Human longevity, how trans fat affects longevity Essay

Human longevity, how trans fat affects longevity - Essay Example All of the fats consumed are essentially a mixture of saturated and polyunsaturated fats. Fats have been a part of the diet of humanity from the very almost the very beginning of time in the meat that was consumed, and gradually increased when human beings found the means to extract vegetable oils from sources like coconuts, palms and olives, gradually expanding to a wide range of vegetable sources. Therefore consumption of fat in appropriate quantities was a part of human diet for a very long period of time, and consumption of appropriate quantities of suitably extracted and stored animal or vegetable fats need not have a detrimental impact on the health of an individual. It is when unsuitably extracted and stored fats are consumed that there is a greater emphasis on health hazards. To prevent fats from getting rancid or spoiled a process of hydrogenation of fats was introduced in the early nineteenth century. This process, which hardens the vegetable oils, has given us products lik e margarine and shortening. Trans fats or trans fatty acids are mainly these partially hydrogenated vegetable oils that are used in growing proportions in food products, but not necessarily the only source. Deep frying of food products is also capable of adding trans fats to the food products. The detrimental effects of trans fats on the health of an individual and the rising quantum of its consumption have become research subjects. Evidence from this interest has shown that both these factors have a negative impact on the life span of an individual. Aging is a natural and normal process in any individual. Yet there is a difference in the manner that physical abilities of an individual diminish with age. There is increased evidence from research that increase in physiological changes like increased blood sugar and cholesterol levels, elevated blood pressure and weight gain do not contribute to normal aging