Taking Sides
As the U.S. faces a growing obesity epidemic and becomes more and more health-conscious, the right to eat what you want is becoming more and more regulated.
The government has decided to intervene in the fight for a healthier population by imposing new restrictions regarding trans fats, starting with New York City. Restaurants within city limits are now banned from cooking food in trans fatty oils and must limit any artificial trans fat to 0.5 grams per serving.
The Support
Health officials say the ban will help save lives. Studies conducted by Harvard School of Public Health show that removing trans fats from the industrial food supply could prevent tens of thousands of heart attacks and cardiac deaths each year in the U.S.
But not all states are looking for an all out ban on trans fat. South Carolina State Senator David Thomas, R-Greenville has proposed legislation that would simply make the public aware of what kinds of trans fats exist in certain foods. (See top video.)
The Opposition
Numerous businesses oppose the idea of a government ban claiming it will be more expensive to cook their products in fully hydrogenated oils rather than partially hydrogenated.
Some claim the government should have no say in how individual businesses are run and that consumers will be able to taste the difference in cooking.
Evan Bofilios owns the Golden Egg Restaurant in Surfside Beach, South Carolina and has voluntarily switched to using non trans fatty oils. He says there is no difference in taste. (See bottom video.)
Banned in the USA
With New York City recently implementing its ban of trans fats other states have begun initiating their own trans-fat legislation. An Oakland County commissioner in Michigan wants to bar the county’s restaurants from cooking with trans-fatty oils by 2008.
Washington State has begun conducting its own study into whether or not to follow New York’s lead with the ban.
Chicago is taking steps to enforce a bill that would increase awareness by requiring all restaurants to label the products that are fried in partially hydrogenated oils.
Some businesses such as Starbucks, Lenoir-Rhyne College and even Girl Scouts already offer consumers trans-fat-free products, while others are waiting to be told they can no longer cook with trans-fatty oils.