Chefs Call Proposed New York Salt Ban 'Absurd'

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[rickl]

MYFOXNY.COM - Some New York City chefs and restaurant owners are taking aim at a bill introduced in the New York Legislature that, if passed, would ban the use of salt in restaurant cooking.

"No owner or operator of a restaurant in this state shall use salt in any form in the preparation of any food for consumption by customers of such restaurant, including food prepared to be consumed on the premises of such restaurant or off of such premises," the bill, A. 10129 , states in part.

The legislation, which Assemblyman Felix Ortiz , D-Brooklyn, introduced on March 5, would fine restaurants $1,000 for each violation.

"The consumer needs to make their own health choices. Just as doctors and the occasional visit to a hospital can't truly control how a person chooses to maintain their health, neither can chefs nor the occasional visit to a restaurant," said Jeff Nathan, the executive chef and co-owner of Abigael's on Broadway. "Modifying trans fats and sodium intake needs to be home based for optimal health. Regulating restaurants will not solve this health issue."

Nathan is part of the group My Food My Choice , which calls itself a coalition of chefs, restaurant owners, and consumers, called the proposed law "absurd" in a press release issued on its Facebook page.

Ortiz has said the salt ban would allow restaurant patrons to decide how salty they want their meals to be.

"In this way, consumers have more control over the amount of sodium they intake, and are given the option to exercise healthier diets and healthier lifestyles," Ortiz said, according to a Nation's Restaurant News report.

But many chefs and restaurant owners said they are tired of politicians dictating what they can serve and what people can eat. They have opposed the city's anti-sodium and anti-transfat campaigns.

"Chefs would be handcuffed in their food preparation, and many are already in open rebellion over this legislation," said Orit Sklar, of My Food My Choice. "Ortiz and fellow anti-salt zealot Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York City seek to undermine the food and restaurant business in the entire state."

The American Heart Association encourages Americans to reduce their sodium intake and has advocated the reduction of sodium used by food manufacturers and restaurants by 50 percent over a 10-year period.

To quote rayra again, "We're going to have to kill these people."  They just. won't. quit.

[Mordecai Noah]

What's next?  Sugar, butter, whipping cream?  Why not just ban flavor altogether?

[rickl]

Oops, forgot the link.

Seething rage will do that.

[Al the Grouch]

  Salt = a controlled substance. Meanwhile they push for legalization of psychotropic drugs.
This country's headed for hell on a Bullet Train.

[bonz]

If things go as they plan they won't have to ban these items. The stores will be empty

[rickl]

"Chefs would be handcuffed in their food preparation, and many are already in open rebellion over this legislation," said Orit Sklar, of My Food My Choice.

"Open rebellion"?  I doubt it.  I'll believe that when I see chefs attacking legislators with butcher knives.

[armybrat]

The dieticians were out in the cafeteria last week surveying people.  One nice young very skinny thing accosted me.  "did I ever review nutritional information, why or why not, what would convince me to review nutritional information, how could they "convince" me to make healthier choices....."  I was polite but just so.  I told her that I was well aware of nutritional information, I rarely looked at it, I eat what I choose and that varies from day to day, I will continue to choose my meal based on my preferences that day and I will continue to ignore nutritional information. I think she was relieved when I left.

/fucking food police.

[RTLM]

Tell the statist fuckers that they can kiss their precious restaurant tax base goodbye.  That will change their minds.  Too stupid for words.  Nanny state bullshit.  

This is going nowhere.  

[FASTAC 6]

To quote rayra again, "We're going to have to kill these people."  They just. won't. quit.

That.

Somebody else quoted this the other day. Still applicable.

Edgar Friendly: You see, according to Cocteau's plan, I'm the enemy, 'cause I like to think; I like to read. I'm into freedom of speech and freedom of choice. I'm the kind of guy who likes to sit in a greasy spoon and wonder, "Gee, should I have the T-bone steak or the jumbo rack of barbecued ribs with the side order of gravy fries?" I WANT high cholesterol. I wanna eat bacon and butter and BUCKETS of cheese, okay? I want to smoke a Cuban cigar the size of Cincinnati in the non-smoking section. I want to run through the streets naked with green Jell-o all over my body reading Playboy magazine. Why? Because I suddenly might feel the need to, okay, pal? I've SEEN the future. Do you know what it is? It's a 47-year-old virgin sitting around in his beige pajamas, drinking a banana-broccoli shake, singing "I'm an Oscar Meyer Wiener".

[SwampWoman]

HEY!  Can people with low blood pressure sue them for injuries sustained when passing out after standing up suddenly?

[armybrat]

Somebody else quoted this the other day. Still applicable.

Edgar Friendly: You see, according to Cocteau's plan, I'm the enemy, 'cause I like to think; I like to read. I'm into freedom of speech and freedom of choice. I'm the kind of guy who likes to sit in a greasy spoon and wonder, "Gee, should I have the T-bone steak or the jumbo rack of barbecued ribs with the side order of gravy fries?" I WANT high cholesterol. I wanna eat bacon and butter and BUCKETS of cheese, okay? I want to smoke a Cuban cigar the size of Cincinnati in the non-smoking section. I want to run through the streets naked with green Jell-o all over my body reading Playboy magazine. Why? Because I suddenly might feel the need to, okay, pal? I've SEEN the future. Do you know what it is? It's a 47-year-old virgin sitting around in his beige pajamas, drinking a banana-broccoli shake, singing "I'm an Oscar Meyer Wiener".

