Research
Hormonal
High intake of trans fatty acids (TFA) increases the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) by raising LDL cholesterol and lowering HDL cholesterol, a dual adverse effect not shared by saturated fatty acids.
Avoid industrial trans fats found in older processed foods, though modern regulations have largely eliminated them. Focus on replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats (MUFA/PUFA) to improve your cholesterol profile, as trans fats uniquely harm both 'good' and 'bad' cholesterol levels.
GoodRefutesHIGH confidence
Both classes of fatty acids raise LDL cholesterol; only TFA also reduce HDL cholesterol. ... Overall there is modest evidence from experimental studies in humans and epidemiological dietary data, to suggest that elevated levels of TFA intake may increase risk of CHD.
Why this rating
Supported by controlled intervention studies and epidemiological data, though the author notes some controversy in epidemiological adjustments.
Source
Dietary fatty acids and human health
Christine M. Williams · Annales de Zootechnie · 2000
DOI 10.1051/animres:2000116
narrative_reviewCited 643×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
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