Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Starbucks targeted over high-fat products (no banana mocha Frapp, no banana cream crunch bar)
REUTERS ^ | Fri Jun 16, 2006

Posted on 06/16/2006 6:41:22 PM PDT by Liz

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Starbucks Corp. may be next on the target list of a consumer-health group that this week sued the operator of the KFC fried chicken restaurant chain for frying foods in oils high in harmful trans fat.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest said it is planning to campaign against the global cafe chain because of the increased risk of obesity, heart disease and cancer associated with high-calorie, high-fat products it sells. And the possibility of legal action against Starbucks, similar to the case it is taking against KFC owner Yum Brands Inc., has not been ruled out, said CSPI executive director Michael F. Jacobson. "Regular consumers of Starbucks products could face Venti-sized health problems," Jacobson said, referring to Starbucks' use of the 'Venti' designation for 'large.'

The group is primarily funded by newsletter subscribers and individual donors. It has support in the campaign from the small IWW Starbucks Workers Union, which has members in three stores, all in New York. They would like Starbucks to list nutrition information -- which is currently available online and in store brochures -- on its menu boards. "Customers can ask for nutrition information, but when you're talking about a transparent business in a busy world, that's not enough," union organizer and Starbucks "barista" staff member Daniel Gross said in an interview. He said the company should use healthier shortenings without trans fat, and publicize its smallest size, "short," which is available but does not appear on the menu. Continued...

The union contends that Starbucks staff gain weight when they work at the chain. They are offered unlimited beverages and leftover pastries for free during their shifts.

A 20-ounce Venti banana mocha Frappuccino with whipped cream contains 720 calories and 11 grams of saturated fat, and a banana cream crunch bar weighs in at 630 calories and 25 grams of saturated fat. By comparison, a McDonald's Corp. Big Mac has 560 calories and 11 grams of saturated fat.

A Starbucks spokesman said in a statement it is "actively researching" alternatives to high-fat products. The company said it plans to eliminate trans fat from

seasonal baked goods -- but not necessarily other products -- by this fall. "In our beverage ingredients, we have reformulated any component that contained significant artificial trans fat content," the spokesman said. Wendy's International Inc. and Panera Bread Co. have recently announced efforts to reduce or eliminate trans fats from their menus. Trans fat is an artery-clogging solid fat found in partially hydrogenated oils.

"Most people are taking the trans fat out of their foods because they raise the risk of heart disease and obesity," said Marion Nestle, professor of nutrition at NYU.

"There's a lot of pressure to do so, especially since the (KFC) lawsuit." Jacobson said Starbucks may have been spared the scrutiny fast-food chains received recently because of its health-conscious image. "People expect foods from Dunkin' Donuts to be unhealthy, but Starbucks has more of an upper middle class, healthy, hip, politically correct facade," Jacobson said. "But the food is just as harmful to your arteries." © Reuters 2006. All Rights Reserved.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 109th; badfat; cspi; doomandgloom; foodpolice; geeksquad; healthypeople; healthypeople2010; liberals; michaeljacobsen; nannystate; obesity; sokaiya; starbucks; wereallgonnadie
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 81-100101-120121-140 ... 161-175 next last
To: CheyennePress; devolve

LOL, what you say is true but the others just sound so darned good! Coffee with chocolate, whipped cream, etc....


101 posted on 06/16/2006 9:19:36 PM PDT by potlatch (Does a clean house indicate that there is a broken computer in it?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 100 | View Replies]

To: CheyennePress

15 calories in a Venti coffee. You may end up burning more calories than are even in the coffee after the caffeine boosts your metabolism.


102 posted on 06/16/2006 9:21:24 PM PDT by CheyennePress
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 100 | View Replies]

To: potlatch


A little Southern Comfort helps


103 posted on 06/16/2006 9:26:38 PM PDT by devolve (fx AMERICANS_KILLED_IN_2003_BY_ILLEGALS FBI-DOJ_REPORT_4380+4745=9125 NO__NUEVO__TEJAS!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 101 | View Replies]

To: devolve

I shall not embarrass you on that one!


104 posted on 06/16/2006 9:28:53 PM PDT by potlatch (Does a clean house indicate that there is a broken computer in it?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 103 | View Replies]

To: potlatch

Schlotsky's is low carb, too.

105 posted on 06/16/2006 9:29:19 PM PDT by Liz (The US Constitution is intended to protect the people from the government.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 92 | View Replies]

To: Liz

LOL, doubt if the one I get is low carb, plus I just have to have the broccoli-cheese soup!!


106 posted on 06/16/2006 9:31:17 PM PDT by potlatch (Does a clean house indicate that there is a broken computer in it?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 105 | View Replies]

To: benjaminjjones

You gonna eat the whole pint?

107 posted on 06/16/2006 9:37:02 PM PDT by Liz (The US Constitution is intended to protect the people from the government.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 57 | View Replies]

To: Recovering Ex-hippie; phantomworker
And wouldn't you know it?

They were all out of Chunky Monkey.

