gpronger's Journal: New Form of Cholestrol Worse

Reported in Laboratory Equipment the effects of oxycholesterol have been largely under appreciated in its effects on heart and arteries. The researcher, Zhen-Yu Chen, states that oxycholesterol deposits at a greater rate while also causing a decrease in the elasticity of arteries (a bad thing).

Oxycholestrol is formed when fat-containing foods are heated, as in frying chicken or grilling burgers or steaks. Food manufacturers produce oxycholesterol intentionally in the form of oxidized oils such as trans-fatty acids and partially-hydrogenated vegetable oils. When added to processed foods, those substances improve texture, taste and stability.