Did you know that if you cook any oil hot enough you will convert some of it to trans fat? This includes the really healthy oils like olive oil. It turns out that most home chefs cook with the temperature too high for the oil they are using and unintentionally create trans fat when cooking.

Even oil has what is known as a "smoking point." This is the temperature at which the oil starts to smoke. If you are cooking with oil and it starts to smoke, then you know for sure you have created some trans fat. In fact, most oils convert to trans fat before their smoking point.

Many people are cooking with olive oil for health reasons (although it also tastes good). However, olive oil has a very low smoking point and if you cook with it you must keep the temperature on very low or you will create trans fat.

It is important not to create trans fat because trans fat gets incorporated into your cell membranes where healthy fats are supposed to be and cause serious health issues such as diabetes and heart disease. The safest thing you can do is always make sure you cook on low temperatures. Deep frying is particularly bad for creating trans fat and if you must deep fry try to use oil when a very high smoking point such as peanut oil - this is why fried turkeys are usually fried in peanut oil.

You may also want to consider other methods of cooking such as poaching and steaming instead of frying as these are healthier methods of cooking and will not create any trans fat.