TresSugar

Ronald McDonald: Out Of A Job In NYC?

GiggleSugar — Tue, 05 Dec 2006 13:01:36 -0800

Perhaps Ronald is so sullen because the NYC Board of Health just approved a ban on trans fats. The restaurant industry plans to fight the decision, but until then, Ronald will have to turn that frown upside down without the help of a Happy Meal.

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Knuckle Sandwich?

GiggleSugar — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 09:25:22 -0800

Given the whole "finger in the chili" scare at Wendy's a while back, is this really the best way to advertise a Spam recipe contest? I mean, Spam (aka "loaf 'o trans fats") already doesn't have the best reputation for its, uh, nutritional properties.

Grab Bag: Why 20-Somethings Should Care About Health Care

TresSugar — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 12:00:00 -0700

Young and healthy? You should still care about health care. - Lemondrop
Mom's narcissism, your love life. Your Tango
Beautiful women will date fat men, but not dumb ones? - Jezebel
Would you cheat if you could get away with it? - Em & Lo
My first love is getting married! - The Frisky
Employer to trans woman: Show us your genitals. - Feministing
Nicole tells you what women really want. - Urlesque

What's That Disgusting Mess? Oh. It's Just School Lunches

CitizenSugar — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 15:45:14 -0700

So what are you fixing for dinner? Taco Patty perhaps? How about a Round Wedge Pizza or Chicken Fryz? That's what's on the menu in the Harrisonburg, VA, school system. They're so proud of their fare, the posted big ol' pictures of them in all their glory on their website. I was hungry - right up until the point I saw these pics. Count 'em 22 different meals, and I only saw one green thing in the whole lot. The saddest lunch? The Italian Dunkers. Or, Cut Up White Bread With Sugary Spaghetti Sauce.

No wonder we're facing a childhood obesity epidemic. What makes this all the more alarming, is that so many kids rely on these meals to combat hunger. In the 2006-2007 school year, 16.3 million kids got free or reduced-price lunches through the National School Lunch Program, a stat that's particularly poignant here in the midst of Summer. Reports show that Summer nutrition programs aren't meeting needs, and sponsors are backing out as rising food and fuel costs makes it impossible not to lose money.

The conundrum of course is what's cost effective and what will kids eat? For kids weaned on Cheetos and corn dogs, the goop in the pictures probably tastes fine. It's far from fine for them though.

To see which schools are combating the Italian Dunker, read more.

In (my hero) Morgan Spurlock's movie SuperSize Me he profiled Appleton Central High School where kids are given fresh, wholesome, low-fat food through Natural Ovens, resulting in happier, more-focused students. Arkansas is hoping to be a "model state" in addressing childhood obesity, starting with banning vending machines. California has already banned trans fats in schools.

With poor communities getting the brunt of the Taco Patty (42 percent of Bronx elementary students are overweight) and school-lunch prices climbing even further (40 percent more in Des Moines) what's the solution? How can schools better serve our kids lunch?

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Carbon's the New Calorie: Japan to Label Goods with Footprint

LibertySugar — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 11:00:13 -0700

Japan has plans to label consumer goods like beer and detergents with their carbon footprints. Officials think the standardized label will raise corporate and consumer awareness of global warming. Britain and France already place similar labels on products.

So say you want to eat a bag of potato chips. Forget the calories - you have a carbon footprint to think about. Each bag emits 75 grams (2.63 ounces) of carbon dioxide. If you want to break it down, like you'd break down saturated and trans fats, 44 percent of the carbon dioxide comes from growing the potatoes, 30 percent comes from producing the chips, 15 percent comes from packaging, 9 percent comes from delivery, and 2 percent comes from tossing the bag. I'm guessing these figures are estimates, since each product must have a unique footprint.

While certainly more work needs to be done to make the footprint calculations accurate and globally standard, the label will provide information to consumers who want it, while everyone else can ignore it. And who knows, maybe businesses will become more efficient in hopes of attracting customers.

No Smoking! Who's Banning Butts?

LibertySugar — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 09:02:14 -0800

While smoking bans are not universal, cities, states, and other countries are increasingly enacting laws extinguishing smoking in public places. The harmful effects of second-hand smoke are sparking these laws.

California, a leader in the anti-smoking crusade, is continuing to pass more restrictions. As of January 1st, motorists face a $100 fine for lighting up in their own cars, even parked in their driveway, if there's a kid present (watch out Britney). While it is important to protect children, does this law go too far? What about the dangerous effects of fast food? Should a parent face a fine for feeding their children
trans fats?

France, a country whose image is tied up with the cigarette is one of the latest countries to ban smoking in bars, cafes and restaurants. I was just in France for the holidays and as I fanned away tons of disco smoke, I wondered how the government would enforce the law in a country where so many of the citizens light up. Many of the French are eager for an excuse to quit, while others resent the dictatorship of health saying, "vive la liberté of smoking!"

Are you lighting up, or loving the fresh air?
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Sign Language

GiggleSugar — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 10:26:02 -0700

So does that count as a trans-fat, or what?

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