Councilmember Duchy Trachtenberg (D-At large) wants artificial trans fat out of Montgomery County restaurants.
Next Tuesday, Trachtenberg will introduce a bill requiring area restaurants to cook with oils that do not contain trans fat. If the bill passes, it could go into effect by January 2008.
“This is a solid example of when government protects public health and at the same time, catches up to public demand,” Trachtenberg stated in a press release.
According to the US Food and Drug Administration, trans fat increases the shelf life of vegetable shortenings, some margarines and other foods made with partially hydrogenated oils. A small amount of trans fat is found naturally in some animal-based foods.
However, trans fat has been found to raise levels of LDL (”bad”) cholesterol while lowering HDL (”good”) cholesterol, the Mayo Clinic reports. This effect, the clinic writes, can contribute to heart disease and stroke.
A handful of national restaurant chains have already cut trans fat from their menus: KFC, Chili’s, Wendy’s and Ruby Tuesday, NPR writes. The Silver Diner has also abandoned trans fat, Trachtenberg’s press release states.
Even the Girl Scouts have gotten into the act. All cookies sold for fundraising will be mostly free of trans fat, writes the Associated Press.
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TrachtenbErg… TrachtenbUrg sounds like a city.
Oops! Will fix.
Sounds like a good plan to me. People in general can’t seem to eat well on their own so a little pushin or shovin by the local government is good now and then.
A new website, cuttransfat.org is committed to the “voluntary” reduction or elimination of trans fats by the food industry. The site also links to numerous articles offering differing views on the subject. It is a quality site with lots of good information.
The site is also compiling a list of restaurants and food chains that are actively eliminating or reducing trans fats in their menus.
Checl it out at http://cuttransfat.org
Editor’s note: The author of this comment is affiliated with CutTransFat.org. (Mar 21, 2007)
Great, another politician telling me how to run my life.
[...] came on the same day that county councilmember Duchy Trachtenberg (D-At large) introduced a bill to ban trans fat from restaurants throughout Montgomery [...]