NYC Bans Trans Fats - Debate?

[Miss Jasmine]

One of their "jobs" is public safety. It might be a stretch to consider banning a certain food as protecting the public.

It's not a food, it's a substance (chemically processed at that). Unless of course you like to eat Crisco straight from the can.

 

[Fitswimmer]

I'm not so sure about that. Many people can't or won't be responsible for what they put into their bodies and subsequently end up costing everyone millions of dollars with health care costs. We have to know that the big food companies DO NOT have our best interests at heart, so who does that leave? We elected these people to represent us and put our interests first, then we complain when they do?
What's the government for then?

But what happened to personal responsibility? It doesn't take a scientist to know that eating at McD's 3x a day, 7 days a week is not good for you. The information is available, if someone doesn't choose to heed it that's their choice.

You know, it's funny, but the same people who talk about the government being too involved in issues like marriage and whether or not a woman has a child seem to have no problem with the government making rules about what we should eat.

I want the government OUT of the bedroom, the womb AND the kitchen!!

 

[oxfordcircus]

I know, everyone here at the DIS is perfect and perfectly responsible but many people are not. Not everyone realizes what they put in their mouth, and for those cases, it's important that someone watches over you.

That sounds lika a catchy slogan. Much better than "rugged individualism."

 

[oxfordcircus]

Honestly, which tastes better?

All bad tasting food is hereby banned from NYC.

 

[PlutoLuvr]

But what happened to personal responsibility? It doesn't take a scientist to know that eating at McD's 3x a day, 7 days a week is not good for you. The information is available, if someone doesn't choose to heed it that's their choice.

But it's not just McDonald's. Actually, McDonald's has at least been admitting their t-fats are a problem and they're "working" on a resolution -- albiet they've gone back to regular oils in other countries, just not in the USA.

How about a jar of gravy found at your grocery store? How about a spice rub for that pork tenderloin you'd like to grill this weekend? How about some pancake mix for Sunday morning breakfast? How about a bag of Ore-Rida fries you'd like to bake? How about those frozen chicken tenders that just need to be reheated in the oven or microwave for your kids? Even flavored coffee creams? Good luck finding these products without PHOs.

Government intervention "evens the playing field," as was mentioned in another thread. These PHOs are cheap. An uninformed consumer faced with the decision to buy a jar of gravy for $1.29 with PHOs versus $2.29 without the PHOs will probably buy the cheaper one. Food manufacturers obviously cannot get on the same page all by themselves, do the right thing and put the consumers' health as a priority.

I'm sure the posters on this thread don't heat up your veggie oils to 500+ degrees for an hour or so before you cook with them so your dinner tonight will be good and edible in six months. If there's documented evidence that doing this is harmful to everyone -- fat, skinny, young, old, black, white, purple -- and restaurants won't get rid of the stuff, who is the public to turn to?

 

[MzDiz]

But what happened to personal responsibility? It doesn't take a scientist to know that eating at McD's 3x a day, 7 days a week is not good for you. The information is available, if someone doesn't choose to heed it that's their choice.

You know, it's funny, but the same people who talk about the government being too involved in issues like marriage and whether or not a woman has a child seem to have no problem with the government making rules about what we should eat.

I want the government OUT of the bedroom, the womb AND the kitchen!!

With all due respect here (honestly! ) I think you're missing the point. PlutoLuvr is doing a way better job explaining it than I am though.

 

[Fitswimmer]

With all due respect here (honestly! ) I think you're missing the point. PlutoLuvr is doing a way better job explaining it than I am though.

Actually, I was thinking that you're missing mine. I'm not disagreeing that trans fats are not good for you or that they shouldn't be used. As has been said, many companies have already removed them from their foods. Consumers have already begun to pressure companies to do it and they have, that's the way it should work.
The point I'm trying to make is that by allowing the government to get involved we're opening a door that we may NEVER be able to close.

 

[Bichon Barb]

Well, I like to think of myself as pretty informed about nutrition, but I have to admit that I didn't know that so many foods contained these trans fats and how bad they actually are. I think the public needs to be made aware of it better. And I think restaurants which are the biggest culprits of serving the stuff should be called out on it. Some bad press might force them to change their ways.

 

[FergieTCat]

I think it would have been better if restaurants were required to list on the menu which choices contained trans fats. Like the way they are required to list if a dish contains MSG.

That way, consumers can choose which restaurants to patronize. And if a restaurant loses business, then they will change the ingredients they use.

 

[reeeoga]

A little bit to stoke the fires. An example of what COULD be ordered at a Hardees Fast food place.

Menu 1: One Bacon Double Cheese Thick Burger, One large Chille Cheese Fries and a Large Chocolate Malt.

Calories: 2930
Fat: 179
Sodium: 2920

Menu 2: Grilled Bar-B-Que Chicken, Small Fries, and a diet coke.

Calories: 805
Fat: 24
Sodium: 1615

Same place. Different selections.

If someone wanted to eat Menu 1 every day I would expect then to be dead in a few years. The Government has no buisness telling me what to eat or how to eat. They can make recomendations, but I am free to not listen.