I hate trans-fats! Ban them from your house too.

For the past 10 years I have avoided hydrogenated oils (commonly found in Crisco, french fries, peanut butter, popcorn flavoring, cookies, etc.), which is a primary source of trans-fats. It's tough to ban them entirely because Oreos and a PB&J are good once in a while, meaning a few times a year. Nowadays it's totally possible to buy both Oreos and peanut butter that don't contain trans-fats.

At a minimum, you should be AWARE of what hydrogenated oils are and watch out for them on food labels. Over time and consumed in enough quantity, I'm sure your body won't be happy with you.

I could go on for days talking about this and why it should be banned from the earth forever. Hydrogenated oils were created in the 1970's to make food cheaper to produce and extend shelf life. Nasty!

Same goes for high-fructose corn syrup. Do you know how this stuff is made and what it does to your body? My father died from Diabetes and I know that the consumption of high-fructose corn syrup contributed to his health issues. This stuff is a major contributor to America's -and increasingly the world's- obesity epidemic.

Please, please be ACTIVE and AWARE of what you put into your body. Just read the label, it's as simple as that! I'm not saying avoid it entirely. That's impossible in the world we live in because stuff like high-fructose corn syrup is everywhere...from the cereal and juice you have in the morning, to the fruit dip you snack on, to gravy on your lunch, to that soda you have as a snack, to the exercise drink you have after the gym, to the sauce on your dinner and your salad dressing. It really is a mainstay of consumer packaged foods and beverages because of it's availability, functionality, and cost.

You may scoff and say that you've lived all your life not worrying about these two ingredients, but that's your prerogative. What I do know is that cancer and obesity are killing off people I love and I don't want that to happen to me, those in my circle, associates of Kahiki, or our customers.

I have a few simple words of advice:
1. Be AWARE of what you put into your body (in this case, hydrogenated oils/trans-fats and high-fructose corn syrup) and take RESPONSIBILITY for the consequences.
2. In moderation, most anything is just fine...just be conscious of it! Ignorance is bliss (not to mention downright stupid).
3. Exercise! Even a 5-10 minute walk daily will help add years to your life.

TT