I had to settle for some other, typically liberal, nonsensical, mixed up, "like, totally diverse bro'", concoction Ben & Jerry's twisted minds had thought up.
(oh, and chocolate chip cookies)
(annnd milk)
(andapackofsmokes)
(and then I ran out of cash, gratefully, before I did myself an injury)

Anyway, it was like getting served rail when you were drooling for top shelf.

At least I made sure it was Real Ice Cream and Constitutionally covered under Section One, Article Four, the "Full Fat and Cholesterol Clause".

Oops, time for my diabetic coma to kick in...later...

108 posted on 06/16/2006 10:13:03 PM PDT by benjaminjjones (yeah, what he said)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 63 | View Replies]

To: benjaminjjones

Have you tried Star Spangled Ice Cream yet? www.starspangledicecream.com


109 posted on 06/16/2006 10:20:51 PM PDT by peggybac (Tolerance is the virtue of believing in nothing)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 108 | View Replies]

To: Vision
This is out of control

I agree.

This whole drive is beginning to look like the frog in the water scenario...

If they're really concerned about our health - and think we are all so ignorant - put out bulletins.

I'm beginning to be leery of where this is headed. The PC campaign has shut off free speech...where will this end?

I think the government is the last entity to be dictating what foods are where.

They would better worry about things we can't control ourselves, like the harmful proscription drugs that get released onto the public only to be found lethal later, or the 100's of thousands of 'mistake' deaths in hospitals, ...but stop trying to legislate areas of our lives where we can make the choice. It's a slow drip-drip-drip erosion of freedom of choice.

Of course, we are dealing with socialists who beleive it is their perogitive to dictate every aspect of "the (ignorant) little people's" lives

110 posted on 06/16/2006 10:31:27 PM PDT by maine-iac7 (Lincoln: "...but you can't fool all of the people all of the time.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: devolve
Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

111 posted on 06/16/2006 11:00:55 PM PDT by potlatch (Does a clean house indicate that there is a broken computer in it?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 110 | View Replies]

To: Liz
Michael Jacobsen and his merry band of liberal Food Police strike again. "We're all gonna die!" No matter what we eat, we're told its bad for our health. Oh, I loathe killjoys who take the pleasure out of our lives. They treat us like children too stupid to make responsible choices. If the Center For Science In The Public Interest folks had it their way, we'd all be living off tofu and bottled water. Yikes!!!

(Denny Crane: "Every one should carry a gun strapped to their waist. We need more - not less guns.")

112 posted on 06/16/2006 11:07:53 PM PDT by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives On In My Heart Forever)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: goldstategop

Tofu and bottled water are good for you. Why do you complain? ;)


113 posted on 06/17/2006 12:04:55 AM PDT by CheyennePress
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 112 | View Replies]

To: Liz

Now my mouth is watering!!!! Starbucks in Denver! Ah, the best!


114 posted on 06/17/2006 2:13:18 AM PDT by OldFriend (I Pledge Allegiance to the Flag.....and My Heart to the Soldier Who Protects It.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 78 | View Replies]

To: OldFriend

"...Starbucks..." overpriced coffee!!

Take if from this guy ---> http://www.thekidfrombrooklyn.com/video_disp.asp?videoid=1049


115 posted on 06/17/2006 3:11:14 AM PDT by MaDeuce (Do it to them, before they do it to you! (MaDuce = M2HB .50 BMG))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 114 | View Replies]

To: muawiyah
Every diabetic knows its the breading and the buns killing people ~ NOT THE FAT!

So very true. There is a tremendous lack of understanding for an individual's physiological disposition towards certain carbohydrates. Many people are unaware that their bodies simply cannot process them properly and that such consumption can lead to obesity.

That being said, if I want to drink my triple-mocha-fatty-frappe each morning at Starbucks, I'll put down as many liberals as I need to in order to get one. ; )

116 posted on 06/17/2006 3:25:55 AM PDT by Caipirabob (Communists... Socialists... Democrats...Traitors... Who can tell the difference?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 31 | View Replies]

To: abner
You're right.

Coulter said it best: "On the seventh day God rested, and liberals schemed."
117 posted on 06/17/2006 5:22:05 AM PDT by Vision ("America's best days lie ahead. You ain't seen nothing yet"- Reagan)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 71 | View Replies]

To: HitmanLV; All
The more I think about it is that these busybodies had a miserable childhood.
118 posted on 06/17/2006 5:35:37 AM PDT by KevinDavis (http://www.cafepress.com/spacefuture)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: Liz; Recovering Ex-hippie; phantomworker
Ugh! Sugar Hangover

Image and video hosting by TinyPic

I earned it.

Image and video hosting by TinyPic

119 posted on 06/17/2006 6:39:46 AM PDT by benjaminjjones (yeah, what he said)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 107 | View Replies]

To: Cobra64

"The era of personal responsibility and accountability is ending"

At the rate this insanity is going, I'm sure you're right.

This is out of control. I'm fed up with these orweillian ba$tards. Their ilk are nothing but control-freaks, attacking everything in sight.
We're going to have to do more than talk pretty soon.


120 posted on 06/17/2006 6:42:21 AM PDT by 383rr ((those who choose security over liberty deserve neither; GUN CONTROL=SLAVERY)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 46 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 81-100101-120121-140 ... 161-175 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson