Sunday, March 14, 2010

Food Police In New York May Ban Salt

In another nanny-state move that defies logic, a New York state assemblyman is proposing legislation to ban salt in restaurant prepared food for the whole state.
This buffoonery is being proposed by Assemblyman Felix Ortiz (Guess the party*-Brooklyn) would ban salt from being used in the food preparation and cooking. Mr. Ortiz does share his logic:

"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."

OK, I get that.
But, hey Mr. Ortiz, have you ever heard of asking for no salt to be added to your meal? What, you can't wait an extra few minutes as your meal is specially prepared? Hey, even better. Why do you don't patronize restaurants that do not used salt in meal prep? Or start one of your own. How about that, Mr. Ortiz.
Well, Jeff Nathan, the executive chef and co-owner of Abigael's in New York City on Broadway had this to say:

"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,"

Exactly! It is called taking one's own responsibility for caring for one's own health.
I almost never add any salt to any meal. Only occasionally when I have Macaroni and Cheese. But otherwise I never add salt to a meal. Was not always that way. I used to pour the salt on almost everything. But, one day, I realized that it maybe too much and just stopped adding salt. What I realized is that so much food already has a certain amount of salt. And yes, it adds flavor.
The point is that I made the decision. I did not need a nanny-state butinzky putz to tell a restaurant owner and or chef, NO! NO! NO! Can't add a little flavor to food! No, you are putting people at risk.
Mr. Ortiz, when one truly lives life, it is a total risk!
The old saying rings true here. Everything in moderation.
Many restaurants already have some menu items that are low-sodium or no salt. I do not get the big wow about asking if no salt be added to food.
But once again, it shows how legislators want to deal with real problems. New York state is one of many states on the precipice of bankruptcy. There are serious decisions that will have to be made. And this guy, Ortiz, thinks top of the list is being chief of the food police and trying to ban salt in restaurant food.
This guy needs to be voted out of office. Yesterday.
I have faith and trust in people to make their own choices. Especially when it comes to food and how they choose to season it.
People like Mr. Ortiz have no faith in the people. He believes that he and the government know best.
Sorry, this bill has to die!

*-Democrat, of course!

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