Cañones o margarina: la grasa trans y el riesgo cardiovascular

Since the introduction of margarine, trans fatty acids of industrial origin are part of the human nutrition; at present their main source has shifted from margarine to fast food, industrial confectionery and snacks. Until 1990, industrial trans fat was thought to be harmless and a healthy alternative to butter and saturated fat; however in the last 15 years the cumulated evidence proves that it causes dyslipidemia, endothelial dysfunction, increased inflammatory and oxidative stress, accelerated atherosclerosis and an impressive increase in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality which so far is not fully explained, although it is known that trans fat causes functional impairment of adipocytes, hepatocytes, monocytes and vascular endothelial cells. Active strategies are being undertaken in order to progressively reduce (and eventually fully suppress) the exposure of the population to industrial trans fat.