2008 Woodie Awards
Much ado about trans fat
Ian Parker '10
Issue date: 1/31/07 Section: Opinion
For years, trans fats have not been fully understood. They began as a cheap way for food producers to keep food from going bad, but they have recently exploded into nearly every food we eat. Research has shown that trans fats (partially hydrogenated vegetable oil) increase chances of coronary heart disease and obesity. For this reason, it is a very good thing that Aramark has decided to stop using trans fats in its frying oil, instead using safer corn and sunflower oils.
Restaurants and cities across the country have begun to remove trans fats from their food as the dangers have become more and more apparent. Most recently and most famously, the city of New York decided to begin requiring restaurants to remove trans fats from their foods. Other cities across the nation are considering similar laws. Moves like this follow the voluntary decisions of many restaurants to remove them on their own. Starbucks and KFC are only two of the many restaurants that have also decided to do this.
The reason for the crackdown on trans fats is simple: they lead to bad health. Medical research has shown that trans fats build up the bad kind of cholesterol (LDL) just like saturated fat does. Unlike saturated fat, though, trans fats decrease the amount of "good" cholesterol in our bodies. The net effect of the increase in bad and the decrease in good cholesterol is roughly twice as unhealthy as that of saturated fat alone.
All this information has recently prompted the FDA to require all food manufacturers to begin labeling the amount of trans fats in food. This new requirement will hopefully have two effects. One should be to force companies to cut down on the amount of trans fats in their food. No long will they be allowed to substitute cheap, unhealthy additives for the real thing without consumers knowing about it. The other effect should be reduced consumption of trans fats among consumers. Hopefully, knowledge consumers have gained about their foods will influence them to begin making healthier decisions.
A very necessary requirement for healthier diets, though, is full disclosure by companies of the ingredients in their food. Aramark has done this, as well as actually decreasing the amount of unhealthy ingredients in their food, and should be applauded for it. Companies who voluntarily choose the health of their customers over the size of their profit deserve the praise they get.
Another group that perhaps does not receive as much attention, though, is the students and faculty who encouraged Aramark and the college to collaborate on the issue of health. Ultimately, changes happen because people demand it. This school is known for its social responsibility, and healthy foods are an integral part of that. Aramark's decision shows that things can change, given enough effort.
Restaurants and cities across the country have begun to remove trans fats from their food as the dangers have become more and more apparent. Most recently and most famously, the city of New York decided to begin requiring restaurants to remove trans fats from their foods. Other cities across the nation are considering similar laws. Moves like this follow the voluntary decisions of many restaurants to remove them on their own. Starbucks and KFC are only two of the many restaurants that have also decided to do this.
The reason for the crackdown on trans fats is simple: they lead to bad health. Medical research has shown that trans fats build up the bad kind of cholesterol (LDL) just like saturated fat does. Unlike saturated fat, though, trans fats decrease the amount of "good" cholesterol in our bodies. The net effect of the increase in bad and the decrease in good cholesterol is roughly twice as unhealthy as that of saturated fat alone.
All this information has recently prompted the FDA to require all food manufacturers to begin labeling the amount of trans fats in food. This new requirement will hopefully have two effects. One should be to force companies to cut down on the amount of trans fats in their food. No long will they be allowed to substitute cheap, unhealthy additives for the real thing without consumers knowing about it. The other effect should be reduced consumption of trans fats among consumers. Hopefully, knowledge consumers have gained about their foods will influence them to begin making healthier decisions.
A very necessary requirement for healthier diets, though, is full disclosure by companies of the ingredients in their food. Aramark has done this, as well as actually decreasing the amount of unhealthy ingredients in their food, and should be applauded for it. Companies who voluntarily choose the health of their customers over the size of their profit deserve the praise they get.
Another group that perhaps does not receive as much attention, though, is the students and faculty who encouraged Aramark and the college to collaborate on the issue of health. Ultimately, changes happen because people demand it. This school is known for its social responsibility, and healthy foods are an integral part of that. Aramark's decision shows that things can change, given enough effort.
Be the first to comment on this story