Ban Trans Fat NOW

Fast food menu items high in trans fat

2007-10-26T21:34:00.000-07:00

a Calorie Counter has an excellent post detailing the fast food items highest in Trans Fat the top 10: White Castle Homestyle Onion Rings - Sack Trans Fat: 30 grams White Castle Fish Nibblers - Sack Trans Fat: 16 grams KFC Chicken Pot Pie Trans Fat: 14 grams Burger King Hash Browns - Large Trans Fat: 13 grams White Castle Chicken Rings - 20 rings Trans Fat: 13 grams Jack in the

Maryland county bans trans fat in restaurants

2007-05-25T23:36:00.000-07:00

WP:The Montgomery County Council unanimously approved a ban on partially hydrogenated oils in restaurants, supermarket bakeries and delis yesterday, becoming the first county in the nation to restrict artery-clogging trans fats.Good news, the first county to ban trans fat! As more and more cities and counties ban trans fat, restaurants (especially chains) will start to default to trans fat free

McDonalds trans fat free oil update

2007-05-25T23:23:00.000-07:00

CNN reports:The No. 1 burger chain said Thursday at its annual shareholders' meeting that within a year it will use only transfat-free oil to fry foods at all of its U.S. locations.*It is good to see McDonalds at least slowly coming around.

Just a reminder

2007-04-23T19:19:00.000-07:00

We're in hibernation until the next big move in trans fat, but don't forget: What is "trans fat" again?:Trans fats are made when liquid oil is chemically processed to become a solid a room temperature -- stick margarine is the most common example. Many stick margarines are full of trans fats, so avoid them in the grocery store if you can. Margarine was originally thought to be healthier than

California working on a trans fat ban

2007-03-12T20:33:00.000-07:00

Richard Seah reports:On March 6, the California State Assembly Health Committee passed, by a 9-4 vote, a bill that would phase out the use of oils, margarine and shortening containing trans fats starting 2009. The ban will cover restaurants, bakeries, delicatessens and other businesses classified as “food facilities”. Violations could result in fines of $25 to $1,000. Food items sold in their

Trans fat links.

2007-03-05T19:52:00.000-08:00

Interesting trans fat links:Margarine vs. Butter (pick soft margarine, what about baking?)Top 10 foods to beware of

Girl Scout Cookies go Trans Fat "free"

2007-02-26T18:41:00.001-08:00

Strollerderby:Following in the wake of other manufacturers who rid their products of trans fats after the FDA began requiring changes to food labels to divulge information on the substance last year, the Girl Scouts are announcing that their entire line of cookies is trans fat free. Well, almost. FDA regulations state that labels can carry the words "zero trans fats" if they have a trace or

Fatburger goes Trans Fat free.

2007-02-20T20:07:00.000-08:00

Fast Food News:They seem to all be falling in line with the trans-fat-free movement. Now, burger chain Fatburger, has now gone trans-fat-free, too:"On January 1st, Fatburger began eliminating trans fat from its menu items. The plan includes transitioning to trans-fat free frying oil in all 83 locations. The new soy bean-based oil will be used to prepare fried offerings, including Fat and Skinny

List of trans fat free oil chain restaurants.

2007-02-20T19:45:00.000-08:00

This is my list in progress of trans fat free oil chain restaurants:Cheesecake Factory: articleChili's: articleFatburger: articleJason's Deli: articleLonghorn Steakhouse: articleMcDonald's: article (phasing in now)Panera Bread: articleRuby Tuesday: articleSouper Salad: articleStarbucks: article (not done yet in some cities)Taco Bell: articleWendy's: article (some controversy on this)Arby's (by

Kingpin Donuts goes trans fat free.

2007-02-15T19:26:00.000-08:00

Not much news on the trans fat front lately, but a local donut shop in Berkeley has gone trans fat free. Apparently donut makers are worried about how well donuts "keep." If so, a trans fat ban could be a blessing in disguise for donut eaters, as you will be much more likely to get a fresh one.

Philadelphia moving to ban trans fat

2007-02-08T19:02:00.000-08:00

KYW:The vote was unanimous as City Council Thursday turned a big thumbs down on trans fats. If signed by the mayor, the bill bans trans fats from all Philadelphia eateries.All 17 City council members voted aye on a plan that bans trans fats from restaurants September 1st, and in bakeries one year later. Violators would get warnings, not fines. They will be the second major city to ban trans fat,

Fast foods.

