A couple of college kids are trying to make restaurant-goers healthier … or at least give them that option.
It's touted as a business-friendly alternative to implementing an outright ban. UW-Madison students Dan Chavas (chuh-VAHS) and Eli Persky are co-founders of Informed Consumers Equal Improved Health. Chavas says we can check the food labels and control what we eat at home, but when we go to a restaurant, there's no way of knowing the amount trans fats in our meal.
The duo came up with the Low Trans Fat Award System, as a way to incentivize the voluntary removal of trans fat from restaurants; and to help consumers to make informed decisions. Persky says it's about personal choice for both the consumers and the business owners.
Trans fats are used because they extend the shelf life of a product. But one restaurant chef says making the switch to a healthier fat isn't hard to do. Perksy says restaurants can earn a Gold Award for maintaining a fully trans fat-free menu, and a Silver Award for maintaining a low trans fat menu.
The UW-Madison students say this is a great half way point between not having any regulation at all, to having an outright ban.