Hawai'i has shown the nation and the world that it cares about the health of its residents and visitors by adopting a strict smoking ban. We should now take a cue from another forward-thinking entity, the New York City Board of Health, which in December voted to ban the serving of hydrogenated oils from all food establishments in the city.

Hydrogenated oils contain trans-fatty acids, which, like cigarettes, kill over the long term. They line our arteries and are much more difficult to break down by the body than natural fats. Furthermore, they add no improved taste to foods. Hydrogenated oils exist because they make food (mostly junk food) easier to manufacture, store and transport. And, they make junk food cheaper. A cake made with shortening may remain moist longer than an all-butter cake, but in my opinion a fresh, all-butter cake trumps a fresh hydrogenated-oil cake any day.

"What you decide to eat is your business" is a common refrain of restaurateurs and food industry lobbyists who oppose government regulation and further federal and state actions regarding hydrogenated oils.

This could not be more wrong. What you and I eat affects everyone around us with long-term consequences, such as higher health insurance rates, lower job productivity, and higher Medicare/Medicaid costs. The government regulates the tobacco industry because one's smoking affects everyone around them. The same argument is valid for hydrogenated oils.

Skeptics, lobbyists and those who make a living off of hydrogenated oils will point out that packaged-food manufacturers and restaurants will replace hydrogenated oils with palm oil or butter. Both palm oil and butter are full of saturated fat, which also clogs arteries and leads to heart disease.

This argument is true, but the key is that using palm oil, or especially butter, raises the cost of food production. This is good. Foods that contain large percentages of saturated fat should be consumed in moderation — the more expensive these foods are, the more we will moderate our intake.

The use of hydrogenated oil and corn syrup, coupled with today's cut-throat capitalist efficiency and an evolved tendency to crave fatty and sweet foods, has led to the era of "5 for 99 cents" candy-bar specials at the supermarket, not to mention global obesity problems.

Government subsidies to large-scale corn processors in the Midwest have created a situation where high fructose corn syrup is cheaper than sugar. Cookies, crackers, baked goods, along with a litany of products not required by the body for optimum health, are so cheap it's a wonder that obesity rates are not even higher.

Moderation is the key to success, but it's difficult to moderate these days. One can buy 350 empty calories for 20 cents at the checkout line at the supermarket. Five to seven dollars can get you more than 2,000 calories at fast-food chains. As soon as you enter any local supermarket, the first thing you usually see are the cheap commercial cookies, cakes and baked goods with ingredient labels that read like a college chemistry textbook. Look closely, and you will see "partially hydrogenated soybean oil" is a staple in most cakes, pies, cookies and sometimes even breads.

The cheap pricing of these engineered foods does not take into consideration the true medical and socio-economic toll being placed on society. Even upscale restaurants and hotels serve foods full of trans-fats to bolster their profit margins. Until the government steps in to ban artificial trans-fats, the public should be well informed, and should question their local bakeries, supermarkets and food establishments regarding the ingredients used in their products. And chefs, bakery owners, supermarkets, restaurateurs should do their part by switching to butter. Palm oil is controversial for causing considerable deforestation in countries with virgin natural resources. The dairy industry isn't exactly spotless itself, but may be less controversial than the palm oil industry. Butter isn't a perfect food, but let's be honest, many of us don't serve just steamed broccoli and carrots anyway.

When the hydrogenated oil issue hits the shores of our Islands, which I hope it someday will, remember that if you are going to indulge, indulge intelligently.

Tushar Dubey is a co-owner of Hokulani Bake Shop in Honolulu. He wrote this commentary for The Advertiser.