This article by AP medical writer Maria Cheng tells about how the Danish were able to essentially banish trans-fats from foods. Their food still tastes great, and now it is a lot healthier. It sets an example for how America could also attempt a healthy dose of food regulation.
From the article:
COPENHAGEN, Denmark -- Two years ago Denmark declared war on killer fat, making it illegal for any food to have more than 2 percent transfats. Offenders now face hefty fines - or even prison terms. The result? Today hardly anyone notices the difference.
The french fries are still crispy. The pastries are still scrumptious. And the fried chicken is still tasty.
Denmark's experience offers a hopeful example for places like Canada and the U.S. state of New York, which are considering setting limits on the dangerous artery-clogging fats.
Transfatty acids are typically added to processed foods such as cookies, margarine and fast food. They are cheaper to produce than mono-saturated fats, and give a longer shelf life to the foods they are added to.
Producers also argue that removing transfat from processed food will change certain tastes and textures beloved by consumers.
But they have been called the tobacco of the nutrition world. They lower good cholesterol while raising bad cholesterol.
Even consuming less than five grams of transfat - the amount found in one piece of fried chicken and a side of french fries - a day has been linked with a 25 percent increased risk of heart disease. [full text]