pumped with hydrogen. You can see these on food
packages if you look for hydrogenated or partially
hydrogenated oils. This process makes them behave more
like saturated fats, becoming solid at room temperature.
Food manufacturers like this for two reasons: it allows them
to add a rich, buttery texture to foods using cheap oils, and
it extends the shelf life of those foods. As such, these fats
are commonly found in packaged foods, cakes, margarine,
nut butters (where they prevent oil separation), and even
some vegan “cheese” spreads with otherwise healthy-
looking packaging.
Man-made trans fats are highly inflammatory, promoting
insulin resistance and heart disease (they can raise total
cholesterol while lowering protective HDL). A recent meta-
analysis (a study of studies) found that consumption of trans
fats was associated with a 34 percent increased risk of all-
cause mortality, meaning early death by any cause.
In terms of the brain, trans fats may be particularly
damaging. Remember earlier when I told you about the
value of membrane fluidity? Trans fats can integrate
themselves into your neuronal membranes and stiffen them
like a corpse with rigor mortis. This makes it much more
difficult for neurotransmitters to do their jobs, and for cells
to receive nutrients and fuel. Studies have also linked trans-
fat consumption to brain shrinkage and sharply increased
risk for Alzheimer’s disease—two things that you certainly
don’t want.^40 But, even in healthy people, consuming trans
fats has been associated with significantly worse memory
performance. A study published in 2015 found that for
every additional gram of trans fat participants ate, their