NYC Mulls Ban on Trans Fats in Eateries

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

The city health department unveiled a proposal Tuesday that would bar cooks at any of the city's 24,600 food service establishments from using ingredients that contain the artery-clogging substance, commonly listed on food labels as partially hydrogenated oil.

Artificial trans fats are found in some shortenings, margarine and frying oils and turn up in foods from pie crusts to french fries to doughnuts.

Doctors agree that trans fats are unhealthy in nearly any amount ...

[...]

The proposal also would create a huge problem for national chains. Among the fast foods that would need to get an overhaul or face a ban: McDonald's french fries, Kentucky Fried Chicken and several varieties of Dunkin' Donuts.

Health Commissioner Thomas Frieden acknowledged that the ban would be a challenge for restaurants, but he said trans fats can easily be replaced with substitute oils that taste the same or better and are far less unhealthy.

[...]

A few companies have moved to eliminate trans fats on their own.

Wendy's announced in August that it had switched to a new cooking oil that contains no trans fatty acids.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/D/DIE...-09-26-18-13-07

[Mirorgate 0]

[Jenn! 918]

I want my trans fat!

Edited September 27, 2006 by jenn3539

[almaty 19]

good for nycity.there are enough fat pompous chopf##ks there

[Mirorgate 0]

good for nycity.there are enough fat pompous chopf##ks there

I thought the Senator was a little more north than that

[almaty 19]

good for nycity.there are enough fat pompous chopf##ks there

I thought the Senator was a little more north than that

oh, you are right..i stand corrected....

[pedroh 21]

thats good, it should be done everywhere, no more trans fat or corn syrup.. i demand lard and real sugar

[one...two...tree 2,762]

I believe Canada has also banned foods containing trans fats. There is nothing redeeming about partially hydrogenated vegetable oil - and it's essentially a lab created fat. Our bodies think it's unsaturated (veg. fat), but it's not....just like the ol' Parkay commercials.

[almaty 19]

commies

[Fischkoepfin 1]

Good for NYC! I'm sure other places will follow soon.

As to the fast food vendors who seem so threatened, all they have to do is go back to palm fat which is what most of them used until trans fat became the vogue (except for McD's, they used beef fat which doesn't fly well with vegetarians).

The problem, however, is that some Fast Food chains overprocess their food, so that they add food flavoring to their frying fat, but I'm certain there's a way to flavor natural fat.

[homesick_american 1]

With diabesity on the rise, it's clear that adults cannot be trusted to eat responsibly on their own. People don't exist in a vacuum. When people get fat and diabetic, it raises the cost of healthcare for EVERYONE. I don't want to pay extra because Steve the Lardass down the street just LOVES trans fats. #### that. Steve the Lardass can go without.

So...I say ban trans fats. For starters.

[Fandango 1,439]

With diabesity on the rise, it's clear that adults cannot be trusted to eat responsibly on their own. People don't exist in a vacuum. When people get fat and diabetic, it raises the cost of healthcare for EVERYONE. I don't want to pay extra because Steve the Lardass down the street just LOVES trans fats. #### that. Steve the Lardass can go without.

So...I say ban trans fats. For starters.

Wow, that's a shockingly interesting pov....

[homesick_american 1]

With diabesity on the rise, it's clear that adults cannot be trusted to eat responsibly on their own. People don't exist in a vacuum. When people get fat and diabetic, it raises the cost of healthcare for EVERYONE. I don't want to pay extra because Steve the Lardass down the street just LOVES trans fats. #### that. Steve the Lardass can go without.

So...I say ban trans fats. For starters.

Wow, that's a shockingly interesting pov....

I don't think it's shocking at all. 2/3 of Americans are overweight or obese. I think the evidence is clear enough that many people are simply incapable of feeding themselves properly. I'm tired of paying for them. I say ban trans fats.

[Reba 2]

Well, they'd better ban manufactured bread in grocery stores as well! Have you ever read the labels on that #######? Even the stuff "baked in store" (which is really baked at their central manufacturer and frozen and shipped ) is full of trans fats.

I was looking for bread the other day (I usually make my own but wanted something different) and everything on the shelf had either trans fats or hfcs in it.

There is a product out now in the baking aisle that is a Crisco substitute. its vegetable fats, but not partially hydrogenated. I can't remember the name of it now. Smart...something...It can be used anywhere you would normally use Crisco type products, and in some recipes can replace butter. I used it the other day when I made some pumpkin bread. Nobody knew they were eating something that's actually not bad for them, they thought it was junk food

[Fandango 1,439]

With diabesity on the rise, it's clear that adults cannot be trusted to eat responsibly on their own. People don't exist in a vacuum. When people get fat and diabetic, it raises the cost of healthcare for EVERYONE. I don't want to pay extra because Steve the Lardass down the street just LOVES trans fats. #### that. Steve the Lardass can go without.

So...I say ban trans fats. For starters.

Wow, that's a shockingly interesting pov....

I don't think it's shocking at all. 2/3 of Americans are overweight or obese. I think the evidence is clear enough that many people are simply incapable of feeding themselves properly. I'm tired of paying for them. I say ban trans fats.

People have the right to be as fat as they want...and it's not the gov'ts job to start mandating responsible eating.

I get the whole 'making healthier options available'...I really do...but to say it's clear adults cannot be trusted to eat responsibly...well imo, that's a slippery slope that I'd rather the gov't have no say in. So what's your solution then? How do we get rid of the obesity problem? Put a moritorium on ho hos?

If I wanna eat a transfatty bag of fries, it's not your concern, nor Uncle Sam's.

You could use this argument about the 'money for health care' for any other bad habit......people cannot be trusted to get to bed on time, not smoke, not drink....should Uncle Sam get his teat out so anyone doing anything unhealthy should go suckle at it, since you're saying grown adults cannot be trusted with making choices for themselves?