Updated October 2026: Since I wrote this in 2011, the law has caught up. Since 1 January 2022, FSSAI allows no more than 2% trans fat in edible oils and fats, and in foods that contain them. The Food Safety and Standards Act replaced the PFA Act in 2011.
Vanaspati and other partially hydrogenated fats contain trans fats, the most harmful fats in our diet. Here is what they are, why they are made, and how to avoid them.
Edible oils come in three forms: crude, refined and vanaspati. Going by the words alone, you might think:
- crude oil is natural but not yet fit to eat;
- refined oil is improved and perfect to eat;
- vanaspati — “lord of the forest” in Sanskrit — must be very healthy.
The words mislead.
Three kinds of oil
| Oil | How it is made | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Crude (filtered) oil | Only filtered after pressing | Keeps natural vitamin E, flavour and aroma — the most natural form |
| Refined oil | Treated with chemicals and heat; even poor seed can be refined | Pure, but less wholesome than filtered oil |
| Vanaspati | Refined oil, partly hydrogenated | Contains trans fats, which are harmful |
In 2011, India used about 13 million tonnes of edible oil a year. Today it uses over 22 million tonnes: roughly 60% refined oil, 35% unrefined (filtered) oil and 5% vanaspati, by one estimate. Doctors often warn against saturated fat, but trans fats are far worse for the heart. Their chemistry explains why.
The chemistry of fats
Fatty acids are saturated or unsaturated, depending on whether their molecules have double bonds. Saturated fats have none: they are fully “saturated” with hydrogen. Unsaturated fats have one or more double bonds, which free radicals attack, so they go rancid more easily.
In natural unsaturated fats, the hydrogen atoms sit on the same side of each double bond: the cis form, which puts a kink in the molecule. Partial hydrogenation twists some of the remaining double bonds so the hydrogen atoms sit on opposite sides: the trans form. It is more stable, so hydrogenation favours it.
Trans molecules are straighter, so they pack tightly. That raises their melting point to about 45°C — above body temperature (37°C) — so they stay solid in the body.
In short, trans fats are stable, keep longer, and stay solid in the body.
Why hydrogenate?
Solid, stable fats mostly come from animals — butter and ghee — and cost more. Vegetable oils are plentiful and cheap but mostly unsaturated. Partly hydrogenating cheap vegetable oil gives a low-cost, long-lasting solid fat that cooks and tastes well. That is why hydrogenated fats are used so widely in bread, cookies, cream biscuits, sweets, fried snacks, chocolate and ice cream.
Coconut oil is one of the few plant oils that is naturally rich in saturated fat, so it needs no hydrogenation.
Health risks
The main risk of eating trans fats is coronary heart disease. Trans fats raise LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and lower HDL (“good”) cholesterol. Studies have also linked them to other conditions, such as diabetes and obesity.
What the law says, and what you can do
Since 2022, FSSAI caps trans fat at 2% in edible oils and fats, and in foods made with them, and labels must show the trans fat content.
Even so, eat as little as you can of commercially made food from bakeries, hotels and packets. Read the ingredients and nutrition facts on every label, and avoid products listing “edible vegetable fat” or more than 2% trans fat.
Source: Wikipedia, “Trans fat”