Re: What are the effects of foods with saturated or trans fat?

We should divide your question into separate discussions of staturated and trans fats.

Saturated fats: These fats are an essential part of our body. If you could wave a magic wand and remove all the staturated fat from your body... don't do it! You'd be dead! We need saturated fats in our cells to live. We do know that many responsible organizations like CDC, FDA, AHA and WHO suggest that those of us who live in developed countries like the United States should eat less saturated fats. We should also get more exercise.

Trans fats: There is a good trans fat article on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans_fat
Unlike other kinds of fats, trans fats are not a required part of the diet. Many responsible organizations recommend that levels of snythetically created trans fats in the diet be reduced to trace levels because they appear to increase the risk of coronary heart disease. Many food companies are starting to remove trans fats from their products because of the health concerns. Note that there are some naturally ooccurring trans fats that do not appear to be harmful.

What to do? Eat a balanced diet, including plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, don't eat too much saturated fat, don't eat too much junk food, drink plenty of water, and get plenty of sleep and exercise.