Starting tomorrow, the New York City ban on trans fats in prepared foods goes into full effect – beginning July 1, restaurants, bakeries, cafeterias and food carts cannot use trans fats to prepare meals. You may remember reading the news when this ban was passed more than a year ago. Some restaurants were extremely uncomfortable with the mandate, worrying that they may not be able to duplicate the taste and texture in their foods. But according to a recent Associated Press article, after much testing, most restaurants have been able to accommodate the change without removing items from the menu.
For example, in preparation for the change Dunkin Donuts sold 50 million trans fat-free donuts in secret to see how consumers would react – and they said it took 28 tests with other substitutes to get the recipe right. Other fast food restaurants are responding, too. KFC, Pizza Hut, McDonald’s, Burger King and Boston Market are among the top chains that have made changes to their signature product recipes – such as McDonald’s cookies and apple pies. Stories abound about smaller restaurants and bakeries that have had to work to adapt recipes they’ve been using for years.
With all this effort, perhaps we need a reminder of why trans fats are so bad for us. Why are they so much worse than other kinds of fat? Trans fat occurs in products that have been hydrogenated, meaning hydrogen has been added to the oil. Trans fats increase LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol) which leads to an increased risk for coronary artery disease. While saturated fats work similarly, many scientists believe that the manufactured trans fats have a more dramatic effect. It’s also important to note that trans fats have no health benefits. They can be found in foods like cakes, cookies and margarine and, in January 2006, the amount of trans fat became a required listing on the Nutrition Facts label.
So while the change required a significant investment of time and effort on the part of eating establishments, the outcome is certainly a positive one for us as consumers.
Kerry
