Trans Fat Bans Catch Natural Foods

Here's a real clear case of "unintended consequences": people have finally started to learn that artificial fats such as those called "hydrogenated oils" cause health problems. The "hydrogenation" of natural oils produces "trans fats." I suppose because "trans fat" has become more popular in usage than "hydrogenated oil", and thus now to cash in on this new customer interest, restaurants now boast -- and some laws now require -- "no trans fats."

Well, some trans fats occur naturally, and do not confer the problems caused by those create artificially via hydrogenation. Never mind that natural natural trans fats occur in some of the most nourishing of all natural foods, including cheese and butter, the "No Trans Fat" slogan has gained commercial and government embrace. And thus a movement to expel health-harming foods has not expelled health-enhancing foods; bakers who proudly baked only with natural butter now -- in the name of boasting "No Trans Fats" -- must substitute natural butter with fake "trans-free" margarine.

Only people working in government or a huge company like Starbucks can exhibit such massive stupidity. "It’s easier for the customer to walk in and see zero grams trans fat than zero grams artificially created trans fat,” said a Starbucks spokesman. “We’ve gone back and replaced all of the nice, good butter with supposedly trans fat-free margarine,” said a Starbucks supplier. “The hardest one for us was the croissant. We replaced butter with palm oil. From my perspective it’s not a croissant any more. It’s lost all its lamination and flavor.”

But the new pop slogan has been served! Imagine the poor bastard. He struggled to create a cost-effective, mass-appeal bakery good from all-natural, all-healthful ingredients. He wins a massive contract from Starbucks. He realigns his life, and the lives of his employees, in support of that contract. Now to keep the contract he must violate his own principles, as well as the health and intelligence of the silly people who patronize Starbucks.