Fox News : NYC Health Department Proposes Ban on Trans Fats

[Koolblue13]

If you believe trans-fats, rat poison, dog ****, and plastics are bad for you, you should be able to recognize that tobacco and alcohol are no better.

To get back to what I was saying in my last post, here are some examples of what I dislike:

"Hey, me and Jim are headed out for a smoke brea...wait! Put down that taco! Don't you know what's in that?!"

"I'm so hungover I don't know if I'll be able to make it to my anti-McDonald's rally."

Again, I don't give a damn about trans fats. Ban them. Promote them. Whatever. Just don't tell me that they're somehow more dangerous than alcohol or tobacco, cause that's some dog ****.

But more than 910,000 Americans still die of heart disease annually, according to the American Heart Association. And more than 70 million Americans live every day with some form of heart disease, which can include high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, stroke, angina (chest pain), heart attack and congenital heart defects.

"It's sort of accepted as part of the background noise, even though it's far and away the mostly likely reason that you or I will die,'' Califf said.

And it will get more likely, he said. "We're just on the front end of the baby boomer epidemic, where the projections on the amount of cardiovascular disease are climbing steadily over the next 10 years," he said.

"We're delaying the disease, but we're not preventing it," said Dr. Steven Nissen, president of the American College of Cardiology and chairman of cardiovascular medicine at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio.

Prevention is key, the experts agree, and Americans know what to do: Eat a healthy diet, keep their weight in check, exercise and don't smoke. But instead, obesity and diabetes rates continue to rise. Roughly two-thirds of Americans are overweight or obese, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. And the epidemic is spreading to teenagers and children.

"We can't expect significant change until it becomes a cultural mandate," said Dr. Leslie Cho, director of the Cleveland Clinic's Women's Cardiovascular Center. "When society as a whole makes conscious decisions to eat better and as a default plan be more active, then we're going to do better."

But could that happen anytime soon?

"I don't know," she said. "If you had asked me if New York City was going to be smokeless, I would have said no a couple of years ago." The city's proposed ban on transfat in restaurant food is another potential advance, she said.

http://www.google.co.vi/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=6&ved=0CHIQFjAF&url=http%3A%2F%2Farticles.cnn.com%2F2006-10-30%2Fhealth%2Fheart.overview_1_heart-disease-american-heart-association-obesity%3F_s%3DPM%3AHEALTH&ei=9bjHT5usJ4ai8QSbtIGdDw&usg=AFQjCNGoWuYNWcQEr8ml_nLTHl1vOh3ZFQ

[Botched]

We're not talking about evil foods. We are talking about an evil, and unnecessary, food additive. Eat all the freaking Big Macs that you want. I don't care. My problem is transfat, an artificial additive that gets puts into tons of foods and is a poison.

I have a serious question. If trans-fats taste and cost exactly the same as healthier alternatives, then why were they ever used in the first place? Purely out of spite for the consumer?

(the second question was only semi-serious)

They are more dangerous in the sense that they are unidentifiable. It's rare for someone to unknowingly smoke or unknowingly drink alcohol.

Then maybe they should give trans-fats foods an ineffective warning label like the other two have.

[Predicto]

If you believe trans-fats, rat poison, dog ****, and plastics are bad for you, you should be able to recognize that tobacco and alcohol are no better.

To get back to what I was saying in my last post, here are some examples of what I dislike:

"Hey, me and Jim are headed out for a smoke brea...wait! Put down that taco! Don't you know what's in that?!"

"I'm so hungover I don't know if I'll be able to make it to my anti-McDonald's rally."

Again, I don't give a damn about trans fats. Ban them. Promote them. Whatever. Just don't tell me that they're somehow more dangerous than alcohol or tobacco, cause that's some dog ****.

Well, then you are having a completely different conversation than the rest of us.

[Koolblue13]

I have a serious question. If trans-fats taste and cost exactly the same as healthier alternatives, then why were they ever used in the first place? Purely out of spite for the consumer?

(the second question was only semi-serious)

Then maybe they should give trans-fats foods an ineffective warning label like the other two have.

You don't know what Trans fats are, do you?

BTW, I think the best reference in this thread was the person who compared TFs to Green M&M dye. That's a much better reference than smoking.

[Bang]

Sin taxes are alright in my book.

That assists in solving two problems. That would seem rather frugal, and people still have choice.

~Bang

[Predicto]

I have a serious question. If trans-fats taste and cost exactly the same as healthier alternatives, then why were they ever used in the first place? Purely out of spite for the consumer?

Transfats were used because they worked for the purpose for which they were developed, which was to give packaged food a longer shelf life. Health concerns did not enter into the equation at all. No one knew transfats were dangerous until recently. Now there is no denying it.