2007-02-07T17:49:00.000-08:00

Beegs' Stuff reports on the best and worst fast foods, just stay away from Burger King.

Lay's Chips

2007-02-02T22:12:00.000-08:00

The Mouth Revolution Blog reports:With Super Bowl coming up, I have to alert all Revolutionary Mouths that junk manufacturer Lays is using false and misleading advertising. At issue is their claim of “0g Trans Fats” in their potato chips. But in the ingredients list (see image above) it clearly states, “Partially Hydrogenated Soybean and Cottenseed Oil.” Fellow Mouths, that is Trans Fats!

Burger King not trans fat free until 2008.

2007-02-01T21:44:00.000-08:00

Burger King is behind the curve:The world's second-largest burger chain says it has been working for more than two years to identify oils without the artery-clogging substance for eventual use in its 7,500 restaurants in the United States and Canada.The Miami-based company says it will secure commitments from its suppliers for the alternative oils, after in-restaurant testing is complete.The

McDonalds picks out trans fat free oil.

2007-01-29T18:37:00.000-08:00

Health News Flash reports: McDonald's selects trans fat free oil. I noticed that they waited until I posted a graph of their menu. McDonald's says they are phasing the canola based oil in now, it currently is in more than 1,200 restaurants. Phoenix was a test market, so if you live there, you may have been getting healthier fries than you thought. I will update the list of restaurants now.

McDonalds menu graphed.

2007-01-27T18:37:00.000-08:00

Innovation Science has graphed McDonald's menu based on trans fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol. He recommends avoiding the big breakfasts. Surprising to me is that the relatively new McGriddles are low in trans fat, while the new Chicken selects are sky high.

Crisco switches to trans fat free.

2007-01-25T19:40:00.000-08:00

Cooking News:Crisco, the mainstay of cookie-baking moms for decades, is chucking its original formula to eliminate its much-maligned trans fats. The decision, announced Wednesday by its maker, J.M. Smucker Co., shows how times have changed. When it debuted in 1911, the queen of trans fat products was hailed as a healthful alternative to butter and lard.Its still probably best to avoid using

Trans fat in your diet.

2007-01-23T19:44:00.000-08:00

Healthbolt: Where's the Trans Fat in your Diet coming from?Average Daily Trans Fat Intake is 5.8 Grams or 2.6 Percent of Calories 40% - cakes, cookies, crackers, pies, bread, etc.21% - animal products17% - margarine8% - fried potatoes5% - potato chips, corn chips, popcorn4% - household shortening3% - salad dressing1% - breakfast cereal1% - candyI think the french fries category is a bit

List update

2007-01-22T21:36:00.000-08:00

I updated the trans fat free restaurant list, adding Panera Bread, which is a step ahead of Starbucks.

Class action lawsuits and trans fat.

2007-01-21T09:21:00.000-08:00

Cross-wire has an article title Time for another class action? While the article doesn't go into details, I think class action lawsuits are probably just around the corner for trans fat. The lawyers tried lawsuits based on just straight obesity, but they haven't gained any ground, trans fat is different however. Somewhere out there there is a food taster, QA, or similar who is eating loads of

On Donuts.

2007-01-20T17:32:00.000-08:00

Slashfood reports:Donuts are not health food. Fried pieces of dough covered in sugar or chocolate and, sometimes, filled with jam, donuts are written off by millions everyday as an indulgence. But because they rely so heavily on frying, and as a direct result, on partially hydrogenated oils, donut makers have grown increasingly worried about their futures over the past few years, as trans fats

Trans fat linked to infertility

2007-01-16T19:34:00.000-08:00

WebMD reports:Obtaining just 2% of total calories from trans fats instead of healthier monounsaturated fats was associated with a doubled risk for this type of infertility. In addition, each 2% increase in trans fat consumption as a replacement for carbohydrates brought a 73% greater risk of ovulation-related infertility, after adjusting for other known and suspected infertility risk factors,

Royal Caribbean goes trans fat free.

2007-01-16T19:27:00.000-08:00

According to Jaunted: Royal Caribbean is the first cruise company to announce that its New Year's resolution is to have all onboard catering trans-fat free by the end of 2007(more at link)If cruise lines, known for great food which many overindulge on, can go trans fat free, anyone can.

Girl Scout Cookies transfat free.

