Trans Fats must be banned because they raise levels of LDL (low-density lipoprotein) which is also known as bad cholesterol. At the same time trans fat lowers the levels of HDL (high-density lipoprotein) which is known as good cholesterol. New York City has already banned trans fat in all restaurants. The trans fat comes from hydrogenated oils, the process is used to make an oil more solid; provide longer shelf-life in baked products; provide longer fry-life for cooking oils, and provide a certain kind of texture or "mouthfeel."
NYC Board of Health gave all restaurants six months to switch to oils, margarines and shortening used for frying and spreading that have less than 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving. After 18 months, all other food items – including all margarines and shortenings – must contain less than 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving. A Harvard nutritionist educationally estimated that over 30,000 premature coronary deaths would be prevented. currently about 100,000 premature coronary deaths occur annually. It has been stated that Chicago has been thinking about banning trans fat in all restaurants that make over 20 million a year. Canada has been taking steps towards banning trans fat completely also. McDonalds has been experimenting with many new oils and quietly formulating ideas to switch from hydrogenated oils. Wendy’s International Inc and Taco Bell and KFC have all agreed to get rid of trans fat in their menus.
Unqualified support for the proposed changes came from numerous leading national and local professional societies, academic institutions, and local hospitals and advocacy groups, including the American Medical Association (AMA), National Hispanic Medical Association (NHMA), American College of Cardiology (ACC), American Cancer Society (ACS), American Diabetes Association (ADA), American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), New York Academy of Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center, Harvard University, New York University, Institute for Urban Family Health, and Northern Manhattan Perinatal Partnership.
Tommy Thompson, the Secretary of HHS, said at a news conference on the Guidelines on January 12, 2005 that the FDA may recommend that daily intake of trans fat be less than 2 grams, perhaps less than 1 gram. Clearly trans fat is known to be unhealthy and shouldn’t be in the daily diet as regularly as it is now. The switch would be from partially hydrogenated oils to nonhydrogenated oils
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1) We do expect sources. You're better off including them than not.
2) I only partially agree. Why? Because there are thousands of things that are bad for your heath, but they're completely legal. We have something called free choice... Not necessarily in the biblical sense, just in the sense that WE choose what we buy, what we eat, etc. I think there is a responsibility to inform the public saying 'oh, hey, this item has trans fat in it', but that should be as far as it goes. If the person still wants to clog their arteries, they should be allowed to.
3) Cholesterol is a whole lot more complicated than that. Once I can find the article I read about it this past month, I'll post it here for your enjoyment.
~C
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You're right I left that out. All this can be found on bantransfat.com
Yes I understand that things like cigarettes and alcohol are bad for our health too, but people actually seem open to the idea since there is and equal replacement that isn't going to change the taste of fast food. I guess if people want to kill themselves with trans fat thats fine by me, this is just my view.
Liberals need to stop trying to control our lives. Gun laws, Food restrictions, and the "EPA". We need to have personal responsibility for our actions. Not let the Government control that.