TIME Magazine
The Politics of Fat
Experts say our expanding girth is killing us and costing the health-care system billions. But is this a problem government can solve? Or should?
Low-Carb Diets: Heart Approved!
A new study shows diets low in carbohydrates and high in proteins and fats are not associated with increased risk of coronary heart disease in women
The Takeaway Diet of 2006
Advice from studies telling us what to eat and drink as well as what to avoid.
How Sweet It Isn't
If artificial sugar is so splendid, why aren't we thin?
Six Rules for Eating Wisely
A guide through the increasingly treacherous landscape of food choices
More Than Just A Little Chunky
What are the health effects of carrying around all those extra pounds?
KFC's Big Fat Problem
KFC is being sued for frying its chicken in cooking oils that contain trans fats, which can contribute to heart disease and diabetes
Does My Diet Fit My Genes?
The new science of nutrigenomics has some answers. It explains why fat and caffeine are worse for some than others
Five Foods to Fear
They may not seem like junk food. But nutritionists say these products are almost as bad for you as candy bars or soda
Choose Your Fish Wisely
The healthy bonus that comes from fish, it seems, has a price
KFC's Big Fat Problem
By DAREN FONDA
Posted Jun. 18, 2006In the latest salvo against fast-food chains, KFC is being sued for frying its chicken in cooking oils that contain trans fats, which can contribute to heart disease and diabetes. Here's the skinny on the fat fight:
Why doesn't KFC use a healthier oil? Like most fast-food chains, KFC cooks with partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, which doesn't turn rancid as quickly as healthier, nonhydrogenated oils. "Extra crispy" chicken may also taste better when fried in this oil. "The flavor is crunchier, and you don't get that feeling of fat coating your mouth," says Ted Labuza, a food scientist at the University of Minnesota. But the oil does have dangerous trans-fatty acids.
What's so bad about trans fat? It raises one's bad cholesterol, which boosts the risk of coronary disease. A federal dietary panel has recommended that people consume no more than 2 g per day.
Is KFC's food really that unhealthy? The company says its products "meet or exceed all government regulations." But as the Center for Science in the Public Interest, the activist group behind the lawsuit, points out, a three-piece extra-crispy combo meal contains as much as 15 g of trans fat—more than a person should ingest in a week.
What are other chains doing? Wendy's plans to eliminate trans fats from its food; the Cheesecake Factory is doing so already. McDonald's backpedaled on a promise to cut trans fats and says it's studying alternative oils, as is Burger King.
Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.
Subscribe | Customer Service | Help | Site Map | Search | Contact Us
Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Reprints & Permissions | Press Releases | Media Kit