2007-01-16T19:22:00.000-08:00

The Dewey Blog reports:Zero Trans Fat Girl Scout Cookies® Trans fats continue to be in the news as people try to avoid them for health reasons. This year for the first time all varieties of cookies being sold by Girl Scouts of the USA will “contain less than 0.5 grams trans fat per serving, which meets or exceeds the FDA guidelines for the ‘zero trans fat’ designation.”(...more at link)

KFC

2007-01-05T19:25:00.000-08:00

Business Week has an article, How KFC Went Trans-Fat Free, which details how they worked through their problems.I've also updated the list of restaurants that ban trans fat to include Starbucks here. A&W might have reduced their trans fat usage, but I'm not sure if its only in Canada yet.

Bad foods

2006-12-31T20:24:00.000-08:00

Planete Beranger has 7 foods you should never eat:In brief:Doughnuts are fried chock-full of sugar and white flour and loads of trans fat.Cheeseburger with fries: way too many calories and fat grams, not to mention grams of saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol and sodium. Today's "medium" is 610 calories. Let's not forget about the condiments such as the always fattening mayonnaise.Fried

McDonalds working on it.

2006-12-27T18:14:00.000-08:00

McDonalds is working to remove trans fat from its fries according to The C.A.M. Report:McDonalds testing healthier fries Crain’s Chicago Business reports that McDonald’s is testing a new form of healthier fries at nearly 1200 US locations, and reportedly is making positive strides. “With the ban in New York, and possibly Chicago, they’re going to be forced to respond. They’re behind the

Another good reminder.

2006-12-27T18:11:00.000-08:00

Healthnews reports:Avoid Trans Fats and Reduce Heart Disease Risk Trans fats are man-made artificial fats used mostly in cooking fast foods, and other commercial fried and baked goods. Until recently, the trans fat most familiar to most people is the shortening known as “Crisco”, which fortunately is now available without trans fats.Trans fats have been proven to cause weight

How to cut down on trans fat.

2006-12-24T08:09:00.000-08:00

Ny Peng Hock has some good, if basic advice on how to avoid trans fat: 1. Watch what you eat- For instance, store-bought frozen French fries contain 2.91 g of trans fat which is almost a day’s maximum intake. 2-and-a-half pieces of regular biscuits made with trans fat or 2 1/2 tablespoons of hard margarine in a day can easily exceed the daily limit of 3 g of trans fat. Many fast-food restaurants

Theme parks join in.

2006-12-21T21:02:00.000-08:00

Theme Park Insider reports theme parks are joining in the trans fat free movement:Universal joins the 'no trans fat' movement By Robert Niles: Universal announced yesterday that it will join Busch and Disney in eliminating trans fatty acids from its cooking oil and other food items in its U.S. theme parks. Disney made its announcement in October. And at that time, Busch responded by pointing

Ouch, 7g of trans fat in that nasty pastry.

2006-12-20T19:37:00.000-08:00

Hampton Roads reports:The skinny on trans fat: It's hard to tell the difference By NANCY YOUNG, The Virginian-Pilot© December 16, 2006 The cherry turnovers beckon. The pastries look light and airy, with a nice little sprinkling of sugar on top. Flip the box. On the nutrition label: 7 grams of trans fats. That's like eating more than four tablespoons of butter-flavored Crisco shortening. "

Trans fat kills 30-100K a year in the US.

2006-12-20T19:15:00.000-08:00

Catallarchy reports: Just how bad are trans-fats? Posted by Patri Friedman @ 5:47 pm Libertarians have, predictably, been reacting to NYC’s trans-fat ban with horror. While I share their feelings about regulation, and I agree that in general public health scares are bogus, I think it is inaccurate to (like Steven Milloy) act as though trans fats are some kind of made up scare that isn’t

2006-12-19T21:15:00.000-08:00

ECanada Now reports:Massachusetts Pushes To Ban Trans Fat Boston (eCanadaNow) - Massachusetts is pushing to be the first US state to ban the use of trans fat in public restaurants. Massachusetts is trying to become the first state to ban trans fats in public restaurants and could pull it off is a state lawmaker gets his way. New York City became the first city to bran the use of trans fats in

Ralphs follows Kroger's lead.

