Today, the board of health in New York is going to vote on whether or not the city will ban trans fats from restaurants. If the ban passes, eateries will have until July 2008 to eliminate all but 0.5g of trans fats per serving from their food. Restaurateurs are anxious, many worried that the quality of their food - by which they mean the taste - will suffer if the ban is accepted. While we wait to hear the ruling, what are some common sources of trans fats in our food? Forbes has named their five worst offenders in terms of the amount of trans fats they contain. They picked prepared and prepackaged foods; stick margarine; and chips and crackers fried in partially hydrogenated oils. Many breakfast foods, from donuts to pancakes, contain trans fats because they are either fried in type of partially hydrogenated oil or are claiming to be lower in cholesterol, since maybe breakfasters worry about the potential health risks of adding butter to their eggs. The most surprising item on the list is the fact that they name kosher baked goods as being at a high risk. The reason is that they are more likely to use partially hydrogenated shortening in place of dairy ingredients, like butter.Forbes lists worst trans-fat offenders
Today, the board of health in New York is going to vote on whether or not the city will ban trans fats from restaurants. If the ban passes, eateries will have until July 2008 to eliminate all but 0.5g of trans fats per serving from their food. Restaurateurs are anxious, many worried that the quality of their food - by which they mean the taste - will suffer if the ban is accepted. While we wait to hear the ruling, what are some common sources of trans fats in our food? Forbes has named their five worst offenders in terms of the amount of trans fats they contain. They picked prepared and prepackaged foods; stick margarine; and chips and crackers fried in partially hydrogenated oils. Many breakfast foods, from donuts to pancakes, contain trans fats because they are either fried in type of partially hydrogenated oil or are claiming to be lower in cholesterol, since maybe breakfasters worry about the potential health risks of adding butter to their eggs. The most surprising item on the list is the fact that they name kosher baked goods as being at a high risk. The reason is that they are more likely to use partially hydrogenated shortening in place of dairy ingredients, like butter.Comments [94]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)
212-05-2006 @ 5:57PM
Vesna Vuynovich Kovach said...
From Nicole's post: "Restaurateurs are anxious, many worried that the quality of their food - by which they mean the taste - will suffer if the ban is accepted."
On the contrary -- the taste would improve, not suffer, if the only change were to the trans-fat ingredients. Trans-fats are found in fake gunk, like margarine and hydrogenated vegetable shortening. Not in real food, like butter. Butter tastes better, and costs more.
I think the restaurateurs mean the cost will be higher. If the quality suffers, it's because the restaurateurs cut corners elsewhere.
Check out these books for more along these lines:
Real Food: What to eat and why, by Nina Planck
Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats, by Sally Fallon
For the record, though, I'm not in favor of the ban, because of the way it restricts liberties. I think fake foods are horrible and wish they would go away. But I believe education and smarter choices are the answer, not paternalistic government.
312-05-2006 @ 6:40PM
Nicole Weston said...
I totally agree with you Vesna. Sometimes it seems that people will make any argument to avoid change, doesn't it?
4I know it woulod be healthy to ban such a thing, but isn't this America. We have the right to choose what to eat and what to not eat. If we let the goverment dictate what should and shouldn't be banned than this is certainly not a land of free speech. Next thing we know, the goverment will ban sodas, cookies, coffee and other related matters. I'm not sure, but if this ban is for reastaurants alone or other eateries than Ithink it's still stupid. We have the right to eat and drink what we want. We know the health risks and we choose to follow it or not. We have smokers, Drinkers, and people doing other things that are much worst than having a bite of french fries fried crispy. Later people would try to replace The trans Fat with something better but is it really better??? We didn't even know What or how Trans fat was harmful before, but we do know now what it is, so my thought are, Let us eat or not eat it but use the money in our education about it insead of Banning it. Next thing we know, we'll have people bootlegging Margarine....
512-08-2006 @ 11:41PM
Vesna Vuynovich Kovach said...
Christine, that's funny that you would use margarine as the example! I live in Wisconsin. Part of the lore here is that margarine used to be illegal to sell here in the Dairy State, and people used to drive south across the border to Illinois (or west to Minnesota) to buy it and bring it back.
All I want to know is ... why bother!?
(To learn more, google "margarine Wisconsin smuggled" and you'll get plenty of hits.)
712-10-2006 @ 7:09AM
james robertson said...
why should the board health have the right to tell people what to eat or tell restaurateurs.the city of new york is always trying to ruin peoples lives.they need to but out
8Unfortunately obesity and metabolic disease brought on by obesity is beginning to top the charts in our country and so are the law suits from parents and others. We are a blame and pass the buck nation. When something is wrong we have to place the blame on someone other than ourselves, and then when something to protect the food industry comes out to help resolve our heart atack weary over consuming patrons we again get mad. Health care cost are also so high that even with health insurance you can't afford the medical care when you need it. If this trans-fat free world will be cheaper, help prevent heart attacks, and lessen some of the prevalence on obesity thenwe should do it. The reality is a lot of people lack self control when it comes to food and don't eat within serving size limits. Though it sounds righteous to say we have a choice and we shouldn't have to be told what we can and can't have. Then the blame lies on the people who keep suing corperate America within the food industry. Instead of seeking the help of a dietician, a healht psychologist or a fitness trainer, which could cost thousands not covered by any health insurance company. Then guess what its cheaper to get a lawyer and sue for millions. This however how sad does not change thier eating habits at home or stop them from switching to a different chain to eat from. We will never be able to win for losing in our country. However, eliminating transfats forever will not hurt the taste of food products; it just shortens the shelf life of the oreos. Chances are someone with no self control will eat the whol package in 2 or 3 sittings anyhow, and it won't fix thier weight but it might salvage thier arteries a few more years. I say this not to offend people with weight problems, it is just that our culture practices little self control and we are marketed and trained by what is around us, everything is about more, bigger, and most.