There are alternatives, but I suspect they are more expensive and less convenient than doing things the way they have always been done. The alternatives may become less expensive as more research is done, but that would cost money too. There is a natural industry inertia that resists changing anything in which the industry is currently invested.

---------- Post added May-31st-2012 at 11:55 AM ----------

You don't know what Trans fats are, do you?

BTW, I think the best reference in this thread was the person who compared TFs to Green M&M dye. That's a much better reference than smoking.

Red Food Dye #2. Causes cancer. Banned in the USA in 1976.

The companies switched to Red Food Dye 4, 6, 11 and so on. No one's freedoms were lost.

[Koolblue13]

Sin taxes are alright in my book.

That assists in solving two problems. That would seem rather frugal, and people still have choice.

~Bang

I am 100% in favor of sin taxes. Especially now that I don't have to pay any of them.

[Enter Apotheosis]

Trans fats are just Sat fats mixed with oils to stay on your shelf longer and are already banned in Australia, Germany, Canada, UK and Denmark, so this is a trend.

UnSat fats are great for you. Sat fats or hydrogenated Sat fats, aka Trans fats are not.

Man, don't make broad statements like that. Quality saturated fats in moderation are undeniably good for you. It is relatively easy to go overboard and most people have no idea what constitutes quality, though.

[Koolblue13]

Man, don't make broad statements like that. Quality saturated fats in moderation are undeniably good for you. It is relatively easy to go overboard and most people have no idea what constitutes quality, though.

I didn't say sat fats are good for you. I said unsat fats. Those are great for you.

And as always, everything edible in moderation. Now, I think a lot of us have different definitions of "edible" and "moderation".

[Enter Apotheosis]

I didn't say sat fats are good for you.

I know, hence the reply. Saturated fats do carry some benefits.

[Predicto]

I know, hence the reply. Saturated fats do carry some benefits.

Absolutely. But that's not transfats.

Transfats have zero known benefits healthwise, and create huge health risks.

[Koolblue13]

I know, hence the reply. Saturated fats do carry some benefits.

You are 100% correct. Nerve functions, brain and lungs need it and it can help you lose weight. Sat fats are indeed important parts of the diet. You can get a lot of that nutrition from non animal sources, but it's difficult and I don't think you can reduce your lipoprotein a any other way.

---------- Post added May-31st-2012 at 03:57 PM ----------

Absolutely. But that's not transfats.

Transfats have zero known benefits healthwise, and create huge health risks.

I think EA knows this. He was correcting me. Trans fats basically take every healthy aspect of sat fats and replaces them with the opposite effects.

[Tulane Skins Fan]

If you believe trans-fats, rat poison, dog ****, and plastics are bad for you, you should be able to recognize that tobacco and alcohol are no better.

To get back to what I was saying in my last post, here are some examples of what I dislike:

"Hey, me and Jim are headed out for a smoke brea...wait! Put down that taco! Don't you know what's in that?!"

"I'm so hungover I don't know if I'll be able to make it to my anti-McDonald's rally."

Again, I don't give a damn about trans fats. Ban them. Promote them. Whatever. Just don't tell me that they're somehow more dangerous than alcohol or tobacco, cause that's some dog ****.

So, your whole point is that you don't care if trans fats are banned or not, you just want alcohol and tobacco banned if trans fats are banned?

Ok.....

[Enter Apotheosis]

Absolutely. But that's not transfats.

Transfats have zero known benefits healthwise, and create huge health risks.

Agreed. Trans fats are one of few things out there where there seems to be a near-universal consensus that they are bad for you. The people who think that they taste great or that their freedoms are being impinged upon are nuts.

You are 100% correct. Nerve functions, brain and lungs need it and it can help you lose weight. Sat fats are indeed important parts of the diet. You can get a lot of that nutrition from non animal sources, but it's difficult and I don't think you can reduce your lipoprotein a any other way.

Besides which, animal sources are delicious :pfft:

Was it you who brought up Forks Over Knives a while back?

[Koolblue13]

Was it you who brought up Forks Over Knives a while back?

Probably, I brought it up today too. I do seem to be the boards resident food nut.

btw, coconut oil and avocados will give you the same healthy benefits of animal fats without having blood on your hands.

[Tulane Skins Fan]

Probably, I brought it up today too. I do seem to be the boards resident food nut.

btw, coconut oil and avocados will give you the same healthy benefits of animal fats without having blood on your hands.

Does an avocado not bleed when it dies???? Does a coconut not cry when its delicious meat is split open?

[Enter Apotheosis]

Probably, I brought it up today too. I do seem to be the boards resident food nut.

btw, coconut oil and avocados will give you the same healthy benefits of animal fats without having blood on your hands.

Coconut oil is probably my primary cooking oil at this point (esp. considering that olive oil doesn't hold up to higher temps well). That stuff is awesome.

