Public health and wellness is one of our main focuses at the Coverage Corner, and we’re trying to stay on top of health initiatives such as New York’s leading role in healthier living and cities that ban trans fats from foods.
Starting this fall in Boston, a city-wide ban will prohibit any restaurant or bakery from using trans fats in their foods and cooking oils.
But when city health officials started talking with restaurant owners to see how they might comply with the new rule. To their surprise, many had already taken trans fatty oils off the menu, reported the Boston Globe.
“There’s been no opposition [to the new trans fat rule]. None. No person spoke in opposition, not even industry representatives, ” said State Representative Peter Koutoujian.
It’s hard to dispute the facts that trans fats are horrible for your health. They increase your risk of serious heart conditions by raising your bad cholesterol levels in your blood stream and decreasing your good cholesterol.
“[Trans fat is] nasty, causes heart attacks, and now there’s new evidence that it may also cause diabetes. It can be removed from foods, so why not? ” said Alan Balsam, a city director of public health.
Many people won’t notice a difference in their food if a restaurant or bakery switches to healthier oils — such as peanut, canola, or soybean oils.
Dunkin’ Donuts stopped using oils with trans fats to cook their doughnuts, and consumers haven’t skipped a beat.
“[T]he manager [at Dunkin’ Donuts] said she has not received any negative comments about the doughnuts since they switched, ” said Jared Orsini, a senior city health inspector.