Healthy Habits for the Young Athlete

Hydrogenation - The process of adding hydrogen to unsaturated fat to make it more solid and more resistant to chemical change.

Hydrogenation is a process used to prolong shelf life of many processed foods. The problem is that hydrogenation changes the molecular structure of oils into a form that is unnatural for the human body.

Due to its harmful effect to the body, hydrogenated oils have been banned in most European Countries. Americans tend to eat a diet quick and convenient. Therefore we consume a lot of processed foods instead of whole natural foods. It is important to understand that hydrogenated oils contribute to the rise cholesterol which contributes to cardiovascular disease.

In order to avoid this toxic substance remember to read the labels of the foods you buy. Avoid foods which contain hydrogenated oils or partially hydrogenated oils. Look for foods that are non-hydrogenated.

With reading labels you will begin to educate yourself on what you are actually putting into your body and the body of your child.

"By our most conservative estimate, replacement of partially hydrogenated fat in the U.S. diet with natural unhydrogenated vegetable oils would prevent approximately 30,000 premature coronary deaths per year and epidemiological evidence suggest the number is closer to 100,000 premature deaths annually."

--Harvard school of public health