Donuts -- Apparently, There IS Something They Can't Do

I'm still waiting for my Libertarian friends to take offense to the continued trend toward banning smoking everywhere. Of course, most people are very happy about the smoking ban in restaurants and bars, since they seem to believe the seemingly small infringement on the freedom of private businesses to decide if customers can use perfectly legal products while frequenting their establishment is okay, in light of the fact that it helps the comfort level of most people.

Hey, I can sympathize -- I suffer from asthma, for crying out loud. I still don't think it's a good idea to ban smoking in restaurants, let alone outdoors. I think we're better off letting private businesses make their own choices.

With that being said, look what New York City is thinking about banning now...

Three years after the city banned smoking in restaurants, health officials are talking about prohibiting something they say is almost as bad: artificial trans fatty acids.

The city health department unveiled a proposal Tuesday that would bar cooks at any of the city's 24,600 food service establishments from using ingredients that contain the artery-clogging substance, commonly listed on food labels as partially hydrogenated oil.

Artificial trans fats are found in some shortenings, margarine and frying oils and turn up in foods from pie crusts to french fries to doughnuts.

Doctors agree that trans fats are unhealthy in nearly any amount, but a spokesman for the restaurant industry said he was stunned the city would seek to ban a legal ingredient found in millions of American kitchens.

"Labeling is one thing, but when they totally ban a product, it goes well beyond what we think is prudent and acceptable," said Chuck Hunt, executive vice president of the city's chapter of the New York State Restaurant Association.

He said the proposal could create havoc: Cooks would be forced to discard old recipes and scrutinize every ingredient in their pantry. A restaurant could face a fine if an inspector finds the wrong type of vegetable shortening on its shelves.

The proposal also would create a huge problem for national chains. Among the fast foods that would need to get an overhaul or face a ban: McDonald's french fries, Kentucky Fried Chicken and several varieties of Dunkin' Donuts.

Health Commissioner Thomas Frieden acknowledged that the ban would be a challenge for restaurants, but he said trans fats can easily be replaced with substitute oils that taste the same or better and are far less unhealthy.

"It is a dangerous and unnecessary ingredient," Frieden said. "No one will miss it when it's gone."

(hat tip: Ace of Spades) You know, no one will miss the right to eat Oreos, or Krispy Kremes, or beef. Let's bar those as well. And these restarants need to make omelets using egg beaters or egg whites, since real eggs have too much cholesterol. Let's also make sure everyone eats three meals a day at the appropriate times -- restaurants should close after 10 PM. And let's make certain that everyone's thin -- that's important too, so free liposuction for all.

Yes, I'm making a silly slippery slope argument. I generally hate those, but the parade of horribles does serve a purpose -- who are these bureaucrats to be making decisions for you about what you can and can't consume? Are trans fats so toxic that they're going to kill you tomorrow? And why can't they make other decisions for you? Where is the line?

To be fair, I don't have a problem with companies responding to public pressure to stop using ingredients like trans fats. And if the government wants to inform people about the dangers of eating this stuff, I can live with it. But this paternalistic crap is ridiculous.

Meanwhile, I'm having a donut later. If my wife lets me.