Trans Fats and Diabetes in Women
B-Fit!
By Fitness and Freebies
It is too early to say that trans fat causes diabetes, but a study shows that women who consume more trans fat have a higher risk of the disease.
Cholesterol-rich foods were also linked to a higher risk, while polyunsaturated fats (which are found largely in vegetable and fish oils) seem to protect against diabetes.
One possible explanation:
Cell membranes rich in polys may do a better job of admitting insulin from the bloodstream into the cells.
What to do:
- Replace trans fats (found largely in stick margarine, shortening, fried foods and sweet baked goods) with unsaturated fats (from fish, vegetable and olive oils, salad dressings, and nuts).
- Swapping trans fat for saturated fat would make no sense since both raise LDL ("bad") cholesterol.
