Finally a Ban I Can Support

"Dec. 6, 2006 | Holy doughnut holes! The New York City Board of Health voted Tuesday to ban artificial trans fats in restaurants, making it the first major American city to phase out the kind of fats that were once ubiquitous in such consumer products as margarine and Crisco. By July 1, 2007, everyone from KFC to Tavern on the Green will have to stop using most frying oils containing the artery cloggers, and by July 1, 2008, they will have to eliminate the artificial fats from all the rest of the foods they serve, such as baked goods.

Chicago is also considering banning trans fats, while the small, affluent hamlet of Tiburon, Calif., convinced all restaurants to ditch them voluntarily years ago. But New York's restrictions are precedent setting -- and the city's health board also passed a requirement that fast food chains, which now voluntarily provide calorie information to customers, must post the calorie counts on their menus and menu boards. Diners will soon be confronted with the startling caloric difference between medium and a large fries, when deciding what to order for the dinner."