Fast Food Goes Bye-Bye

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a legislation that Sen. Alex Padilla proposed to force all restaraunts in the state of California to post calorie counts for each item on a menu and provide informational brochures that include calories and grams of saturated fat.

Everyone will have the option of knowing what is going into their
bodies.

With the new law, no one can use the excuse that the information is not provided. It will not change the problem of obesity overnight and this is going to be a long process.

The realities are that some people are naive and will eat whatever they want when they want. People who eat at fast food restaurants have seen the trucks that bring in their processed, preserved and frozen burgers and meals and some of them don't care to have a calorie count posted.

It's no secret that the french fries are not fresh. It's not like anyone has walked into McDonald's and was told to hold because the potaotes were still being peeled, cut and lightly salted for the fries.

By July, 1, 2009 every restauraunt will have to provide brochures and by 2011 all menu boards in the front of the counter will have calorie counts for each item. By 2011, we will all be fully informed about the content in our meals.

Some people might change their eating habits while others will ignore every word beyond the number seven combo they ordered. If posting calorie counts don't fix the problems Schwarzenegger has more legislations to pass. A law was passed so that no more fast food Deep Fried Fuel
restaurants can be built in South L.A.
for a year.

There are fast food franchises and smaller mom and pop restaurants all over the South L.A. area. A child can walk home from school and pass more than four or five fast food restaurants in a few blocks. "Banning fast food franchises isn't a bad idea. Less is more in this case," said Mahan Akil.

Between big food chains like McDonald's and
Jack in the Box and smaller places like taco stands and burger joints, the area is overflowing with food. Obesity and diabetes cases are clear and evident in the South L.A. area.

Living healthier is a thing of the future and Schwarzenegger has plans to ensure it by banning trans fat in restaurants. He passed a law that will take effect Jan. 1, 2010. Even cake is being affected. Restaurants can only carry on using trans fats to deep fry yeast dough and in cake batter until Jan. 1, 2011.

Schwarzenegger wants to decrease coronary heart disease that is caused by consuming trans fats. Change is on the way for California residents and it's all in the spirit of good health.