Diet Blog

Starbucks, a coffee chain that has more than 12,400 stores worldwide, is jumping on the trans fat ban-wagon. Store in Seattle, San Francisco, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Diego, Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and Portland, Ore., which account about half of the total store owned by Starbucks, will replace trans fat with other kind of oil.

Starbucks plans on replacing Trans fat in the other half of the stores in US and Canada by the end of this years. Regardless the cause of Starbucks ‘s action, we consumer will be the one that are benefited.

Some object New York City’s law against trans fat for the reason that “consumer has the right to choose”. However, there is no way for you to know if a restaurant is using trans fat. Also, food manufactures are getting smart on food label. Instead of trans fat, they use fancy term like partially hydrogenated vegetable oil to confuse customer. Younger or less educated customer don’t even know what trans fat is, and they have been clogging their arteries with it for years.

I don’t see the reason for not banning trans fat. State has a right to regulate and pass laws about things which have to do with its citizen’s health and welfare. Since trans fat is bad and it is replaceable with healthier oil, why should it be allowed?

The banned of trans fat make food healthier. However, a 600 calories muffin without trans fat is still a 600 calories. Also, there are tons of refined sugar and chemical preservatives that is not being regulated eg. high-fructose corn syrup. I hope the trans fat banned will be the first step of a stricter regulation on manufactured food.


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