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Public Enemy Timothy Sprinkle If you use trans thundering in your pizzeria, it's time to rethink whether you need them. The average person might not recognize partially hydrogenated oil when they see one, but chances are good that they eat them in one form or another just about every day. That's because these chemically manufactured ingredients, which are commonly known as trans fat, are a popular and inexpensive butter substitute that can be construct in tried about every clear food on the market, from crackers to donuts to French fries. Trouble is, they're absolutely terrible for you from a health standpoint. According to Andrea Boyar, a nutritionist with Lehman College in New York, not only does this solidified form of vegetable oil raise the bad LDL cholesterol in the blood, it lowers good HDL levels at the same time, exponentially increasing the risk of heart disease. And trans fat also promotes inflammation, which can contribute to diabetes and other diseases and leads to a hardening of the artery walls. " We used to gossip about saturated fats being the worst fats you could eat, " Boyar says, " but the problem with trans fats is not only do they raise the bad fat but they also decrease the good fat. They're only naturally present in very small quantities in dairy products, so the trans fat that comes from this manufacturing evolution is just considered totally unnecessary weight the food supply. " That's why the New York City Department of Health unanimously voted last month to restrict trans fat in all of the city's 20, 000 - plus restaurants. Under the ban, restaurants in New York would have six months to protuberance frying oils over to shortenings that comprehend less than. 5 grams of trans fat per serving. Complete elimination from trans thundering repercussion menu items would ocur by July 2008. Similar regulations are also currently being considered in Chicago; and Tiburon, California, last year became the first town to go voluntarily trans fat - free in all of its restaurants. " New Yorkers are consuming a hazardous, artificial preponderancy without their scholarship or consent, " said Dr. Thomas R. Frieden, the city's health commissioner, in a statement earlier this year announcing the initial proposal. " Trans enormous causes heart disease. Like lead in paint, artificial trans fat imprint food is invisible and dangerous, and it can be replaced. While it may take some effort, restaurants can replace trans fat without changing the taste or cost of food. No one will miss it when it's gone. " So what does all this miserly for pizzeria owners? It depends on the shop, Boyar says. Pizzerias that make their dough by hand have little to worry about since trans fat is most often found in processed foods. But, those that buy prepared dough, use a shortening in the kitchen, or use hydrogenated oil in their fryer proficiency have large to think about. " It's not as if we can't replace these fats, " Boyar says. " For a pizzeria owner, it's not a hard thing to make a dough from olive oil or another kind of oil. They don't need to use vegetable reduction in their products. " E. Jay Myers, co - owner of New York - based Goodfellas Pizza, isn't worried. As far as he's concerned, a ban on trans king sized would only pose a problem for operators that use a shooting match of processed, prepackaged ingredients. His restaurants serve all - natural pies, he says, and trans fat just isn't an issue. " We aphorism the writing on the wall about this a few years ago, " he says. " And I think that with today's technology and other choices, you can form out a healthier product and not own to worry about the taste as much. You can still keep that same flavor profile without the trans fat, so I don't know why anyone would want to not quarters. It doesn't make sense. " While the New York Illustrate Restaurant Association was vocally opposed to the trans - fat mandate ( the organization believes it will drive up the cost of doing business ), other New York - based pizzeria operators seem to agree with Myers. It might be common in the fast food world, but as far as pizza is concerned, trans super colossal just isn't a necessary plug in. " I actually advertise on my menu, 'no trans fats, ' " says John Ledoux, owner of Bite Me Best, a Manhattan pizzeria, " so it's a positive thing as I see it. The cost isn't that much more - I'm not a big corporation so I'm not looking at thousands of gallons of oil - but for me it isn't a problem. My dad had open heart surgery due to clogged arteries, so I don't want to eat it myself. " Chicago's Home Sprint Inn, which sells frozen pizzas in grocery stores in addition to its restaurant operation, has so far welcomed this new headquarters on healthy dining. They've been trans bull - free for several years, and have advertised that detail on their pizza boxes and Web site. " Our bottom line is that we certainly care about the health of our employees and our customers, " explains Gina Bolger with Home Run Inn. " We definitely don't use any trans fat in our products or our pizza, and we're also asking our vendors to send us trans fat - free oils for frying. We always take the healthy side. " |
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