NYC health board bans trans fats at restaurants

http://www.cnn.com/2006/HEALTH/12/05/ny.trans.fat.ap/index.html

Trans fats are formed when liquid oils are made into solid fats by adding hydrogen in a process called hydrogenation. A common example of this is partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, which is used for frying and baking and turns up in processed foods like cookies, pizza dough and crackers. Trans fats, which are favored because of their long shelf life, are also found in pre-made blends like pancake and hot chocolate mix.

The FDA estimates the average American eats 4.7 pounds of trans fats each year.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who banned smoking in bars and restaurants during his first term, has dismissed cries that New York is crossing a line by trying to legislate diets.

“Nobody wants to take away your french fries and hamburgers — I love those things, too,” he said recently. “But if you can make them with something that is less damaging to your health, we should do that.”

Hmmm…I don’t know about this. Yeah, it’s nice that NYC is looking out for my health and all, but I’d rather be an informed consumer than a restricted one.