If you watch television, read magazines or use the Internet, I'm sure you have heard about trans fat. Trans fat is the newest food element that is being scientifically scrutinized. It has been proven that trans fat is related to high cholesterol and weight gain. Many corporate chains have been under pressure to remove trans fats from there menus. For example, McDonald's uses different oil to fry food, in an effort to be more health conscious. Even Starbucks has phased trans fats out of their pastries and other foods items. I was wondering if trans fat were going to be removed from candy and cookies. My worst fear being that this could affect the taste of my favorite sweets. I decided to search the web and see what I could find out about the subject. One of the first things that I found was a list of foods that contain the highest amounts of trans fat. I was shocked to find that many of my favorite candy bars were on that list. I was even more shocked to find that cereal was also on the list. Diet Bites This site gave a list of foods however, there wasn't too much information as to what trans fats are. However, I found a video on YouTube that was very informative.
This video focuses mainly on current issues regarding trans fat in New York. What about trans fat in candy? I heard that Hershey's had removed trans fat from their candy. I also read that Kraft was being forced to find a substitute for trans fat in their Oreos. Overall, I couldn't find if there was any ruling for candy to be removed. Even though I was unable to find any specific information regarding candy companies removing trans fat, I beleive that it will eventually happen. Society as a hole is shifting away from trans fat. It is inevitable that trans fat will no longer be present in candy. Is this a bad thing? Now that I have a better understanding of what trans fats are, I believe that regardless this is a positive thing. Even though I do love to eat candy, cookies and cereal, I have a pretty balanced diet. However, many people don't and removal of trans fat would positively impact many peoples health. Even if the removal of trans fat would effect some of the flavors in my favorite treats, I'm sure I would get used to it and eat them anyway.
2 comments:
How lucky for me that I went on a diet right as the trans fat thing really kicked into high gear. By the time I get back to eating candy and snacks, it'll all be new to me again!
I'm with you in not really knowing if removing trans fats from candies will really affect everything. Candy isn't really a super-nutritious thing anyway, so how much can taking one bad thing out effect the whole package?
One of the really interesting events in the trans fat was to me was when Disney banned trans fats in it's parks. It's not like they're getting rid of all the yummy, heart-attack-inducing fried food is going to go away, they're just taking the trans fat out. That just sounds a little too much like a publicity stunt to me.
I was shocked when I found out about trans fat in my chemistry class. It's no wonder America has weight and food problems.
Trans fat is a molecule that has been manipulated by man to preserve the shelf life in foods. As a suprise side effect, the fat turned out to taste great and be very addictive. All aspects of it meant more profits! Again, the goverment put profits before people. Because this molecule has been forced into this form the body doesn't want to use it for energy, it almost doesn't recognize it. Trans fat is very hard to breakdown outside of the body on the shelf and so it makes sense that its hard to break down inside the body too. Not only that but it changes the chemical functions in your body so that using fat in general is more difficult. It's all bad and never should have happened. However, there is one way that trans fat happeneds naturally. It's when hooved animals eat raw meat, through it back up, and eat it again. Then we eat that animal. Gross.
I've banned trans fat from my diet and now I don't crave my old childhood sweets. The real thing is so... much better.
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