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Did we go too far with trans fat? |
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Written by James Ringrose
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Tuesday, 16 September 2008 08:06 |
 Now that trans-fats have joined James Joseph "Whitey" Bulger, Jr. on Boston's most wanted list can we all sleep soundly at night?
This subject may have been flogged to death, not least by yours truly, but there is a little something left to say. Does the successful banning of trans fat auger a future where legislators read Scientific American in the bathroom? They then emerge determined to ban whatever substance appears to kill mice when eaten in gargantuan doses.
The reasons for banning trans fat is complex. Trans fat appears to increase the risk of coronary heart disease for those who ingest it as part of a normal diet. My own gripe is centered around "messing" about with our food. A higher power gave cows udders and let us invent butter and cream. A nerdy chemist used the hydrogenation process, to keep butter substitutes from turning into sump oil and water. The fact that there is some evidence that the stuff is bad for you is more than enough justification for getting rid of it, because we have a natural substitute.
But, wait. There's a thin line here. McDonald's is an example of a company struggling to make their fat, salt and calorie laden menu healthier. Given the arguments that were used by some, about trans fat, the Big Mac may well be next on the banned list. And what about ice cream? It contains a ton of fat and sugar and is definitely addictive! I would chain myself to the railings on Beacon Hill before that one came to pass.
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This link contains details of the chemistry and science behind trans fats. Wikipedia link
It also suggests that Trans fats may contribute to many other diseases including:
Alzheimer disease
Infertility
Liver Dysfunction, etc.
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Now that the dust has settled on the legislation it appears that we may well have overstepped the bounds a bit here. You can smoke - even though it kills you. The cigarette manufacturers have to paste dire warnings on their products and let adults decide if they still want to kill themselves. You can drive too fast or, God forbid, drink and drive too fast - if you get caught you pay a severe penalty.
So we allow American adults to make informed decisions about their lives, except when it comes to food. Guess what? This is also an area that it is safe for politicians to be seen as being tough on. When will someone stand up in the legislature and suggest a total ban on smoking or a lifetime ban for DUI drivers?
It's time to leave the foodservices industry alone. We should definitely look at making sure that ingredients are clearly explained, but we don't need ingredient content labels and calorie counts for every dish. We do need someone to make sure that our restaurants are clean and sanitary, but we don't need the cream and butter task force policing every dish.
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Did we go too far with trans fat?