fats, we can in general consider trans fats to be the same as hydrogenated fats. In general, we'd all be wise to look beyond the big claims on the label (As in the calorie wars, some manufacturers mislead you by claiming "0 grams of trans-fat per serving", and simply use small serving sizes.) and read the ingredient panel. If it includes hydrogenated oils, put it back and buy the brand without them.