2006-12-18T19:27:00.000-08:00

Yahoo! reports:Ralphs Grocery Company Using Trans Fat Free Oil to Prepare Fried ChickenMonday December 18, 3:22 pm ETAll Stores Now Use Trans Fat Free Frying Oil for ChickenLOS ANGELES, Dec. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- In response to growing customer interest, Ralphs Grocery Company said today it is using trans fat free oil to fry chicken prepared in its Ralphs and Food 4 Less family of stores."Our

Lean Plate Club just avoid it

2006-12-18T19:20:00.000-08:00

The WP Lean Plate Club:Law or No Law, It's Wise to Avoid Too Much Fat Tuesday, December 12, 2006 The recent ban on using trans fats in New York City restaurants has refocused attention on an unhealthy fat that often slips into our diet without our knowing it. There's nothing slippery about the fact that trans fat significantly raises the risk of heart disease. But that's just part of the story

Red Lobster, Olive Garden see the light.

2006-12-17T19:57:00.000-08:00

From The State:Red Lobster, Olive Garden go trans fat-free The anti-trans-fat team has scored another victory. Darden Restaurants Inc., parent of Red Lobster and Olive Garden restaurants, has plans in place to switch to trans-fat-free frying oil at all its 1,267 restaurants in North America by the end of November 2007. More than 100 Red Lobster and Olive

Trans fat alert and 4 restaurant chains made a switch.

2006-12-16T17:23:00.000-08:00

The Consumer Journal has an alert on trans fat:Trans Fat Factual Depending on where a consumer lives, it seems like trans fat could become outlawed. Since, New York has been the first major city to put a kibosh on foods with that synthetic oil responsible for making McDonald’s French fries, Crispy Kreme donut’s and Taco Bell’s Nachos so delicious, it seems only fitting to sort out

The smart little mermaid.

2006-12-15T22:40:00.000-08:00

The Mermaid Files has some reasoning supporting the ban: In Support of New York's Ban An interesting snafu happened on the way out of work last week. A discussion of the ban on trans-fat in New York came about in one of the off the cuff ways. There were about five of us walking out and I was the only supporter of the ban. I was actually so pissed at the discussion that

Krogar cuts <1% of its total trans fat sales.

2006-12-15T15:46:00.000-08:00

Retailnet reports:Kroger switches to trans fat-free oilBy Carlie Kollath, DSN Retailing TodayThursday, December 14, 2006The Kroger Co. today became the latest convert to trans fat-free oil. Thegrocer now will use a blend of non-hydrogenated vegetable oil to fry chicken prepared in its stores.Recent studies, including those by the Harvard School of Public Health,have found that diets high in trans

Trans fat, don't eat it!

2006-12-15T15:39:00.000-08:00

Blogharbor reports:Trans fat: Avoid this cholesterol double whammyby A Weighty Issue on Fri 15 Dec 2006 12:00 AM CSTTrans fat: Avoid this cholesterol double whammyWhen it comes to fat, trans fat is considered by some doctors to be the worst of them all because of its double-barreled impact on your cholesterol levels. Unlike other fats, trans fat — also called trans fatty acids — both raises your

This Israeli is on board.

2006-12-14T17:53:00.000-08:00

From the Berry Patch: NYC Launches a War on Trans Fat! Today's New York Times reported that a new law will require restaurants in New York City to post calorie counts on their menus.I like the idea in principle. Even someone who doesn't know too much about nutrition probably has a general idea that there is such a thing as too many calories, and would appreciate the difference

Restaurants are taking notice.

2006-12-14T17:50:00.000-08:00

From Tampa Bay's 10:Don Cesar goes trans-fat free St. Pete Beach, Florida — When you sit down at the table at one of the restaurants at the Don Cesar, you might not realize something is missing. Trans-fat will be phased out in all areas, from the dessert tray, to snacks in the mini-bar, over the next several months.Studies have shown that trans-fat (manmade fats like shortening or hard

Washington State Trans Fat Ban

2006-12-13T19:48:00.000-08:00

From the Seattle Times:Will trans fats be coming off local menus? By Karen Gaudette Seattle Times staff reporter At least two public-health agencies this week will begin discussing whether

NY Bans Trans Fat

2006-12-13T18:50:00.000-08:00

The Oxford Press reports: New York becomes first U.S. city to ban trans fat By DAVID HOCox News Service Wednesday, December 06, 2006 NEW YORK — Health officials approved a ban on artificial trans fats in the Big Apple's thousands of restaurants Tuesday, making New York the nation's first city to outlaw the ingredient linked to