Trans Fats: Which Type of Fatty Acid Is Unnecessary for Human Health?

December 9, 2025 •

4 min read

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), trans fats increase the risk of death from any cause by 34%, highlighting the severe health consequences of these harmful substances. This powerful statistic makes it clear why artificial trans fats are the type of fatty acid that is unnecessary for a healthy human diet.

Quick Summary

Artificial trans fats are industrially produced and offer no nutritional benefits, making them entirely unnecessary. They raise bad cholesterol, lower good cholesterol, and significantly increase the risk of heart disease.

Key Points

Artificial Trans Fats are Unnecessary: Unlike essential fatty acids, industrially produced trans fats offer no nutritional value to the human body and should be avoided.
Damages Cholesterol Levels: Trans fats increase harmful LDL cholesterol while simultaneously lowering beneficial HDL cholesterol, significantly elevating the risk of heart disease.
Linked to Chronic Diseases: Regular consumption of artificial trans fats contributes to higher risks of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.
Created Through Hydrogenation: This unnecessary fatty acid is a product of an industrial process that turns liquid vegetable oils into solid fats, primarily for cost and shelf life benefits.
Check Labels for "Partially Hydrogenated Oil": The best way to identify artificial trans fats is to look for this phrase in the ingredients list, as products can be misleadingly labeled as having "0 grams".
Regulated Globally Due to Harm: Major health organizations like the WHO and FDA have taken action to eliminate artificial trans fats from the food supply because of their detrimental health impacts.

Understanding Fatty Acids: A Quick Overview

Fatty acids are fundamental components of fats and oils, categorized by their chemical structure and the presence of double bonds. Key types include saturated, monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, and trans fats. While some fats are vital for bodily functions, not all are equally beneficial.

The Problem with Trans Fats

While certain fatty acids are essential, artificial trans fats are distinctly unnecessary and detrimental to health. These differ from the small amounts of natural trans fats in some animal products, which have less understood effects. Artificial trans fats are the main concern.

Artificial Trans Fats: The Manufacturing Process

Artificial trans fats are produced through hydrogenation, a process where liquid vegetable oils are solidified by adding hydrogen gas. This makes fats cheaper, extends shelf life, and improves flavor stability, leading to their widespread use in processed foods. However, the resulting molecular structure interferes with normal metabolism.

The Health Risks Associated with Artificial Trans Fats

Extensive research confirms the significant negative health effects of artificial trans fats, particularly on cardiovascular health.

Harmful Cholesterol Levels: Artificial trans fats elevate LDL ("bad") cholesterol and decrease HDL ("good") cholesterol, substantially increasing the risk of heart disease.
Increased Inflammation: Trans fats are also linked to increased systemic inflammation, a factor in many chronic illnesses.
Higher Risk of Chronic Disease: These effects on cholesterol and inflammation raise the risk of coronary artery disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.

Why Artificial Trans Fats Are Unnecessary

Unlike essential fatty acids (omega-3 and omega-6) that the body cannot produce, artificial trans fats provide no nutritional value. There is no dietary requirement for them, and any consumption is considered unhealthy. Health authorities like the WHO and AHA recommend minimizing intake.

Identifying and Avoiding Artificial Trans Fats

Due to health risks, artificial trans fats are regulated in many places. The FDA no longer considers partially hydrogenated oils as generally recognized as safe (GRAS). To avoid them:

Read the Label: Look for "partially hydrogenated oil" or "hydrogenated oil" in ingredients. Products with less than 0.5 grams per serving can be labeled "0 grams of trans fat," making ingredient checking vital.
Reduce Processed Foods: Many processed items contain artificial trans fats. Whole, fresh foods are a healthier alternative.
Cook at Home: Preparing food allows control over ingredients. Use healthier oils like olive or canola oil.

Comparison of Common Fatty Acid Types


Feature	Saturated Fats	Monounsaturated Fats	Polyunsaturated Fats	Artificial Trans Fats
Chemical Structure	Single carbon-carbon bonds only.	One double carbon-carbon bond.	Two or more double carbon-carbon bonds.	Hydrogenated unsaturated fats with altered structure.
State at Room Temp.	Solid (e.g., butter, lard)	Liquid (e.g., olive oil)	Liquid (e.g., sunflower oil)	Solid or semi-solid (e.g., shortening)
Health Effects	Raises both LDL and HDL cholesterol; high intake can increase heart disease risk.	Improves cholesterol profiles; reduces LDL and increases HDL.	Includes essential omega-3s and omega-6s; supports heart and brain health.	Raises LDL, lowers HDL, and increases heart disease and stroke risk.
Essential for Diet?	No, the body can produce its own.	No, the body can produce its own (e.g., oleic acid).	Yes, omega-3 (ALA) and omega-6 (LA) must come from diet.	No, provides no nutritional benefit.
Common Sources	Animal fat, dairy, coconut and palm oil.	Olive oil, avocado, nuts.	Fish, flaxseed, walnuts, soybean oil.	Fried foods, baked goods, margarine, shortening.

Conclusion

Artificial trans fats are an unnecessary and harmful type of fatty acid that should be completely avoided. They offer no nutritional value and pose serious health risks, particularly to the cardiovascular system. By learning how to identify and avoid artificial trans fats in processed foods and choosing healthier fat sources, individuals can significantly improve their long-term health. Global health efforts to eliminate these fats emphasize their detrimental impact, confirming their status as a completely unnecessary dietary component. For more information on the health consequences of trans fats, the World Health Organization offers extensive resources.

List of Foods to Scrutinize for Artificial Trans Fats
- Baked goods like cookies, cakes, and crackers
- Fried foods, especially fast food fries and fried chicken
- Margarines and vegetable shortening
- Processed snacks such as chips and popcorn
- Pizza dough

Making Healthier Choices

Replacing artificial trans fats with healthier options like monounsaturated fats from olive oil and avocados, or polyunsaturated fats from oily fish, nuts, and seeds is a key step towards better health. Focusing on whole, unprocessed foods helps minimize exposure to these dangerous and unnecessary fatty acids, contributing to a heart-healthy diet.

World Health Organization information on trans fats

Frequently Asked Questions

The primary fatty acid that is unnecessary for human health is industrially produced, or artificial, trans fat.

Artificial trans fats are created through an industrial process called hydrogenation, while small amounts of natural trans fats occur in meat and dairy from grazing animals. The artificial kind poses the significant health risks.

Trans fats harm the body by raising low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, lowering high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and increasing systemic inflammation.

Some fatty acids, like omega-3 and omega-6, are called essential because the human body cannot produce them and they must be obtained through diet.

Hydrogenation is a chemical process that adds hydrogen to liquid vegetable oils to make them solid or semi-solid at room temperature, creating artificial trans fats in the process.

Saturated fats are not essential in the diet, as the body can produce them. While a high intake can be unhealthy, they are not classified as completely unnecessary and harmful in the same way as artificial trans fats.

Instead of trans fats, opt for healthier fats found in olive oil, avocados, nuts, seeds, and fatty fish. These contain beneficial mono- and polyunsaturated fats.