Starbucks NYC Bans Trans Fat (and what you actually need to know about trans fat labelling)
Posted Sep 14 2008 4:08pm
(Posted by Patrick Sullivan Jr.)
Heard a little trans fat blip on the news tonight. Something about Starbucks cutting out trans fat from their stores in NYC, as well as 9 other cities. Mostly, this means dropping certain backed goods that contain partially hydrogenated oils.
Googled and found this easy to understand "mom's" article about how hard it is to stay away from trans fat. As the danger of trans fat becomes more well known and you try to protect your family, the most important take away is this:
...some of the foods labeled trans-fat free aren't."That packaging can be deceptive," he says. "When it says 0 g trans fat, by law it can contain up to half a gram per serving." A few servings a day, and you could find yourself in dangerous trans-land.
Still, it is possible to shop smart. Stores like Whole Foods and Wild Oats Markets have instituted a total ban. Otherwise, scrutinize the ingredients list; the words hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated are the number one tip-off that trans fats are present. Finally, search out USDA-certified organic products; the process of hydrogenation is forbidden under current organics regulations. [emphasis mine]
The trick is the serving size. A single muffin can legally be labeled as 4 (or more) separate servings in order to make sure that each serving is less than 1 gram of trans fat. How many people would consider a single muffin to be multiple servings?
That, my friends, is some bullshitake regulation from our beloved federal government. Don't you feel safer?
The sad part about fats in general is they are an essential part of the diet, and yet everyone thinks that no/low fat diets are healthy. Well deserved negative press on trans fats is likely to cause more confusion and extend this myth. Learn more about good and bad fats.
(Posted by Patrick Sullivan Jr.)
Googled and found this easy to understand "mom's" article about how hard it is to stay away from trans fat. As the danger of trans fat becomes more well known and you try to protect your family, the most important take away is this:
The trick is the serving size. A single muffin can legally be labeled as 4 (or more) separate servings in order to make sure that each serving is less than 1 gram of trans fat. How many people would consider a single muffin to be multiple servings?
That, my friends, is some bullshitake regulation from our beloved federal government. Don't you feel safer?
The sad part about fats in general is they are an essential part of the diet, and yet everyone thinks that no/low fat diets are healthy. Well deserved negative press on trans fats is likely to cause more confusion and extend this myth. Learn more about good and bad fats.