The Smokers Were Right

Remember how a lot of people scoffed when smokers warned that banning their habit was only the beginning?

Looks like they had a point.

NEW YORK (AP) -- Three years after the city banned smoking in restaurants, health officials are talking about prohibiting something they say is almost as bad: artificial trans fatty acids.

The city health department unveiled a proposal Tuesday that would bar cooks at any of the city's 24,600 food service establishments from using ingredients that contain the artery-clogging substance, commonly listed on food labels as partially hydrogenated oil.

Yes, trans fats are bad for you but they give a lot of foods their taste and texture. You know why that pie crust or that croissant is so flaky? You know why those fries have so much flavor?

Yup - ingredients with trans fats. (Updated - scroll down)

There's no argument that these things are bad for you, but most of us don't eat them on a regular enough basis to really hurt us. And even if we did, why should the government be sticking their nose into what I choose to eat? I know..I know... there are public policy questions here regarding the cost of health care and the contribution of fatty foods to the increasing costs of that care, but there are ways to provide incentives for good behavior without arbitrarily banning entire food groups.

First smoking, then fois gras, now trans fats. The banning of these things may seem harmless, but it's a disgusting intrusion into our lives and a limitation on our freedom.

Let's fight this.

On another note, I cann't wait to see this guy's reaction.

Cross posted at my moronblog

UPDATE - Okay, yes. Trans fats are not the ideal. Lard and butter are much better. But we were stuck with trans fats when the frickin' health nannies told us years ago that lard and butter were bad. Until these idiots make up their mind on what's bad for us and what's good, we might want to put a hold on making broad public policy based on their advice.

I'd be more than happy to eat stuff cooked with lard and butter - if you've never had a pie crust baked with lard, or donuts fried in it, you're missing out. It's like touching the face of God, it's so good.

posted by Slublog at 08:23 AM

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