The product labels promise a smooth, rich and creamy drink. But look more closely and read the nutrition facts and ingredients. Most of the ingredients will include partially hydrogenated soybean oil. Hydrogenated oils are also called trans-fatty acids. They are used throughout the food industry to help extend shelf-life and impart favorable qualities in many commercially prepared foods.
Hydrogenation is the process of adding hydrogen to a liquid oil to produce a semi-solid oil.
The result is often partial hydrogenation. These partially hydrogenated fats behave like a saturated fat in the body and might lead to a rise in cholesterol levels. Estimates on the amount of trans-fatty acids consumed by Americans vary and saturated fats still make up a much larger part of overall fat intake. Common hot beverage ingredients such as partially hydrogenated soybean, coconut, palm kernel and canola oils all signal the presence of trans-fatty acids. On a recent investigative trip to the grocery, beverage labels per 8 ounce serving revealed fat content that ranged from .5 to 5 grams.