It's that time of year when the world becomes awash in orders for Thin Mints, Tagalogs, Do-si-dos, etc. Yes, it's Girl Scout cookie time. I was asked if I would like to order some the other day. My taste buds are screaming yes to some Thin Mints, but the Lipitor-fearing, heart-healthy brain is saying: "Warning! Baked Goods! May contain trans fat!". This may strike you as funny until I tell you that the main force behind cutting my cholesterol 40 points was cutting trans fat (this is after the doctor said go on Lipitor or see the dietitian, who recommended banishing trans-fats from my diet).

The woman attempting to sell me the cookies said the cookies are now free of trans fat, but I know that there is a loophole in the law that allows a small amount of trans fat while declaring having none (again, thanks to the dietitian). So I search the ingredient list for that good-cholesterol-killing, bad-cholesterol-raising nemesis of my Lipitor-free self: "partially hydrogenated ... oil". Surprise, surprise, surprise, I find it on the ingredient list (here's the other baker's list). I say "surprise, surprise, surprise" sarcastically because it is difficult to find commercially-made baked goods without it.

Here's my beef (sorry, bad pun): Girl Scouts, according to their site, "is the world’s preeminent organization dedicated solely to girls—all girls—where, in an accepting and nurturing environment, girls build character". Part of character, in my opinion, is honesty. Also, in my humble opinion, taking advantage of an FDA loophole to label your product as "zero trans fat per serving" when there is clearly trans fat in the product is not honest and does not demonstrate good character.

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