Is eating out getting healthier?

The days of blissful ignorance at your favorite donut shop are numbered...

In California the state senate is poised to pass a bill that will require all chain restaurants to post nutritional information, including calories and fats, on their menus. Similar bills are being considered in 21 other states. New York state already passed a similar law that goes into effect July 1.

Meanwhile, the final phase of New York City's artificial trans fat ban went into effect on Monday, June 30. Now restaurants and bakeries are prohibited from cooking foods containing artificial trans fats, including foods cooked in trans fats.

I think listing nutritional information on menus is an excellent idea so long as the information is publishing in a clear, helpful way. Knowledge is power! I don't think anyone goes into Red Robin expecting to consume a mere 200 calories with their burger, but I also don't think we're quite aware of the steep calorie count of many restaurant meals (907 calories in the Red Robin 5-Alarm burger). I know I'll think twice next time I'm sitting in front of a menu with that kind of information.

I'm also happy to see that the laws are already prompting some restaurants to alter their menus, offering more healthy choices. I hope they can make these changes without sacrificing flavor.

A few people complain that New York City's ban robs consumers' freedom of choice (just like its laws banning public smoking). Still, the trans fat law seems to be a prudent measure; after all, according to the city's Trans Fat Health Center, trans fats are responsible for at least 500 deaths from heart disease in New York City each year!

By the way, you may have noticed the wording of the New York City ban: artificial trans fats. Did you know that meat and dairy from ruminant animals (cows, goats) contain naturally-occuring trans fats? This means foods like butter and cheese. The original law made no distinction between natural and artificial trans fats (the FDA doesn't, either).

Natural trans fats have been found to contain some nutritional benefits, though researchers are divided over whether they pose the same risks as artificial trans fats. At any rate, the two types are chemically different. After some public outcry the city reconsidered and focused the ban on artificial trans fats. Your pain au chocolat is safe for now.

Images from Junk Food News, Meemo's Kitchen, and Cafe Johnsonia respectively.

Comments

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