Most recently, Suffolk County on Long Island has adopted a ban on trans fats (a derivative of partially hydrogenated oil) at its restaurants. The new law, enacted earlier this month, also requires that chain restaurants post caloric values of menu items. County Executive Steve Levy commented on the new regulation: "It's for the taxpayer, too, because it's the taxpayer who also foots the bill for the consequences of obesity."
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) estimates that Americans eat almost five pounds of trans fat each year. Partially hydrogenated oils are created when hydrogen is pumped into vegetable oil, making the oil solid at room temperature. Hydrogenated oils are changed at the atomic level in a way that increases bad cholesterol and decreases good cholesterol.
Jennifer Crum, a nutritionist at New York University's Langone Medical Center, spoke about the nutritional guidelines for saturated fats, saying that for most adults no more than 10 percent of daily calories should come from saturated fats (such as those in red meat, butter, and dairy products). This means that most adults should not consume more than 20 grams of saturated fat per day.
(Source: www.nytimes.com)
Labels: ban on trans fats, new york
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