 

[thechef]

  WTF, Salt is a flavor,  taken in moderation should be enjoyed by all.  Please come take that pinch of salt out of my dead cold fingers.  Fuck the food police and polically correct assholes.  These are probably the same ones making smoking illegal also. 

[rickl]

WTF, Salt is a flavor,  taken in moderation should be enjoyed by all.  Please come take that pinch of salt out of my dead cold fingers.  Fuck the food police and polically correct assholes.  These are probably the same ones making smoking illegal also.

Yep.  For many years now nonsmokers have looked at the increasing regulations and taxes on smoking and thought, "Well, that doesn't affect me."

And we smokers have been saying, "Oh yes it does.  Just you wait and see."

[EW1(SG)]

HEY!  Can people with low blood pressure sue them for injuries sustained when passing out after standing up suddenly?

\

I'm waiting to see what happens when the 45% of people whose blood pressure rises when they are denied salt bring that to the legislature's attention?

[Ed Mahmoud]

I suspect the big burger outfits will lose enough business quickly enough to leave the state.  Adds to the shortage of entry level jobs, but fewer fast food restaurants would probably make the people behind this happy.



Well, it won't be rude to the chef to salt one's food at a restaurant.



I use potassium salt substitute at home, normal salt elsewhere.  I don't skimp on salt out.  I got taken off my Metoprol, which supposedly increases blood sugar.  I was on Norvasc first, when I tested 130 over 90 a decade ago.  I am now usually in the 120s over 80s now, without the medication.

Oh, my 2 hour post meal glucose is usually in the 80s or 90s.  No medication.  Just riding the Expresso exercise bike 4 or 5 days a week at the gym, and have cut out most non-complex carbs.  Sort of like Atkins, not quite as extreme.  6 pounds in 2 weeks.  Just 100 more to go.  Not half as much based on bodyfat on my arms.  But they get attention, bi's and tri's.  The body fat is where it is most unhealthy, in the gut. 

But I am working on it.  Probably cut down on my chances of a relapse of the rather unpleasant sciatic episodes from the blown L5 disc.

A few weeks back my 2 hour glucose tolerance test came back 177.  140 or below is good, 200 and above is diabetic.  My A1C numbers were also not up to snuff.   The threat of having to someday shoot insulin can be a great diet and exercise motivator. Hate needles.  If I keep having post meal glucose below 100, I'm going to start cutting back some on the testing (but stay on diet and exercise).  About a dollar a test strip for the Bayer Contour meter.

[Ed Mahmoud]

Tonight:  127 over 82, pulse 62 per CVS home BP kit, 2 hour post meal glucose 92.


Did I mention I lost six pounds.


I think that 127 might be a shade high, but we'll see what some weight loss does to that.



But I still salt when I go out.

[nbpundit]

We use sea salt and kosher salt.  I brine my meats in kosher.

[trioxin]

"In this way, consumers have more control over the amount of sodium they intake, and are given the option to exercise healthier diets and healthier lifestyles," Ortiz said, according to a Nation's Restaurant News report.

Ah, Yes! The Democrats are all about consumer options, and people having control, right? I think they missed "It's for the children, won't someone please think of the children!"

[Marc]

HEY!  Can people with low blood pressure sue them for injuries sustained when passing out after standing up suddenly?

\

I'm waiting to see what happens when the 45% of people whose blood pressure rises when they are denied salt bring that to the legislature's attention?

That is me!

A part of my BP meds is a diuretic, HCTZ. My Dr told me to be sure my NaCl intake was higher since my tests are always low. I use Sea Salt, and am almost back up to normal. Helps with KCl balance too. I don't get dizzy as much.

[Marc]

If they ban the salt shaker, then I would revolt. I can salt my own food as I like, Thank you.

[Mike C.]

WTF, Salt is a flavor,  taken in moderation should be enjoyed by all.  Please come take that pinch of salt out of my dead cold fingers.  Fuck the food police and polically correct assholes.  These are probably the same ones making smoking illegal also.

Yep.  For many years now nonsmokers have looked at the increasing regulations and taxes on smoking and thought, "Well, that doesn't affect me."

And we smokers have been saying, "Oh yes it does.  Just you wait and see."

Yup.  Welcome to the club, everybody else.

Oh, and the next thing to be banned ?  Sugar.  Kiss those desserts goodbye....

[mom of girls]

Tonight:  127 over 82, pulse 62 per CVS home BP kit, 2 hour post meal glucose 92.


Did I mention I lost six pounds.


I think that 127 might be a shade high, but we'll see what some weight loss does to that.



But I still salt when I go out.

Ed
Great start on the poundage loss.

[Buckaroo]

jmo, but --

1.  this is nyc, not a "normal" place

2.  it's a "proposal" at the moment, that's all ...

[Farng]

Tonight:  127 over 82, pulse 62 per CVS home BP kit, 2 hour post meal glucose 92.


Did I mention I lost six pounds.


I think that 127 might be a shade high, but we'll see what some weight loss does to that.



But I still salt when I go out.

Ed
Great start on the poundage loss.

Ditto, Ed.
 I've kinda fallen off the diet wagon recently...need to get back on.  Right after I finish this doughnut...

[Keepandbear]

Yep

First they came for the salt shakers but i didn't use salt so I diidn't care.