The coming change in trans fats
When Statistics Canada asked 35,000 people what they ate in the past 24 hours, pizza, donuts, subs and burgers were the staples of the great Canadian diet. I’m no better. I love french fries. My biggest complaint is that I can’t get enough ketchup on them.
The health risks associated with fries are worse here in New York, where McDonald’s ranks highest for trans fats. Fortunately, change is coming to the fast food industry; lead by Wendy’s, which recently committed to banning the use of trans fats in their cooking. (Check with you local outlet to see if they are complying.)
Other good news.
- A Chicago aldermen wants the city become the first in the nation to ban restaurants from using trans fats
- Panera Bread has reformulated recipes to make its menu nearly trans-fat free
The FDA says, “Scientific evidence shows that consumption of saturated fat, trans fat, and dietary cholesterol raises low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or “bad” cholesterol, levels, which increases the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD).”
This FDA website has a useful table comparing the fat content (including trans fats) of selected foods. There is also a pie chart on the main sources of trans fats in our diets.
Want to lean more? You can register at this Google link to get updates on trans fats.
7/8/06 11:22 JR
