Contrary to what you might have thought, this post isn’t about potential nut allergies with Nutella – which is one of the reasons why some parents avoid feeding their children Nutella.  Unfortunately, Nutella contains something else that is equally damaging not only to children but to adults as well – trans fats.

A recent comment to this blog has prompted me to do a little more research on the negative effects of trans-fats/partially hydrogenated oils.  Being a regular consumer of peanut butter and Nutella (and also feeding Gavin this stuff), I realise this is something I really needed to look into because many peanut butter formulations contain partially hydrogenated oils and Nutella contains dangerously high levels of trans-fats.  My BFF also wisened me up on this topic some time back when I mentioned that Gavin was into peanut butter by suggesting I look for organic peanut butter that did not use hydrogenated oils.

I have heard about trans-fats and the recommendations to eliminate it from our diet, or at the very least, reduce consumption of it, but I confess I haven’t exactly done very much about it.

What are trans-fats?

Trans-fats occur naturally and in small amounts in some dairy products and meat.  It can be manufactured artificially through partial hydrogenation of oils.

What’s bad about trans-fats?

Trans-fats has been linked with a significantly increased risk of coronary heart disease; it lowers good cholesterol (HDL) and increases bad cholesterol (LDL).  It is believed to be even worse than saturated fats.

Looks like my recent decision to purchase a multi-functional blender capable of producing nut butters (demonstrated in the video below) as part of a move towards healthier living was a good plan.

With all the food scares we keep reading in the news, I think the sooner we start incorporating whole foods into our diet, the better.

For more information on Trans-fats and healthier living, this is a great article: Revealing Trans Fats.  Part of the recommendation to reduce childhood obesity and the dangers it ensues is to reduce trans fats consumption – especially from the diets of our children.

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