by Jennifer Hunt

Created on: August 24, 2008

I first heard of hydrogenated oils about two years ago. At first I didn't think twice about it until I began searching the world wide web to get some information. What I discovered was shocking. Just by consuming foods that have oils that have gone through this process you are indeed damaging your body. It damages your cells which in turn causes other problems such as high blood pressure,heart disease, and stroke.

Once I became aware of the dangers I began to start eliminating foods with those oils. What was worse was the realization of the amount of foods I was feeding myself and my family that contained these oils. It is in the vast majority of foods- chances are high that you are filling your body with it all day long. You can find these oils in some drinks, waffles,frozen pizza bites, frozen conveniece foods, graham crackers, cookies,refrigerated biscuits,margarine,baked goods,peanut butter,boxed pasta meals,and so on.

I soon began a plan to ban and to fill my house whith more wholesome foods. I started making more of my kids favorite snacks from scratch so there is no question about what is in it. Sure my kids miss some of those convenient foods- but I would rather encourage better eating habits and know that natural ingredients are going into thier bodies and not chemically alterted ones.What price would you put on your families health? Trust me it cost so much more to eat healthy- my food bill has increased by at least thirty percent.

I know some people don't believe the studies stating that these oils have been in shortening for nearly ninety years. The difference, when it was first intoruduced in shortening it was not used in every item that you ate through out the day and today it is. Times have changed- there is a restaurant or fast food place generally within two miles of peoples homes. Most people don't grow their own foods anymore or take the time to cook at home. There's a reason why if you type in a search for hydrogentaed oil health risks that over three hundred thousand items come up. Some countries banned hydrogenated oils in thier foods years ago and the US is just looking into things. In CA it has recently been signed the ban of hydrogenated oils in fast food, howvere they have two and a half years to do so. Why wait around, take charge of your health!

I share the information I have learned with my family and friends on a regular basis. Some are sick of hearing it and others are banning it from their homes as well. If your family members smoked you would be concerned about their health and let them know the risks. Why is this different?

Learn more about this author, Jennifer Hunt.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.