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Banning Trans Fats In Restaurants - A Good Idea?
Some local governments have
recently implemented voluntary programs to encourage restaurants to reduce
trans-fats from margarine, shortening, and partially hydrogenated oils. But
they’ve been unsuccessful. Eateries use trans fats in deep-fried foods and
baked goods because they extend the shelf life and can be reused for frying.
While it’s unusual to enact legal bans on foods, advocates see no other
option to protect the public than to take this step, and I agree with them.
Eating just 4 grams of trans fat a day greatly increases the risk of
cardiovascular disease (one serving of fries has 5 grams; a Danish pastry
3). These dangerous fats also promote chronic inflammation, diabetes, and
cancer. While the FDA requires trans fats to be listed on all packaged
foods, restaurant diners have no way of knowing whether food they order
contains them. It’s estimated that replacing trans fats with unsaturated
fats may cost an extra penny per order of fries and that the taste
difference would be minimal. But either way, there’s a price. You may not
eat healthy, but if the rest of the community doesn’t, you still pay for it
through health care.
If the New York Board of Health passes its ban, all restaurant foods would
have to contain less than 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving. Tiburon,
California, has already banned trans fats in all food. Until all governments
recognize this threat, it’s recommended avoiding fried foods and pastries
and choosing vegetarian entrees when dining out.