Sunrise urged to say good-bye to trans fat

Sunrises's 155 restaurants are receiving a letter this month from the city suggesting the ban of trans fat.

The Sun-Sentinel states that city commissioners unanimously approved a nonbinding resolution asking restaurants to rid their menus of the cholesterol-increasing fat.

Although the measure is not mandatory, city commissioner Sheila Alu believes that it will "promote healthier lifestyles."

Research shows that trans-fat or partially hydrogenated oils increase "bad" LDL cholesterol and lower "good" HDL cholesterol; this can lead to clogged arteries and heart disease. Read more at WebMd.com

The oils can be found in foods such as cookies, doughnuts, margarine, crackers and fried foods.

But Sunrise isn't the first locale to combat trans fat.

The city of Tamarac implemented a similar measure, and the Broward County School District banned trans fat from school cafeterias.

Before 2006, the FDA didn't require food labels to list trans fat.

And just because a label says "zero trans fat", it doesn't mean it is! A serving is allowed to have up to 0.5 grams of trans fat and still be labeled "trans-fat-free".