In previous blogs I told you about how several major hotel chains including Marriott and Westin have gone nonsmoking. In addition, I’ve discussed how some hotels have implemented more rigorous cleaning procedures to combat germs. Now it seems at least one major hotel chain is taking their guests’ health concerns to a new level. Loews Hotels has just announced that they will be following the lead of a growing number of fast-food chains and the city of New York — it will ban artificial trans fats in food it offers. They make history by becoming the first hotel chain to do so.
According to Loews, by February, fried food served at the chain’s 18 hotels and resorts will “no longer be made with hydrogenated oils believed to increase levels of ‘bad’ cholesterol.” The hotel will use vegetable oils as substitutes. In addition, by April, the hotel’s cookies will be made with butter, not shortening. But, that’s not all–Loews means what they say when they declared that their properties will be completely trans fat free. By June the hotel will no longer stock candy bars and other snacks containing artificial trans fats in their minibars; rather guests will see that the Goobers have been replaced with munchies such as baked potato chips or power bars.
And if you are staying at a Loews property you can forget about spreading margarine on your morning toast–Loews says they will stick to butter. A decision you’d think would be applauded, however, it turns out that some registered dietitians from the American Dietetic Association are actually raising a red flag about the margarine issue. Dieticians maintain butter contains saturated fat, which is unhealthy for your heart. They suggest the hotel consider giving their guests trans fat-free margarines.
My take: give Loews a break. Eliminating artificial trans fats is a major culinary change for a hotel. Will you miss it?
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