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American Morning

Trimming the Fat

Aired May 13, 2003 - 07:46   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: There is a memo from Tommy Thompson to the fast food industry: shape up and stop feeding America's obesity problem. This morning, the U.S. health secretary will announce new plans to get fast food companies to change their ways and provide healthier options for consumers.
Meanwhile, Oreos are being linked to obesity. A lawsuit out there seeks to ban the sale of the cookie in California, saying that they are full of trans fat.

Heidi Skolnik, a nutritionist and contributing editor for "Men's Health" magazine, is here this morning to give us the skinny.

Good morning to you.

HEIDI SKOLNIK, "MEN'S HEALTH" MAGAZINE: Good morning.

HEMMER: This, some might think, is a bit silly, but we're taking it seriously, right?

SKOLNIK: Yes.

HEMMER: Trans fat, why is it bad?

SKOLNIK: Well, trans fat is serious, because trans fat is the worst kind of fat. It not only increases your bad cholesterol but it decreases your good cholesterol.

HEMMER: So, once it's in your system, how difficult is this to work out?

SKOLNIK: Well, it's just that it has long-term damaging effects. So, we always hear about saturated fat. This is even worse for us than saturated fat. And lowering your trans fat by even four grams a day may lower your risk of heart disease by 50 percent.

HEMMER: Four grams, not much. How difficult is that? It's my understanding, what, 40 percent of everything sold in the grocery store has some sort of trans fat in it, is that true?

SKOLNIK: Right. So, it's throughout our food supply, and that's what this lawsuit is really about. In California, they are trying to limit the sales of Oreo cookies to children. So, I think you'll have to be carded for cigarettes, Oreo cookies and beer.

HEMMER: And you thought it was just filling first or do you eat the chocolate wafer first. SKOLNIK: Right.

HEMMER: In defense of Oreo, they're saying they stand behind the cookie, a wholesome snack people have known and loved for more than 90 years. The company also says -- Kraft Foods says that they have worked on a lower trans fat cookie. How successful have they been at that?

SKOLNIK: Well, I think that's really key. One of the things that the consumer really wants to look for is lower fat, because the minute you lower the total fat, the trans fat has to be lowered as well.

And I think the real challenge here is that we all know Oreo cookies are not top of the food chain for healthy eating. It's not strawberries. But it is in foods like Eggo Waffles or Wheat Thins, you know, foods that you might even think you're eating healthfully, and yet there is trans fat in there.

So, you really want to look at the label and make sure that there's no hydrogenated fat, because once a food is hydrogenated, or fat is hydrogenated, it's transformed into the trans fat.

HEMMER: So, look for the "H" word then; that's the key.

SKOLNIK: Right, the "H" word.

HEMMER: Did you eat Oreos growing up?

SKOLNIK: You know, they weren't top of the list for me.

HEMMER: No, me either.

SKOLNIK: They're not...

HEMMER: And the filling in the middle was OK, but that chocolate wafer...

(CROSSTALK)

SKOLNIK: I'm a chocolate chip cookie person.

HEMMER: We're going to hear from Tommy Thompson a bit later today, pushing for healthier foods at fast food restaurants.

If you think about McDonald's, think about Wendy's, think about Taco Bell, how do they rate right now in terms of health food?

SKOLNIK: I think they're trying to respond to consumer demand, which is really what Tommy Thompson is saying, that we as consumers have to show where our dollars are going to go and make the choice. Unfortunately, we also want access. You know, with whatever is fast and easy we're going to eat. When you're hungry that's what you want.

But, look, McDonald's now has a parfait, a yogurt parfait with fruit in it. You know, 10 years ago, would you have thought that would have been there?

HEMMER: So, they're changing, then?

SKOLNIK: Right.

HEMMER: And is that...

SKOLNIK: And there are all of these salads now, too, but you have to be careful.

HEMMER: Are the salads good?

SKOLNIK: There is grilled chicken, there is fried chicken, so you obviously want to go with the grilled instead of the fried. And then the salad dressing, it's Newman's Own. But Newman's Own salad dressing, like the Ranch dressing, has almost as much fat in it as a Big Mac with fries.

HEMMER: No place is safe, I'm telling you. You know, you have to think with the awareness coming out of the White House and out of Washington that it may put more pressure on fast food companies to change, so we'll watch it.

Heidi, thanks -- Heidi Skolnik, "Men's Health" Magazine. It was fun. Enjoy your Oreo or lack thereof.

SKOLNIK: With milk.

