2005nov29. Doc asks the following question:
Maybe Dr. Berk would know whether it’s true what they say about hydrogenation -- that it renders the molecules unrecognizable by the body as “food.”
Dr. Berk:
Yes, this is kind of true. It is certainly harder to metabolize (which involves “recognition” and breaking down of molecules) saturated hydrocarbons, which are what you get when you hydrogenate fatty acids, than unsaturated ones. The hydrogenation process gets rid of a double bond, which is a key metabolic “hot-spot” that the body can recognize and “attack.” Note that even though it’s harder to get rid of unsaturated fat, it can still be dealt with by the body. That said, the body doesn’t need that much fat, period, whether it is metabolizable or not. There are many naturally occurring saturated fats, so don’t think of it as rendering something “natural” into something “artificial.” Hydrogenation transforms unsaturated fats to saturated fats (which have better properties for use in food – mainly that they are solid, rather than liquid, at room temperature – think vegetable oil becoming margarine). Hope that helps.
Muchisimas gracias, señor. I guess I’m willing to be a lab rat for Hostess® cupcakes.