Fast food may never be the ideal dieting solution, but it may eventually shake the "junk food" tag. Triarc's (NYSE:TRY) Arby's chain became the latest company to go public with its assault on fat-laden hydrogenated frying oils. By May, it expects to eliminate trans-fat oils in its curly fries and chicken nuggets at all of its stateside restaurants.
Arby's isn't the first chain to embrace the concept. Other fast-food masters like Wendy's (NYSE:WEN) and Disney's (NYSE:DIS) theme-park chains have made similar announcements. However, Triarc claims that it's the first fast-food chain to also nail down the same commitment from its suppliers.
Many consumers don't know that their fries actually take two dips into frying oil. Once the potatoes are washed and sliced up, they are par-fried at the plant before being packaged and frozen. Using healthier oils at the restaurant level helps, but it's not a complete solution.
Even Arby's isn't offering a completely trans-fat-free experience. Last night's press release indicates that the larger serving of the fries will still have a gram of trans fatty acids. In other words, the smaller portions will still contain fractional amounts of the bad stuff, but less than the 0.5-gram mark that allows it to be rounded down to zero.
That's OK. The key is to eliminate as much of the trans fats in your diet as possible, and Triarc should be commended, along with the many other quick-service concepts that are jumping on the healthier bandwagon.
It's comforting to know that you don't have to be saddled with a fry order with every combo meal at many chains. Whether it's fruit cups at Wendy's or sliced apples at McDonald's (NYSE:MCD), the chains were already doing their part to improve their patrons' eating habits. However, the vast majority of hungry customers still find themselves going for the traditional fries. In that sense, it's good to know that the fast-food industry is making the right decision, even when its patrons are making the wrong ones.
For more on the trans-fat trend, check out:
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Longtime Fool contributor Rick Munarriz is a fan of Arby's, even though he thinks the classic Jamocha shakes are no substitute for the chocolate-and-peanut butter shakes they were selling last year. He does own shares in Disney. Rick is also part of the Rule Breakers newsletter research team, seeking out tomorrow's ultimate growth stocks a day early. T he Fool has a disclosure policy.