HEMMER: Got it.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.







Aired May 13, 2003 - 07:46   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: There is a memo from Tommy Thompson to the fast food industry: shape up and stop feeding America's obesity problem. This morning, the U.S. health secretary will announce new plans to get fast food companies to change their ways and provide healthier options for consumers.
Meanwhile, Oreos are being linked to obesity. A lawsuit out there seeks to ban the sale of the cookie in California, saying that they are full of trans fat.

Heidi Skolnik, a nutritionist and contributing editor for "Men's Health" magazine, is here this morning to give us the skinny.

Good morning to you.

HEIDI SKOLNIK, "MEN'S HEALTH" MAGAZINE: Good morning.

HEMMER: This, some might think, is a bit silly, but we're taking it seriously, right?

SKOLNIK: Yes.

HEMMER: Trans fat, why is it bad?

SKOLNIK: Well, trans fat is serious, because trans fat is the worst kind of fat. It not only increases your bad cholesterol but it decreases your good cholesterol.

HEMMER: So, once it's in your system, how difficult is this to work out?

SKOLNIK: Well, it's just that it has long-term damaging effects. So, we always hear about saturated fat. This is even worse for us than saturated fat. And lowering your trans fat by even four grams a day may lower your risk of heart disease by 50 percent.

HEMMER: Four grams, not much. How difficult is that? It's my understanding, what, 40 percent of everything sold in the grocery store has some sort of trans fat in it, is that true?

SKOLNIK: Right. So, it's throughout our food supply, and that's what this lawsuit is really about. In California, they are trying to limit the sales of Oreo cookies to children. So, I think you'll have to be carded for cigarettes, Oreo cookies and beer.

HEMMER: And you thought it was just filling first or do you eat the chocolate wafer first. SKOLNIK: Right.

HEMMER: In defense of Oreo, they're saying they stand behind the cookie, a wholesome snack people have known and loved for more than 90 years. The company also says -- Kraft Foods says that they have worked on a lower trans fat cookie. How successful have they been at that?

SKOLNIK: Well, I think that's really key. One of the things that the consumer really wants to look for is lower fat, because the minute you lower the total fat, the trans fat has to be lowered as well.

And I think the real challenge here is that we all know Oreo cookies are not top of the food chain for healthy eating. It's not strawberries. But it is in foods like Eggo Waffles or Wheat Thins, you know, foods that you might even think you're eating healthfully, and yet there is trans fat in there.

So, you really want to look at the label and make sure that there's no hydrogenated fat, because once a food is hydrogenated, or fat is hydrogenated, it's transformed into the trans fat.

HEMMER: So, look for the "H" word then; that's the key.

SKOLNIK: Right, the "H" word.

HEMMER: Did you eat Oreos growing up?

SKOLNIK: You know, they weren't top of the list for me.

HEMMER: No, me either.

SKOLNIK: They're not...

HEMMER: And the filling in the middle was OK, but that chocolate wafer...

(CROSSTALK)

SKOLNIK: I'm a chocolate chip cookie person.

HEMMER: We're going to hear from Tommy Thompson a bit later today, pushing for healthier foods at fast food restaurants.

If you think about McDonald's, think about Wendy's, think about Taco Bell, how do they rate right now in terms of health food?

SKOLNIK: I think they're trying to respond to consumer demand, which is really what Tommy Thompson is saying, that we as consumers have to show where our dollars are going to go and make the choice. Unfortunately, we also want access. You know, with whatever is fast and easy we're going to eat. When you're hungry that's what you want.

But, look, McDonald's now has a parfait, a yogurt parfait with fruit in it. You know, 10 years ago, would you have thought that would have been there?

HEMMER: So, they're changing, then?

SKOLNIK: Right.

HEMMER: And is that...

SKOLNIK: And there are all of these salads now, too, but you have to be careful.

HEMMER: Are the salads good?

SKOLNIK: There is grilled chicken, there is fried chicken, so you obviously want to go with the grilled instead of the fried. And then the salad dressing, it's Newman's Own. But Newman's Own salad dressing, like the Ranch dressing, has almost as much fat in it as a Big Mac with fries.

HEMMER: No place is safe, I'm telling you. You know, you have to think with the awareness coming out of the White House and out of Washington that it may put more pressure on fast food companies to change, so we'll watch it.

Heidi, thanks -- Heidi Skolnik, "Men's Health" Magazine. It was fun. Enjoy your Oreo or lack thereof.

SKOLNIK: With milk.

HEMMER: Got it.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.