What element do you add to unsaturated vegetable oils make trans fats?

The element you add to unsaturated vegetable oils to make trans fats is hydrogen. This process is called hydrogenation.

Here's how it works:

* Unsaturated fats have double bonds between carbon atoms in their fatty acid chains. These double bonds can be broken by adding hydrogen atoms.

* Hydrogenation is a process where hydrogen gas is added to unsaturated oils in the presence of a catalyst (like nickel).

* When hydrogen atoms are added to the double bonds, they become single bonds. This changes the shape of the fatty acid from a bent or kinked shape to a straighter shape.

* Trans fats are formed when some of the hydrogen atoms are added to the double bonds in a way that results in the hydrogen atoms being on opposite sides of the carbon chain. This changes the molecule's shape and can lead to negative health effects.

While trans fats were once commonly used in processed foods, they have since been largely phased out due to their negative health impacts.