Dear Dietician: Trans Fats

Dear Readers,

We've all heard of trans fats by now, but what are they and what effect do they have on the body? "Trans" is a chemistry term that refers to the arrangement of molecules. In a trans formation, molecules are arranged on opposite sides of the carbon: carbon double bond.

Trans fats, which are unsaturated, are found in small amounts in animal products. The big offender has been artificia...