December 3, 2014
by Nick Novak
Originally published by The Washington Times.
I had to laugh a little at the timing of the latest regulatory announcement from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Last week, the FDA approved a little-known regulation of Obamacare that will force restaurants, gas stations and grocery stores – and most other businesses that serve fresh food – to add calorie count labels to many of their products.
The goal? FDA Commissioner Margaret A. Hamburg told reporters that it is an attempt to curb obesity. She said labeled menus will provide for more informed decisions by consumers.
This is where the ironic timing comes in. In the same week, we “consumers” celebrated a holiday where the most sought-after tradition is to eat massive amounts of turkey, slathered in butter and covered in gravy made from the fat drippings of said turkey. And to top it all off, one of our side dishes is often sweet potatoes covered in marshmallows (kudos to whoever thought that one up).
Even though I knew pretty much everything I ate at Thanksgiving – leave maybe the asparagus – was bad for me, I still ate it. Knowing the high caloric intake did not stop me from getting a second piece of pie after dinner.
I also exercise on a fairly regular basis, though, to burn off those calories and ultimately live a healthier life. Plus, I don’t eat Thanksgiving dinner every day.
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