At one time when margarine appeared on the scene promising to replace the dangers of real butter, the situation for us was made WORSE. Margarine contains chemically altered oils which give them a LONGER SHELF LIFE and you a SHORTER LIFE. It creates "trans fats" which ends up clogging your arteries.
Everyone knows the phrase, "The world runs on Dunkin" representing Dunkin Doughnts. Almost all doughnuts are high in hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils and trans fats. Stopping every morning on the way to work for a couple of donuts (even the plain donuts) is detrimental to your health. The good news is that the word is getting out and more and more products and companies are making steps to eliminate these harmful oils and trans fats. They shorten your life span and it is as simple as that.
Here is a Dunkin Donut" link showing that they are moving in the right direction. As for me, I can live without them and prefer to substitute healthy foods and learn to develop a taste for what is good for you. My typical breakfast is oatmeal with two scoops of organic cold pressed ground flax seeds and fresh fruit for fiber and Omega 3's.
http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/health/2007-08-27-dunkin-donuts_N.htm
EXCERPT:
Dunkin' isn't claiming it will become "trans fat free," but does say any trans fat in foods including doughnuts, croissants, muffins and cookies will fall below half a gram per serving. Federal regulations allow food labels to say they have zero grams of trans fat, provided levels fall below the half-gram threshold.
A nutrition advocacy group welcomed Dunkin's addition to the list of restaurant chains that have recently shifted away from trans fat.
"It's good news that they're dropping most, if not quite all, trans fat," said Jeff Cronin, spokesman for the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a Washington-based non-profit. "If Dunkin' Donuts can do that, anyone can."
But Cronin cautioned that when it comes to Dunkin's doughnuts, "we're still talking about a food that's mostly white flour, sugar, and fat."
Dunkin' isn't positioning its namesake product as health food — a shift that would involve more disbelief suspension than might be possible for a treat synonymous with portly, doughnut-gobbling Homer from television's "The Simpsons."
"The goal was not to make a healthy doughnut, it was really to create a doughnut that was better," said Joe Scafido, Dunkin's chief creative and innovation officer. "Certainly, we did not create a healthy doughnut."
Although its coffees are by far a bigger seller, the New England-bred, 57-year-old chain was founded on the reputation of its doughnuts. Now, Dunkin' claims to be the first major chain to introduce a zero grams trans fat doughnut, although smaller doughnut makers have already done so. Mainstream doughnut makers' products can have around 5 grams of trans fat apiece.
The main source of trans fats is partially hydrogenated oils, formed when hydrogen is added to liquid vegetable oils to harden them. Evidence suggests that artificial trans fats boost "bad" cholesterol and lower "good" cholesterol, increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Dunkin' is ahead of Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, which has yet to roll out a zero gram trans fat doughnut but hopes to do so. Brian Little, a spokesman for the North Carolina-based chain, said, "We continue to work aggressively with outside supply partners, and our goal is to get to zero trans fatty acids while maintaining great Krispy Kreme taste."
Other Products:
Smart Balance spread is another product indicating it is free of hydrogenated oils and trans fats. You NEED to become a SMART SHOPPER and learn to READ LABELS.
**I am NEITHER condoning or Condemning Smart Balance Spread. I am simply NOT SURE if we are talking the "less than .49% of trans fats per serving deceptive advertising here or if it is truly hydrogenated oil and trans fat free"
i GREW UP with the "Mouseketeers" and the advertisements featuring Annette Funicello telling us the "Choosy Mother's Choose Jiffy Peanut Butter".
Today I look for ALL NATURAL peanut butter with an ingredients list that you can understand such as peanuts and salt. MOST of the whipped peanut butters like Jiffy, Skippy and others use hydrogenated oils and contain trans fats.
To top it off most of the bread and crackers and munchies chrunchies in your grocer's isles are also full of hydrogenated oils and trans fats. and often high fructose corn syrup to boot.
You end up spreading your hydrogenated oil peanut butter onto hydrogenated oil and trans fat bread and crackers and get a double whammy.
I THINK there is evidence that the trend is changing out there. manufacturer's are listening. They are motivated by the profit motive. I RAN A BUSINESS OF MY OWN FOR OVER 35 YEARS AND I UNDERSTAND profit and loss. IF as consumer's we educated ourselves and began to read labels and stopped purchasing products that are clogging the pipes and destroying our health, the manufacturer's producing these products would STOP MAKING THEM and switch gears to produce tasty, HEALTHY products.
You will also find hydrogenated oils and trans fats in canned and frozen products. The best permanent move we can make is to simply get off almost all of the over processed, potato chip, pretzle, chrunchy/munchy stuff and replace those products with fresh fruits and veggies and perhaps some home made healthy dip.
In addition if all dropped out of the "Pepsi Generation" so to speak and learned to drink more water and develop a taste for fruit and veggie green smoothies, we would all be better off.
Dan
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