Trans fats cause depression. Trans fats cause depression, memory loss, and shrink your brain. Trans fats are artificially created fats. Some people say trans fats are closer to plastics because of the way trans fats are created. Trans fats are made by adding hydrogen to a liquid vegetable oil to make it more solid. This is good for grocery stores because any food with trans fat oils in it lasts longer on the shelf. You’ll find trans fat on the label as “partially hydrogenated oils”.
Why do trans fats cause depression?
Your body uses natural fats found in foods to function daily. Natural fats keep cell membranes healthy and take vitamins A, K, D, and E to the brain. Trans fats kick out and replace natural fat cells. When trans fats do this, they destroy cell membranes, wreck havoc on hormones and create depression, and also affect memory.
Trans fats increase serum cholesterol. Serum cholesterol is cholesterol that floats in the blood. Trans fat also creates ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol which is created by eating lots of trans fatty foods. LDL cholesterol gunks up and blocks arteries, severely reducing blood flow to all parts of the body. Research proves that eating trans fats causes depression by clogging arteries and limiting blood supply carrying important nutrients to the brain.
Trans fat shrinks your brain by eating away at it.
Your brain is protected by a blood-brain barrier (BBB). The BBB keeps a lot of LDL cholesterol away from your brain, protecting it from being clogged up with fat. But your brain needs fat to function. So your brain makes its own fat, because it needs fat in its membranes, tissues, and the myelin sheaths which protect neurons. Neurons are important. Your body sends information via nerves to neurons. Nerves are like highways, and neurons are like pits stops. Neurons take the information and reply with what the body should do. It takes milliseconds for the entire process to happen. It’s so fast, you often don’t even realize it has happened.
Trans fats have been shown to replace good fats in the brain. Since 60 percent of your brain is made up of fat, this replacement of good fat by trans fats creates trouble. Trans fats replace good fats, like DHA, in your brain. So, trans fats eat away at the blood-brain membrane which is made up of fat. As trans fats become part of the brain’s membranes or myelin sheaths, they interfere with the communication between neurons. As a result, your brain cells shrink or die off. Memory goes. Depression happens.
Trans fat foods.
You can find trans fats in processed foods and fried food. Some foods high in trans fat are:
Doughnuts, french fries, and anything fried. Using hot oil to create a nice crispy taste leaves a lot of that hydrogenated oil fried into the pastry.
Cakes with frosting. Most of the trans fats are usually in the frosting, but don’t let that nice cake pastry deceive you. It contains vegetable oil that is partially hydrogenated.
Margarine. Vegetable shortening. Coffee creamers. Frozen pizza. Snack foods. Even microwave popcorn has trans fat that’s used to pop the kernels.
Alternative to trans fats
It’s best to avoid trans fats if you can. Instead of eating trans fats, you can choose a healthier diet of natural foods. S0me suggested foods are avocados, fruits, nuts, meats, leafy greens, and olive oil. Diets high in Vitamins B, D, C, and E keep the brain healthy. Sometimes changing your diet can lessen depression and anxiety. But as I always say, if you’re depressed or anxious, visit a mental health professional.
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