The “fat tax” — an outrageously stupid idea whose time, regrettably, has come
Stupid is as stupid does
Torsket!
If you speak Danish, you know that torsket means “stupid.” And I’ve heard some stupid ideas in my time, but this is one of the STUPIDEST ever.
They’re calling it the Danish Fat Tax. And it reaches colossal heights of torsket because it’s perfectly stupid in two HUGE ways.
Let’s count them…
Stupid One: Nanny politicians
I’m not crazy about the term “nanny state.” It’s a hot button phrase that’s almost always used in a divisive way.
But in this case, “nanny state” is a very good fit.
The new Denmark tax is not designed to raise revenue. Its sole purpose is to create a minor financial hardship for Danish citizens in order to force them to deny themselves food items that contain saturated fats.
So what you’ve basically got is “nanny” politicians saying to the people who elected them: “Eat your vegetables!”
What’s next? A tax to force voters to sit up straight and not talk back?
The insanely flawed “logic” here is that the tax will discourage people from eating fats (it won’t), which will make them healthier (it won’t) and reduce obesity (it won’t).
From this we can conclude that Danish lawmakers are completely delusional when it comes to nutrition.
Which brings us to…
Stupid Two: Beef vs. potato chips
The Denmark tax raises the cost of any food product that contains saturated fat.
So according to these out-of-control “nutritionist” lawmakers, a cut of lean beef from a grass-fed steer is in the same nutritional class as a bag of potato chips, and people should be discouraged from eating either one of these dangerous foods.
It’s like comparing apples to Saturn. Yes, they’re that different.
Grass fed beef is low calorie, high-quality protein with plenty of omega-3 fatty acids. A bag of chips is trans-fatty acid junk, made from potatoes — a food that promotes obesity and type 2 diabetes.
And now both of these foods cost more in Denmark in hopes that Danes will stop eating them.
Earth to Denmark! This is the 21st century! We don’t fear good quality saturated fats anymore!
Last year I told you about an American Journal of Clinical Nutrition study that followed more than 345,000 adults — some for as long as 20 years. Results showed NO LINK between saturated fat intake and a higher risk of heart disease, cardiovascular disease, or stroke.
Add to that, several important vitamins are fat-soluble, so they actually work more effectively in your body with the help of saturated fats. I’m talking about key powerhouse vitamins like D, E, K, and A. And one thing you absolutely DON’T want to do is impede your body’s ability to utilize stores of vitamin D.
And finally, nobody sings the praises of saturated fats quite like William Campbell Douglass, M.D.: “Don’t let anyone tell you that animal fats are bad for you. They boost your energy and your immunity. They help your body build stronger and more resilient cells. They contain chemicals that help your brain stay focused, and even contain concentrated levels of ‘good’ HDL cholesterol.”
Recently, when Dr. Douglass wrote about the Denmark law, he pointed out that Hungary now has a tax for foods with high levels of sugar, salt, carbohydrates, and caffeine, while Finland, Romania, and Britain are all considering variations on Denmark’s fat tax.
I’ve got an excellent word for this trend: torsket!
PS: I don’t always see eye-to-eye with Dr. Douglass, but he writes one of our affiliate newsletters and, trust me, it is ALWAYS a great read. But more than that, it’s always at the forefront of alternative medicine breakthroughs and behind-the-scenes maneuvering of the medical mainstream. Want to know why he says you’d have to be a nut to listen to those nags that keep telling you to exercise?
Sources:
“Denmark levies world’s first fat tax” Radio Netherlands Worldwide, 10/1/11, rnw.nl
