Even as customers shrug, eateries chop trans fats from menu
By KRISTIN MAYER Special to the Daily Press
MAIN STREET — Leiko Hamada carried French fries around The Firehouse diner, offering up samples to her regular customers, many of whom stopped in after working out at the nearby Gold’s Gym.
The diner’s owner was curious to see what her health-conscious Santa Monica and Venice clients thought of her updated recipe — one that replaced artery-clogging trans-fat oils with healthier canola oil.
“To me, it tasted lighter, but a lot of people couldn’t tell,” said Jon Reed, a manager at The Firehouse. “Some people were like, ‘Where’s my fat?’”
While customers were happy to see the healthier option,Hamada said it didn’t change their eating habits when it came to fries and chicken wings. It didn’t matter much to customers set on their favorite snack whether they contained trans fats or not.
“I gave them samples,and half of them said ‘No thanks’,” Hamada said. “It was interesting to me that half the people were happy about it, but they were going to eat the French fries anyway.”
The Firehouse, located at Main Street and Rose Avenue, voluntarily cut back its use of trans-fat oil last week, around the same time officials from the City and County of Los Angeles attempted to ban trans-fat cooking oils in restaurants.
The proposed ban failed to pass, however, because such decisions fall under state jurisdiction.
Last month, New York City passed an ordinance banning artificial trans fats from its restaurants and fast food establishments.Food providers there must begin adhering to the ordinance by July 1 and be in full compliance by the middle of 2008.
“As the public demands it, the restaurants will have to change,” Hamada said.
In the meantime, city and county leaders in Los Angeles are formulating a plan to reward restaurants like The Firehouse that voluntarily agree to eliminate trans fats from their menus.
Restaurants who comply would be given a decal to post on their window to let customers know they are trans-fat-free.
The Le Merigot Marriott on Ocean Avenue can expect to see such a decal soon.Its Cezanne restaurant began substituting trans-fat oil for optimax two weeks ago when cooking its French fries and calamari, according to Karen Gee-McAuley, a spokesperson for the hotel.
Marriott International, Inc. announced Thursday that it plans to eliminate trans fats from cooking oil in each of its 2,300 restaurants in the United States and Canada.
Starbucks, Wendy’s, McDonald’s, Taco Bell and numerous other fast-food chains have already made strides in this direction.
While alternatives to trans fats are twice as expensive and have a shorter shelf life, Hamada didn’t hesitate to make the shift at The Firehouse.
“It’s absolutely worth the sacrifice,” Hamada said. “It’s the worst kind of fat you can put in your body.”
Trans fats, often in the form of partially hydrogenated vegetable oil used in baking and frying, raise bad cholesterol while lowering good cholesterol, studies show.
The Food and Drug Administration requires food labels to list trans fat along with other nutritional information. The requirement does not presently extend to restaurants.
Some local residents said the anti-trans fat craze is exaggerated.
“If I saw a sign that said ‘Trans Fats Sold Here’ and I was hungry, it wouldn’t matter,” said “George,” a 30-year Santa Monica resident who declined to provide a last name.
Convenience takes priority over health concerns, he said, with moderation being the key.
“It’s the craze now,” said George, who was munching on French fries and a cheeseburger outside of Big Jo’s at Broadway and 20th Street on Friday. “But if you read too many labels, you’ll go crazy.”
Eddy Han, a manager at Dagwood’s Pizza, located on Main Street near The Firehouse,said his customers are attracted to the restaurant’s no-trans-fat cooking. Han said he looks forward to posting the trans-fat-free decal on his window and drawing in even more customers.
“It’s sort of a general movement,”Han said. “It’s pretty obvious a lot of people are becoming health conscious.”
Jay Kim, owner of Big Jo’s, said while he has heard about the latest health trend, levels of trans fats don’t play into his cooking decisions.
“I have no idea which oil is trans-fat-free and which isn’t,” Kim said. “I have no information about that.”
Big Jo’s uses trans-fat-free canola oil as well as Crisco coconut oil for cooking. Last week, Crisco announced a revised recipe that contains zero grams of trans fat per serving.
“I really don’t look to see if trans fats are in the food I’m eating,” said Venice resident Rob Kalmbach, as he chowed down a piece of Dagwood’s artichoke pizza.“I do care. I’m just not as aware.”
Kalmbach said trans-fat marketing campaigns are taking over the consumer’s consciousness.
“If it says trans fats on it, I won’t buy it,” said Jonny Hal, while sitting with Kalmbach on Dagwood’s patio.
Hal, who moved from Santa Monica to Pacific Palisades four years ago, sampled his own pepperoni and sausage slices.
“I’m very conscious, but I don’t know why other people say I shouldn’t eat them,” said Hal.“You get bombarded with nutrition every day, so you have to have at least a passing awareness.”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on February 5, 2007. Read the original PDF.