Ya, sounds good in principal but this could be a real hardship for non-chain restaurants. Can you imagine if you had a lunch special that changed every day and you had to figure all of that our first?
Since they're the one making it I think it'd still be pretty easy, when I make my own food it's pretty easy to know since I know how much of every ingredient I'm using.
Plus a lunch special that changes every day likely rotates among a range of known options, it's not like they come up with something brand new never made before for each lunch special.
What would be awesome for those chains that have the info on their websites would be a scanable QR code in the menus, trying to find the info on their websites with a smartphone can range from annoying to impossible (i.e. their sites don't even work on a mobile browser).
__________________ Uncertainty is an uncomfortable position.
But certainty is an absurd one.
I think a lot of people claim that they want the info, but don't make the effort to see if it's already available.
As mentioned earlier, the theory of "out of site, out of mind" is very applicable here. If someone is forced to look at and realize just how bad that Angus Bacon burger is, chances are they might downgrade to the Charbroiled Burger (I am just making burger names up, no idea of they're real) and intake 100-200 less calories - which would be huge if they could make those cuts on a daily basis. The studies I've sited prove this - perhaps no better then the Starbucks one which is really comparing Apples to Apples.
__________________
"Man, so long as he remains free, has no more constant and agonizing anxiety than to find, as quickly as possible, someone to worship."
Ya, sounds good in principal but this could be a real hardship for non-chain restaurants. Can you imagine if you had a lunch special that changed every day and you had to figure all of that our first?
No doubt - it would be really hard, thus the caveat I gave and thus these laws generally not applying to those types of spots down in California and NYC.
But I would like to see it - and feel it is a reasonable request. I'm guessing 10-20 years down the road every single food item sold anywhere will have to be fully labeled with all nutritional info.
__________________
"Man, so long as he remains free, has no more constant and agonizing anxiety than to find, as quickly as possible, someone to worship."
I think people focus too much on the Mcdonalds and Wendys fast food end of the spectrum and not on real restaurants. I know Mcdonalds is bad for me and these chains to a real good job of allowing you to find the info.
Where the biggest void is is in sit down restaurants. The info is stored in a binder behind the counter where you would have to ask for it. It is not convenient or promoted. And many restaurants are just as bad as McDonalds when it comes to fat, calories, sodium and portion size. It is in the sit down area that we need to focus new laws as voluntary disclosure doens't work here.
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As mentioned earlier, the theory of "out of site, out of mind" is very applicable here. If someone is forced to look at and realize just how bad that Angus Bacon burger is, chances are they might downgrade to the Charbroiled Burger (I am just making burger names up, no idea of they're real) and intake 100-200 less calories - which would be huge if they could make those cuts on a daily basis. The studies I've sited prove this - perhaps no better then the Starbucks one which is really comparing Apples to Apples.
Understood, but at what point do we stop spoon feeding people?
Whatever happened survival of the fittest? No wonder this world is overpopulated and full of idiots.
Not only that, the amount of salt and fat and other stuff in food is highly tuned to maximize input at a physiological and psychological level.
Doritos have enough salt and taste to make you want more (and not just a desire level, but at a biological level), but they purposely keep the taste level down enough to prevent the brain from triggering the part that says "I've eaten enough".
Obesity isnt because someone goes out to eat once a week and has a 1500 cal salad. Its because that person doesnt get off his or her respective lardy a$$e$ and move around. Sitting watching Ellen or playing video games is not exercise.
I dunno...I get pretty worked up playing video games sometimes. I'm sure I must burn a fair amount of calories throwing my controllers across the room, screaming, jumping up and down, etc...
Understood, but at what point do we stop spoon feeding people?
Whatever happened survival of the fittest? No wonder this world is overpopulated and full of idiots.
I see what you're saying, and actually agree a little bit, on a base level. But obesity is a major problem for all of us because of the major ramifications it has on our health care system. It will save us and our health care system huge amounts of money if we do spoon food the masses now and try to change eating habits nationally.
And as Photon so aptly pointed out, this issue is about alot more then simply calories and obsesity. A balanced diet requires only so much sodium and certain amounts of fat and protein and there is simply no way of knowing what you're egtting without proper menu labelling.
__________________
"Man, so long as he remains free, has no more constant and agonizing anxiety than to find, as quickly as possible, someone to worship."
I think people focus too much on the Mcdonalds and Wendys fast food end of the spectrum and not on real restaurants. I know Mcdonalds is bad for me and these chains to a real good job of allowing you to find the info.
Where the biggest void is is in sit down restaurants. The info is stored in a binder behind the counter where you would have to ask for it. It is not convenient or promoted. And many restaurants are just as bad as McDonalds when it comes to fat, calories, sodium and portion size. It is in the sit down area that we need to focus new laws as voluntary disclosure doens't work here.
I think this is a bit opposite. In my mind, the chain restaurants are far larger portions than McDonalds. I pulled up the nutritional information at Boston pizza and their bassic burger with no bacon or cheese and a side of fries is 1310 calories, 70g of fat and 3030 mg of sodium.
A Big Mac and medium fries comes in at 890 calories, 47 g of fat and 1290 mg of sodium.
The coke is a wash, except that at Boston Pizza they will come around and refill it as much as you want while McDonalds makes you go to them for a refill.
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The manipulation of sugars, salts and fats by food science is now becoming more akin to what the scientists were doing with cigarettes and manipulating them to become more addictive.
