New York City Follows in the Footsteps of KFC and Taco Bell to Ban Trans Fats

Following in the footsteps of KFC and Taco Bell (who both banned trans-fats in their foods, the city of New York passed legislation banning trans fats in all NYC restaurants. I was ecstatic to see this pass, and applaud New York City for doing this. You would think everyone (except those in the food industry) would support this! I was shocked to see how many dissenters there were to this bill and how many people were upset over its passing. I'm sure you're sitting there asking how the hell people outside the food industry could oppose this. That's what I thought at first….and still think to this day.

So the reason you ask? People were upset that their freedoms were being taken away by the government, and they didn't want this bill passed based on principle. I heard everything from, "if I want to poison myself, that's my right," or "who does the government think they are trying to tell me what to do with my body."

You've got to be kidding me. Let's set aside the fact that although the government created the bill, the people of NYC voted on it. Yeah, the people. It wasn't the government that made this final. We did. Even if the government of NYC had instilled this law without a vote, I wouldn't have seen a problem with it myself. I'm baffled that people would complain about the government stepping in and banning the equivalent of a poison that benefits no one except maybe the pockets of business owners. In the long run, if banning trans-fats nationwide reduces coronary problems (the main benefit from the banning), you'd think that would cost the insurance companies less and in turn reduce our insurance premiums. Not to mention friends, family, and ourselves get to live longer.

Don't worry smokers, I think your cigarettes are still safe for now, at least that is if you're allowed to smoke them within a 1000 mile radius of any establishment. But that's a whole other topic for another day.

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It's about time! Restaurants are now banning trans fats!

If you've been reading the news lately, you've heard that first KFC, and then Taco Bell decided to ban trans-fats from their food. IT'S ABOUT TIME. Sure it's a step in the right direction and both are doing the right thing…..but…..why were trans-fats used in the first place? My biggest gripe is that numerous food producers and restaurants were willing to put trans-fats in their food without any solid long-term research done on trans-fats. Saving a few bucks up front on their end by not doing studies and by using trans-fats over conventional fats while risking the health of patrons at risk does not sit well with me.

The media has been all over this, touting KFC and Taco Bell as being healthier than before. I'm terrified people are going to take this as "KFC and Taco Bell" are much healthier now than before, when they're really not. You're still going to be consuming the same amount of calories and the same amount of fat as before the trans-fat ban….albeit a different type of fat. You'll still put on just as much weight from eating this garbage, and have the same obesity related side effects as before. I've already heard a few uneducated individuals talk about how much healthier KFC and Taco Bell are now, and how excited they were about it. Looks like it's not just the food producers and restaurants who don't know what's in food these days.

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