Restaurant Mon Aug 27 2007

Time to Make the Dunkin' Donuts Healthier

Dunkin' Donuts has announced that in an effort to make their calorie-laden treats healthier, they have developed an alternative cooking oil that will make all of their products contain zero grams of trans fat by October 15. In a nation that is struggling with obesity and nutrition problems, how meaningful is it to make donuts, the hallmark of All Things Simpson, slightly healthier?

To give you some idea of trans fats and their impact on your health, an informal search of the current nutritional values of DD's donuts reveal that the amount of trans fats in each donut varies, from 2.5 to 5.0 grams per serving. How many grams of trans fats should you actually eat each day? Well, as little as you can, as trans fats contribute to your LDL cholesterol level (and thus the likelihood of developing congestive heart failure); however, it's impossible to avoid trans fats in your daily eating, regardless of what you eat. Consequently, the FDA publishes daily guidelines for total fat consumption only.

Just because Dunkin' Donuts is implementing this new strategy does not mean the donuts will be completely without trans fats; according to the FDA, an item's true trans fat content does not have to be listed if the total fat in a food is less than 0.5 grams per serving, and no claims are made about its fat, fatty acids or cholesterol content.

Sometimes, the last thing you want to eat in a stressful moment at work is a shiny, fiber-rich apple; you want to sink your teeth into something sweet and instantly (but temporarily, as I have learned from many past experiences) gratifying. Although what Dunkin' Donuts is implementing is a very small drop in the bucket towards making better eating decisions, perhaps it is more welcome than outrageous.

— Robyn Nisi / Comments (0)