Our whole food supply needs a massive rethink and revamp.
__________________ Allskonar fyrir Aumingja!!
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Health Check is one way the Heart and Stroke Foundation helps Canadians make healthy food choices by identifying products and menu items that meet nutrient criteria.
Based on recommendations in Canada’s Food Guide, the Heart and Stroke Foundation’s team of registered dietitians developed Health Check criteria for the following nutrients:Fat (quantity and type)
Fibre
Sodium
Protein
Vitamins and Minerals
Scientific evidence, labeling regulations, nutrition trends as well as the eating habits of Canadians also inform the criteria. The criteria are reviewed on a regular basis and continue to evolve.
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I think this is a bit opposite. In my mind, the chain restaurants are far larger portions than McDonalds. I pulled up the nutritional information at Boston pizza and their bassic burger with no bacon or cheese and a side of fries is 1310 calories, 70g of fat and 3030 mg of sodium.
A Big Mac and medium fries comes in at 890 calories, 47 g of fat and 1290 mg of sodium.
The coke is a wash, except that at Boston Pizza they will come around and refill it as much as you want while McDonalds makes you go to them for a refill.
Boston Pizza would be included in the "sit down" portion of restaurants. It's certainly not fast food. Small mom and pop shops don't tend to any better than places like Boston Pizza.
I think his point was the emphasis thus far has only been on true "fast food" places.
I think this is a bit opposite. In my mind, the chain restaurants are far larger portions than McDonalds. I pulled up the nutritional information at Boston pizza and their bassic burger with no bacon or cheese and a side of fries is 1310 calories, 70g of fat and 3030 mg of sodium.
A Big Mac and medium fries comes in at 890 calories, 47 g of fat and 1290 mg of sodium.
The coke is a wash, except that at Boston Pizza they will come around and refill it as much as you want while McDonalds makes you go to them for a refill.
This is exactly true, the opposite is happening to what people think. Mcdonalds, Burger King, they have been vilified while people have basically left chain restaurants alone. The irony being is the food in Mcdonalds is often much healthier than when you go out to eat at a restaurant, yet people routinely blast fast food joints while going out to dinner on a regular basis.
__________________ Allskonar fyrir Aumingja!!
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Understood, but at what point do we stop spoon feeding people?
Whatever happened survival of the fittest? No wonder this world is overpopulated and full of idiots.
It died a long time ago.
Our healthcare system spends time and resources keeping people alive that were never "fit" to begin with. Heck, you see all those mechanized wheelchairs in the malls in the US? (and increasingly in Canada) Those people would never survive out "in the wild".
This is exactly true, the opposite is happening to what people think. Mcdonalds, Burger King, they have been vilified while people have basically left chain restaurants alone. The irony being is the food in Mcdonalds is often much healthier than when you go out to eat at a restaurant, yet people routinely blast fast food joints while going out to dinner on a regular basis.
I wonder if that is because places like McDonalds have had to show their nutritional information for so long. They know it is out there and don't want to be vilified so they start making decisions with that in mind.
BPs and the like will always make the choice for the tastier option regardless of the health effects because people aren't aware of their nutritional information. If it was posted on the menu they might find they have to start using healthier ingredients and portion sizes.
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I think nutrition labeling is a great idea, but I wonder if it will help a large portion of the population who have absolutely zero idea about the amount of calories/fat/sodium they should be consuming. It's all well and good to read that the salad you're about to consume contains 1200 calories, but if you think you're supposed to eat 3000 calories a day and you're a sedentary female you might think that's a smart choice to make all the time, and it really isn't!
We should start educating people about proper nutrition and food choices, but where does it start? Your family doctor, who are already taxed enough as it is?
What about those restaurants that let their own chefs experiment? Example: the clam chowder from Bookers. One day it's great, the next day the salt is so extreme it actually burns your tongue (and I like salt)!
It's a good idea in theory but not so much in practice. A rule that applies to chain restaurants and leaves independents alone wouldn't be fair. It works for fast food because the items are very portion controlled and standardized, where the individual restaurant only heats/cooks/assembles the food, doesn't actually make it on site. It would only work for chain restaurants that do the same thing, not a "small" chain that doesn't. I'm not even sure how the average restaurant/pub would be able to figure out stats like this (off the Earl's website):
I suppose they could send their dishes out to a lab, but is all that info on a menu useful? And is 2.3g sugar for honey garlic or hot wings?
I think if you're on a high-fibre or sodium reduced diet you're better off knowing what foods to have and which to avoid and just generally follow that as a guide. If you have to measure how many grams you consume each day you're better off making your own food than expecting restaurants to give you that information.
Health Check is one way the Heart and Stroke Foundation helps Canadians make healthy food choices by identifying products and menu items that meet nutrient criteria.
Based on recommendations in Canada’s Food Guide, the Heart and Stroke Foundation’s team of registered dietitians developed Health Check criteria for the following nutrients:Fat (quantity and type)
Fibre
Sodium
Protein
Vitamins and Minerals
Scientific evidence, labeling regulations, nutrition trends as well as the eating habits of Canadians also inform the criteria. The criteria are reviewed on a regular basis and continue to evolve.
They still stay saturated fats are bad when VERY recent studies are showing otherwise.
They also still say you should get 6-8 servings of grains, and 2 servings of meat. Thanks but no thanks. Carbs not from fruit/vegetables are simply not good for you unless you're a very active person or athlete.