It is sad situation, I see it everyday where I work. I'm a fitness Trainer and I think that banning trans fats hurts no one, and it will improve some quality of life for americans no matter what they weigh.
9I agree that American should be free but not at the cost of other american. Why shouldn't be free to drive as fast as we want? Why shouldn't be free to make noise in the middle of the night as loud as we want? Why not eat as crasy as we want, get fat, get cardiac problem or diabetic problem and fill all the hospitals in america and make the health system and insurance skyroketing? Why shouldn't we be able to smoke everywere and have other people get our second smoke in order they can get cancer and die?
If we are not allowed to use our cell phone in theater, break in someone house or sell nude picture of our child on internet, it might restrict some of our liberty, but most of all, it gives liberty to all other people who don't want to suffer emotionally or economically because others don't care how they behavior.
Trans-fat did not exist 100 years ago. Some manufacturer invented it, and we realize without any doubt today that it is a bad product that is responsable for fat people and many illnesses that cause death and extreme cost to our health system and insurance.
Sorry for my english writing, I have never been to english school.
10They are talking about banning bad food from restaurants, not invading your refridgerator. They already regulate those businesses...the health codes. This is just another so the public can trust that some restaurants won't cut corners and feed you harmful things unbeknownst to you. Look at so many American's that are overweight, we haven't done too good with the food choices and business practices. Obesity costs everyone because it causes so many health problems. Look at a bag of chips or crackers they have markings- 0 Transfat now. They have to tell you so you will have faith in their product, but a restauranteer doesn't tell you what is in the food. A chef never reveals his recipe. I say, "tell the restaurants to drop the stick of margarine. We want butter food."
14With government regulating what we can or cannot eat, it makes me wonder when they will TELL US what to do next, how many kids to have, when to eat, sleep, drink etc.
We all make choices, I thought we were a free society.
You cannot requlate the you are going to be heralthy...
15Michael, your english isn't your problem. It's your civics. The speed limit was originally set according to automobile capabilities and the engineering angles of the highways. Gerald Ford imposed a lower speed limit in response to a false fuel scarcity. I could also deconstruct your other examples. Banning trans-fats is not a constitutional function of government. Government rules the best when it rules the least. Our problem with artificial food additives started several decades ago when the U.S. Government changed the food pyramid. Previous posts refer to more education. What they mean is indoctrination into the culture of pop-americanism. A few years ago, coffee was bad for you; now a cup in the morning is good for you. The same is true for eggs, sugar, and wine. Keep government out of our stomachs. Repeal mandatory health insurance by employeres. When we have to pay for medical care out of our own pockets, health care costs will come down because we won't rush to the emergency room for treatment that mom used to give with Bactine and a bandaid. Health care costs will also go down once the Mexican invasion is halted. 25% of all working Mexicans are now in this country illegally and hospitals are forced to treat them at taxpayer expense. If smoking was so bad, why isn't it illegal? Because government wants the tax revenue. Smoking in restaurants shouldn't be banned. It should be up to the owners of the restaurant. You don't have to eat there and employees don't have to work there. There are plenty of voluntary non-smoking establishments. Don't want politicans banning trans-fats? Get smarter when you elect them, don't vote by party affiliation, and don't let them become career politicians. Freedom means taking responsibility for your choices in life.
1712-10-2006 @ 8:07AM
Mark Alesio said...
This stuff is poison. That's all there is to it.This is not a political issue.
18No amount of legislation, however well-meaning, will change the fact that we are responsible for own health and fitness. Behind every law governing how and why and what we are allowed to do, is the need for each of us to use our intelligence to decide how to make it part of our lives. The fact is we eat too much! No law will change that. We have become a greedy nation, assuming a level of entitlement way out of proportion to what we deserve. We demand choice, and service and 'value for money', all of which are simply euphemisms for wanting it all for the least amount of effort. We are paying for this 'All you can eat' culture with our lives. By the way, 'All you can eat' is a choice, not a requirement. And we should stop making excuses for excessive behaviour. I'm one of the overweight people in this country, and it's my job to lose the weight, if I can, not the lawmakers in Washington. Don't blame someone else for your own lack of discipline. Nobody is forcing that half pounder down my throat. Ban transfats? It's ridiculous. Whatever happened to moderation and balance? A slice of Pizza will not kill you. A diet of Pizza will.
20If the government is allowed to start Banning.
What will they Ban next? Where have my Freedoms gone?
If they are going to ban transfats for health reasons?
They should ban cigarettes, alcohol, and such...
Look how unhealthy these items are?
However, much money from the ciggie and booze companies line the politicians pockets.
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