Burger King Commits to the Trans-Fat-Free Trend

Miami-based Burger King Corporation, the world’s second largest hamburger chain, stated on Friday that by the end of 2008 all of its U.S. restaurants will cook exclusively with trans-fat-free cooking oil.

The statement comes only after consumer tests concluded that popular fried menu items like hash browns and French fries did not sacrifice taste when prepared in the alternative, healthier oil.

Other fast food chains that were quicker to jump on the trans-fat-free wagon include McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Starbucks, and Yum Brands’ chain restaurants, KFC and Taco Bell.

The craze for foods produced sans trans-fats began in 2003 when the organization, BanTransFats.com, sued Kraft to eliminate trans fat in Oreo cookies. The lawsuit resulted in Kraft removing the dangerous oil from Oreos as well as reducing it from nearly 650 other products. A domino effect ensued due to the outcry of millions of Americans striving to live a healthy lifestyle.

The risk of consuming this partially hydrogenated oil includes high cholesterol and heart disease.