If you’re that kind of person who regularly reads the labels in the kinds of food you consume, you might have come across with this word that is a challenge to pronounce and sounds more like a hardcore fuel for a military tanker. In one of my write-ups, I mentioned about processed foods and how they add a heavy burden to your digestive troubles. However, a topic on processed foods without mentioning hydrogenated oils would not be complete.
Various food manufacturers have taken the fat that we use through a process that is called hydrogenation. It simply means adding hydrogen bubbles to an oil to make it solidify. Some examples of hydrogenated oils are margarine and vegetable shortening. If you’re not able to read it on most of your food labels, then it might come by its other and more familiar name: totally saturated fats — which are evidently the cause of the increase in your blood cholesterol (and in turn gives way to other diseases and illnesses such as heart, diabetes and cancer).
Aside from the fact that they contain no nutrients and hardly any beneficial ingredients, hydrogenated oils worsen your GERD or acid reflux as it contributes more to the acidic environment within your stomach.
Hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils can be found in a myriad of products, but it seems like their favorite has always been — processed foods. If you could take a closer look at the ingredients label on anything that is in your kitchen that is contained in a box, jar, can or bag, the greater chances are these kinds of food contain those oils.
It’s important though to distinguish the difference between good fats and bad fats, especially if you want to naturally cure your GERD, acid reflux, or any digestive disorder you have. Your body does need fast to thrive — but it needs the right kind. Bad fats are fat that is hydrogenated, partially hydrogenated or animal based (pork, lard or salt). Good fats on the other hand, include real butter (with emphasis on “real”) and not the “light” alternative. Other examples include canola oil, olive oil, safflower oil and sesame oil.