I stumbled into an interesting critique of FoK a little while ago: http://rawfoodsos.com/2011/09/22/forks-over-knives-is-the-science-legit-a-review-and-critique/

I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts on it.

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

I cook with Grapeseed oil. Very high smoke point. Good health benefits. Pretty neutral taste.

[Koolblue13]

Coconut oil is probably my primary cooking oil at this point (esp. considering that olive oil doesn't hold up to higher temps well). That stuff is awesome.

I stumbled into an interesting critique of FoK a little while ago: http://rawfoodsos.com/2011/09/22/forks-over-knives-is-the-science-legit-a-review-and-critique/

I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts on it.

Alright, first off, jesus that's freaking long and I quit about after the first 10 % which means I probably read about 300 pages.

I agree that simply cutting off animal proteins isn't going to make any body healthy, it's not that simple. I agree with a lot of what he says.

A theme of that is eat more fish and less dairy and I agree with that. Proteins can be had from proper grains and seeds and fats replaced with avocado and coconut oils. All important in your diet.

I think FoK is a great view into the possibilities of a correct diet and certainly getting us closer to being on point in how we eat.

Americans diets are as easy to critic as shooting fish in a barrel and the simplest things can change your life. I think a vegan lifestyle is a great direction to head in. I personally don't wear leather, use products tested on animals, go to the zoo or circus and the reason I don't eat animals is because of the treatment of the animals. I will occasionally go to a local beef farm and get myself a steak. I ate pork a month ago. I love fish, but don't eat much that's industrial farmed. I stay away from processed foods and chemically treated foods. I hate soy for the most part and never eat that stuff, although as soon as I find some temphe, I'm making fake meatballs.

I think everything in that critic is fair and mostly correct, but also agree with FoK as well, if that makes sense.

[Enter Apotheosis]

Alright, first off, jesus that's freaking long and I quit about after the first 10 % which means I probably read about 300 pages.

95% of the page is comments, so it's not as bad as it looks. Odds are you were closer to being finished with the article than the scrollbar indicated

I think everything in that critic is fair and mostly correct, but also agree with FoK as well, if that makes sense.

I suppose. The intent of something like FoK is definitely noble and well-intentioned but the iffy science is a little off-putting. People are misled enough as it is, it'd be nice if there were more efforts like FoK that didn't involve the heavy slant towards one way of eating.

[Koolblue13]

EA, I completely agree with you and that goes for basic living as well. I think moving towards a more FoK like diet, even if not religiously, but knowing how to listen to your body and what it really wants and needs, would be a huge improvement. More importance needs to be placed on food and how and what we eat. Hell, this thread has people flipping out because one state is taking away Transat fats from them and their Big Macs won't be the same. Seriously? WTF?

It's a great documentary and not to be used as gospel, but absolutely worth watching and moving your diet towards.

[ixcuincle]

These days, the news and the media wants to scare you. Your government even wants to ban certain sugary foods in an overreaction to rising obesity rates. I admit I don't know as much about trans fats as I do about other foods such as red meat and steak. What we do have to remember, though, is moderation. As long as you don't eat these products every day for a prolonged period of time, you all should be fine.

I was listening to a cooking podcast the other day and John Folse, noted celebrity chef, quoted Julia Child when he said "There is no such thing as bad food, just too much good food." What does this mean? It means that if you have one strip of bacon, it won't kill you. But if you have it repeatedly and regularly, you will probably suffer ill effects. And I'm very concerned about the direction we are going in, where we overreact to rising obesity rates and don't address the issue at hand.

Banning sodas won't help the issue. It's a weak solution. We are better off telling kids that drinking all that soda from those machines all over the place, probably isn't good for you. But no one wants to do this.

Listen, I know that a lot of people love their sodas or juices. I understand, if you stop drinking these things, you will likely lose weight, and end up healthier. But why should that result in a soda ban?

[Koolblue13]

Julia Childs is a god in the cooking world. She also got her info a long time ago and a lot has changed.

As far as red meat or any meat in general goes. I love the taste and texture of meat. I crave it a lot. Think about this. Cows are fed grass they **** on and meal from ground up older cows who ate the same ****ty grass, along with corn which has zero nutrients. They get no exercise, hence need very little vitamins. How much actual nutrients do you think you're getting from eating beef from the grocery store or restaurant? You know you are getting a ton of hormones and pesticides, but what is actually good for you? They are not getting the nutritional facts from modern beef, they get it from the "suppose to" chart.

[ixcuincle]

Organic farming.

And there's only one sugary drink that should be banned.

[twa]

Worried About The Soda Ban? Fear Not, Bloomberg to Support ‘National Donut Day’ Tomorrow

http://politicker.com/2012/05/mixed-message-with-soda-ban-and-national-donut-day-endorsements-video/