I'll accept that the fats aren't good for you, but a lot of things aren't good for you and yet we've been eating them for centuries. Take fatty meat, for example. (I know you're a vegetarian, so theoretically. ^_^) Or, butter. The problem I have with a lot of this good-for-you bad-for-you research is that the "experts" go back and forth more often than a pendulum. I believe in the Julia Child philosophy, which is "eat what you want but eat the less-good stuff in moderation." However - the problem these days is that the rich treats that used to be a once-in-a-while thing are now commonplace, and the moderation is right out the window.
The only thing I want to express - and I'll agree that if these fats can be replaced with a viable alternative, then perhaps they should be - is that trans-fats are naturally occurring in meat, fish, and dairy. (I refer you to the Johns Hopkins article you posted.) In other words, you can reduce your intake of these fats but it is probably impossible to eliminate them entirely. This might be a good argument for a vegetarian lifestyle, but for those of us (like me) who would starve on vegetables alone because they loathe the sight of broccoli, we're pretty much forced to live on what remains.
The key point is awareness, and that is a dual responsibility. The medical community makes the public aware of what is and what isn't good to eat, and whether it is the responsibility of a corporation to make the public aware as well is open to debate. Their bottom line is profit, and it's quite rare for them to express any kind of altruism. This is probably not going to change. In the end, I believe that people are responsible for their own health, and no matter how healthy a lifestyle one chooses, sooner or later you're going to die. I have to concede that it will remain the province of the medical community to tell people that what they're eating is bad, and a company won't say "hey, there's something that's not good for you in our product."
These grey areas are so confusing. (No pun intended. ^_^)
Besides, I never said that trans-fat suggests that people should quit eating meat.
Oh no - I never meant to imply that. Everyone's got a reason for their diet of choice, and that's a whole 'nother ball of wax that isn't worth discussing. (in other words, Arafel knows better than to get into that discussion. ^_^)
Your points are well-made and I have had an interesting time of reading the literature. I remain convinced that to a degree - and that degree is open to debate - people are responsible for their own health and well-being. I feel that this lawsuit is both frivolous and silly, and it evokes the response of "what kind of an idiot wants to ban Oreos in California" rather than "there is a health issue here that people should pay attention to." Scientifically or nonscientifically, there's not a lot more I can say beyond that.
As an aside, I very much respect that you've sent articles from respected scientific communities. Is this a personal interest of yours?
*thoughtfully* I doubt that Kraft will take a financial hit, but the publicity may cause them to "voluntarily" include some information. After all, the case against McDonald's was thrown out, and that sets a precedent for doing things like banning Oreos, but the case made the news and now people supposedly know more about trans-fats.
The problem with trans-fats is that they're everywhere - you can't buy most prepared baked goods without eating a ton of them, and the companies are fighting to keep trans-fat info off of nutrition labels.
*grins* Then I guess it's a good thing that a hobby of mine is baking, and I never eat a prepared muffin or cookie or brownie or anything because I can make it from scratch.
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branchandroot
no subject
Date: 2003-05-13 07:05 pm (UTC)So, I half-agree. :)
no subject
Date: 2003-05-14 07:47 am (UTC)The key point is awareness, and that is a dual responsibility. The medical community makes the public aware of what is and what isn't good to eat, and whether it is the responsibility of a corporation to make the public aware as well is open to debate. Their bottom line is profit, and it's quite rare for them to express any kind of altruism. This is probably not going to change. In the end, I believe that people are responsible for their own health, and no matter how healthy a lifestyle one chooses, sooner or later you're going to die. I have to concede that it will remain the province of the medical community to tell people that what they're eating is bad, and a company won't say "hey, there's something that's not good for you in our product."
These grey areas are so confusing. (No pun intended. ^_^)
no subject
Date: 2003-05-14 10:34 am (UTC)Oh no - I never meant to imply that. Everyone's got a reason for their diet of choice, and that's a whole 'nother ball of wax that isn't worth discussing. (in other words, Arafel knows better than to get into that discussion. ^_^)
Your points are well-made and I have had an interesting time of reading the literature. I remain convinced that to a degree - and that degree is open to debate - people are responsible for their own health and well-being. I feel that this lawsuit is both frivolous and silly, and it evokes the response of "what kind of an idiot wants to ban Oreos in California" rather than "there is a health issue here that people should pay attention to." Scientifically or nonscientifically, there's not a lot more I can say beyond that.
As an aside, I very much respect that you've sent articles from respected scientific communities. Is this a personal interest of yours?
no subject
Date: 2003-05-14 01:00 pm (UTC)The problem with trans-fats is that they're everywhere - you can't buy most prepared baked goods without eating a ton of them, and the companies are fighting to keep trans-fat info off of nutrition labels.
*grins* Then I guess it's a good thing that a hobby of mine is baking, and I never eat a prepared muffin or cookie or brownie or anything because I can make it from scratch.
Thanks for the info about the site. Cheers!